NATO Summit and 2016 Olympic bid organizer Lori Healey is expected to succeed Jim Reilly as the head of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, or McPier, which oversees Chicago's massive trade show and convention business, according to a source close to Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

The agency owns the McCormick Place convention center and Navy Pier. If selected, Healey also would oversee construction of a 1,200-room Marriott Marquis and a new 10,000-seat DePaul University basketball arena.

Construction on both buildings is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2015 with completion in 2017, according to McPier.

Healey also served as chief of staff to former Mayor Richard Daley and currently runs his investment and consulting firm, Tur Partners. She has previous real estate experience with developer John Buck Co.

mmharris@tribpub.com

Twitter @chiconfidential

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NATO Summit, Olympic bid organizer front-runner to head McPier