Todd Lighty, formerly an investigative reporter for the Tribune, has joined the office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas as deputy director of research affairs. Lighty will join the “think tank” Pappas is recruiting, she told The Daily Line Tuesday. Pappas earlier this year hired Hal Dardick, another Tribune veteran, as her director of research affairs. 

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi will moderate a virtual panel discussion at 6 p.m. Wednesday titled “Racial Equity & Real Estate Conversations.” Panelists will include Chicago Department of Housing Comm. Marisa Novara, developer David Doig of Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, author of the book “Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership.” Online registration is required. 

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce will cohost an event with Mesirow at 12 p.m. on July 22 titled “A New Retirement Investment Plan for Your Business.” “To provide Chicagoland businesses with a new retirement investment option, the Chicagoland Chamber and Mesirow recently announced a new retirement plan exclusively for members — the Chicagoland Chamber Pooled Employer Program (PEP),” according to a notice sent Tuesday. Online registration is required for the July 22 event.