The new center will capitalize on Atlanta’s thriving real estate market, which is rapidly expanding with commercial and residential developments. With 75% of Fortune 1000 companies holding offices in the city, Atlanta is also home to 16 Fortune 500 company headquarters. The world-class real estate program will not only shape the future of the industry but also fuel innovation and economic development across Atlanta and the entire region.

“We are deeply thankful to Billy Harbert for his extraordinary generosity. This gift represents a significant milestone for Goizueta and the entire Emory community,” shared Gareth James, John H. Harland Dean for Goizueta. “The BL Harbert Real Estate Center will enhance our ability to educate the next generation of real estate leaders, create a robust talent pipeline for leading firms, and strengthen our connection to the industry. It is a testament to the strength and influence of our alumni network.”

Building on nearly 20 years of real estate courses and initiatives, the new center will accelerate Goizueta’s momentum in this critical sector. Last year, a group of two dozen alumni, led by Randy Evans, established a transformative $3 million endowment to fuel additional leadership of the program. A national search is now underway for a Distinguished Industry Professor to guide the Real Estate program into its next era. Additionally, the school’s annual real estate conference—launched in 2022 by alumni including John Schellhase 23EvMBA, Russell Hardin 21MBA, Bernard Clevens 22MBA, and John Hillman 21MBA—has quickly gained recognition as one of the Southeast’s premier industry gatherings, attracting top professionals and decision-makers.

“The energy and excitement surrounding real estate at Emory and Goizueta Business School are unmistakable,” says Robert C. Goddard III, chair of the Emory Board of Trustees. “With Goizueta’s expanding real estate program, the school is poised to become a premier hub for real estate education and thought leadership. Given Atlanta’s position as a thriving commercial and investment center—serving as the economic engine of the Southeast—our students and faculty have unparalleled access to a dynamic market, influential industry leaders, and a wealth of opportunities. We are building something truly extraordinary.”

Through the BL Harbert Real Estate Center, Goizueta is developing a hands-on curriculum that equips students to excel as real estate entrepreneurs and practitioners. The center, supported by three key pillars—research, community engagement, and curriculum—will advance innovations in the field by increasing Goizueta’s influence as a hub for engagement, collaboration, and entrepreneurship.

Students have access to hands-on learning both in and outside the classroom that strengthens their skill sets and resumes. Through the Real Estate Private Equity Fund, students will manage real-world investments by identifying undervalued REITs or those with consistent returns, and by researching real estate fixed income instruments that present strong investment opportunities. Goizueta will continue to offer its Real Estate career trek to New York, providing students a unique opportunity to meet with top firms, explore career paths, and strengthen professional networks nationwide. Moreover, the center will facilitate internships, case competitions, conferences, and real-world projects with industry partners.

“Industry innovation will not happen in a vacuum; it will be driven by research and a curriculum that brings real world problems and cutting-edge research to the classroom,” shared Sergio Gárate, director of the Goizueta Real Estate Program. “This generous investment by Billy Harbert will significantly enhance our students’ educational experience. By expanding professional networking, conference participation, and real estate competitions, we will better prepare our students for successful careers in real estate.”

Billy Harbert, chairman and CEO of BL Harbert International, has long been recognized for his innovation and leadership in construction and real estate. He has overseen numerous high-profile projects across the world that have left a lasting impact on the industry.

“I am proud to support the launch of the new center and hope to continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of real estate education and practice,” shared Harbert. “I look forward to seeing how Goizueta will inspire and prepare the next generation of industry leaders.”

Interested in getting involved? Visit Goizueta Real Estate to find out more.

About Emory University’s Goizueta Business School

Business education has been an integral part of Emory University’s identity since 1919. That kind of longevity and significance does not come without a culture built on success and service. Emory University’s Goizueta Business School offers a unique, community-oriented environment paired with the academic prestige and rigor of a major research institution. Goizueta develops business leaders of today and tomorrow with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Full-time MBA (Two-Year MBA & One-Year MBA), Evening MBA, Executive MBA, MS in Business Analytics, Master of Finance, Master in Management, Master in Business for Veterans, Doctoral degree, and a portfolio of non-degree Emory Executive Education courses. Together, the Goizueta community strives to solve the world’s most pressing business problems. The school is named for the late Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company.

For more information, visit goizueta.emory.edu.

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What: On April 17, Emory University’s Goizueta Business School will hold its 4th Annual Emory Real Estate Conference, designed to be Atlanta’s premier university-sponsored real estate event. Details here. 

The event is an educational and networking forum for Atlanta real estate professionals and Emory alumni. Attendees will hear from national and local C-suite real estate professionals. Speakers at the conference will discuss topics including Development in a New Era, Perspective Across Asset Classes from Private Equity, and more.

Who: More than 700 C-Level executives including developers, investors and other commercial real estate professionals will attend the sold out conference.

Why: Some of the nation’s largest and most innovative real estate projects are happening in Atlanta and across the South. 

Keynote Speaker: Tyler Henritz, Founder and Managing Partner of Town Lake

Featured Speakers include: 

• – Joseph Zidle, Senior Managing Director & Chief Investment Strategist, Blackstone
• – John Petricola, Senior Managing Director for the Southeast Region, Rockefeller Group
• – Zac Gruber, President, Office Division, Banyan Street
• – Katherine Mosley, Partner, TriBridge Residential
• – Reed Kracke, Partner, Asana Partners
• – Michael Simanovsky, 05C, Managing Partner, Conversant Capital
• – Richard Ross, CEO, Quinn Residences
• – Brandon Ribar, CEO, Sonida Senior Living
• – Ed Steffelin, GSP, President, AXCS Investments

When: April 17, 2025  11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Where: St. Regis Hotel, 88 West Paces Ferry Road, NW, Atlanta, GA 30305

About Emory University’s Goizueta Business School

Business education has been an integral part of Emory University’s identity since 1919. That kind of longevity and significance does not come without a culture built on success and service. Emory University’s Goizueta Business School offers a unique, community-oriented environment paired with the academic prestige and rigor of a major research institution. Goizueta develops business leaders of today and tomorrow with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Full-time MBA (Two-Year MBA & One-Year MBA), Evening MBA, Executive MBA, MS in Business Analytics, Master of Finance, Master in Management, Master in Business for Veterans, Doctoral degree, and a portfolio of non-degree Emory Executive Education courses. Together, the Goizueta community strives to solve the world’s most pressing business problems. The school is named for the late Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company.

For more information, visit goizueta.emory.edu.

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Professor Emeritus Roy T. Black, who retired in 2022, laid the groundwork for today’s success, alongside longstanding adjunct professors including Lyle Fogarty 03MBA, Hussain “Moos” Moosajee 07MBA, Tom Evans 12MBA, and Conor McNally, among others. Students and alumni have been building on that momentum, bringing energy and enthusiasm to support the evolution of the program.

Case in point: Last year, two dozen former students, led by Randy Evans 79MBA, raised a transformative $3 million endowment to fuel additional leadership of the program alongside Sergio Gárate, assistant finance professor and director of the program. A national search is now underway for a Distinguished Industry Professor to lead the Real Estate program into its next era. Now, the program is accelerating toward the future, embracing fresh ideas, innovative research, and industry collaboration to redefine what’s possible in real estate education.

Building Momentum

A big magnet for all of this is Atlanta’s thriving real estate market, Emory’s leadership, and the school’s location in the Southeastern region, which is rapidly expanding with commercial and residential developments. Atlanta is home to 16 Fortune 500 company headquarters with 75% of Fortune 1000 companies holding offices in the city.

Adding to the momentum, the program has strong institutional support from Emory President Greg Fenves and John H. Harland Dean Gareth M. James, both prioritizing real estate as a key initiative for both Goizueta and Emory. In fact, Goizueta is currently laying the groundwork for a dedicated center, marking a new era of excellence in real estate education, thought leadership, and practice at the school.

“The energy and excitement surrounding real estate at Emory and Goizueta Business School are unmistakable,” says Robert C. Goddard III, chair of the Emory Board of Trustees.

With Goizueta’s expanding real estate program, the school is poised to become a premier hub for real estate education and thought leadership.

Robert C. Goddard III, Chair, Emory Board of Trustees

“Given Atlanta’s position as a thriving commercial and investment center—serving as the economic engine of the Southeast—our students and faculty have unparalleled access to a dynamic market, influential industry leaders, and a wealth of opportunities,” says Goddard. “We are building something truly extraordinary.”

A Conference Commands Attention

Undergraduates, MBA students, faculty, and Goizueta leadership have all stepped up to fuel the Real Estate program’s momentum and growth. One major source of that fuel has been the launch of the annual Emory Goizueta Real Estate Conference that now attracts more than 700 alumni, private equity, and developers from across the country and internationally.

The new Distinguished Industry Professor will lead the center, with the historically sold-out annual Emory Goizueta Real Estate Conference as its signature event. This year’s conference, taking place on April 17, features Tyler Henritze, founder and managing partner of Town Lane, as the keynote speaker in a discussion moderated by Brian Budnick 02C and managing director of Eastdil Secured. They will be joined by many other industry powerhouses throughout the day, including Joseph Zidle 95C, senior managing director and chief investment strategist in the Private Wealth Solutions group at Blackstone. 

While earning their MBAs, John Schellhase 23EvMBA—associate vice president of investments at Peachtree Group—and Bernard Clevens 22MBA—principal at Thematic Capital Group—wanted to test their entrepreneurial limits (and the patience of their spouses) by creating a world-class real estate conference.

“We wanted to create a school sponsored conference that would both magnify the school and the city of Atlanta,” Schellhase says. “The true opportunity was to pair the strength of the alumni network with the real estate community in the fifth biggest city in the United States.”

Schellhase and Clevens recruited alumni for panels and sponsorships. The buzz built as they secured CEOs of the “big four” Atlanta commercial real estate firms (Cousins, Jamestown, Portman, and T. Dallas Smith). Their pitch: Atlanta is an underrated national laboratory for real estate trends, and Emory and Goizueta graduates deserve to be recruited as hard as those from Columbia, Penn, and other top-ranked real estate programs.

Can You Get Me a Ticket?

Then, they went after the ungettable get as their keynote speaker, real estate tycoon Sam Zell.

“It’d be kind of hard to find anybody bigger than Sam Zell,” says Black, who calls the conference the most successful student-led real estate program in the country. “It was standing room only, and I had alumni calling and asking, ‘Can you get me a ticket?’”

In the 2022 conference keynote, Zell predicted that inflation pressures “would create generational opportunities for a cadre of new investors,” Todd H. Rollins 93C 99MBA recalls. “Sadly, Zell passed away roughly a year later, and that takeaway is what you’re looking for at a conference like that. You’re looking to glean little nuggets of data and wisdom, and his legendary stature was surreal.” 

Madison Williams 04MBA, now executive vice president of Investments at QTS Data Centers, believes the conference panels and organizers represent the servant leadership that differentiates Goizueta’s Real Estate program. Madison notes, “The Real Estate program at Emory is founded on integrity and helping your fellow classmates and alumni succeed. This comes across at the conference with exciting topics and great speakers for graduates, existing students, and industry veterans to learn from.” 

The 2024 keynote speaker was Chris Lee 00C, partner and president of KKR’s global real estate business. At Emory College he majored in economics with a focus in math; real estate was not a business offering then. “The keynote address was a full circle moment,” he says. 

“Atlanta is one of the top 5 largest MSAs [metropolitan statistical areas] and a major real estate incubator of what is happening around the country,” Lee says. “The conference we launched is a huge opportunity for Emory to be a leader in the national real estate community. It’s a great academic program and city, and if you want talented young people who know real estate, Emory has a lot of them. I’m excited about what this conference and the Real Estate program will look like in a few years.” 

Pizza Parties and Perfect Timing

Without highly motivated students and alumni, neither this pipeline nor this success would have been possible. In 1998, Todd Rollins 93C 99MBA, Dan Latshaw II 99MBA, and Arthur Lynn 99MBA started the Goizueta Real Estate Group (GREG).

“In our first few meetings, we decided next steps should include real estate programming, something more formal to develop our knowledge base,” says Rollins, now a portfolio manager for two flagship funds with Nuveen in New York. “That fledgling discussion evolved into finding a local professor to come in and teach us. Goizueta’s dean at the time, Thomas S. Robertson, embraced that idea.”

And so, the seed was planted.

“Looking back at this retrospectively, it is nothing short of amazing to see how this grassroots program has progressed with contributions from so many people over time,” Rollins adds.

Enter Roy T. Black who had a PhD in real estate and finance and practiced real estate law for 15 years.

“Timing is crucial,” Black says about real estate success, and the same was true of arriving at Emory. He devoted the next nine years to building the Real Estate program “like it was a nonprofit business” with reciprocal benefits for students and alumni. He recruited students to his classes by offering them free pizza and connecting them with alumni for jobs; he persuaded alumni to sponsor the pizza parties as a recruitment pipeline and speak about topics like multifamily housing. “No one ever turned me down,” he says.

Randy Evans 79MBA always answered the call, having graduated long before Emory named the business school in 1994. “There weren’t many of us who wanted to go into real estate, and I went to see the dean who was the past chairman of Georgia-Pacific, who made a few phone calls and that’s how I got my first job,” he recalls. Today, Evans is managing director at Eastdil Secured. “I made a promise to myself that I would pay that forward.”

Lessons from Elvis and the Learning Lab

With props and costumes, Black vividly taught real estate principles by invoking Elvis and William the Conqueror.

To Black, experiential learning was key. Students didn’t just study real estate—they lived it. Atlanta served as a dynamic “learning lab” where students participated in site visits and hands-on projects, such as analyzing feasibility for new developments and tackling complex market research challenges.

“My favorite project was researching the perfect spot in Atlanta to build a new Dunkin’ Donuts franchise,” says Erica Goldman 18BBA, principal at Blackstone. “That was so fun and taught me the fundamentals of real estate market analysis. Professor Black was both an incredible teacher and resource with relationships across the industry.”

Energized students “started planning events on their own, like tours of the Beltline,” Black says. “They toured the old Sears Building when it was still being renovated for Ponce City Market, with Jim Irwin 07MBA, who was head of development and in one of the very first Emory classes that I taught. There was still dust on the floor about three inches high and he showed us where everything was going to go.” Irwin is now president of New City, LLC and directs the company’s real estate development and consulting operations, as well as new business pursuits.

“The students came up with the ideas, and that was an important part of their education,” Black adds. “You’ve got to be proactive to succeed in the real estate business.”

Links in a Chain

As Goizueta students explored new ways to learn and engage, they could see how alumni were shaping Atlanta’s skyline. From the panoramic window in Dolive, a large meeting room in Goizueta’s east building, Black would point to the horizon. “You see that building? A former student manages it,” he’d say and tap the glass. “And for that one over there? One of our alums does the leasing.”

For Lyle Fogarty 03MBA, managing partner at Clover Investment Properties and an adjunct professor at Goizueta since 2006, the alumni network represents a huge area of strength for students ready to enter the field.

I tell students all the time if there is a commercial real estate company you admire, there is an extremely high probability that there is an Emory alumnus/a already there willing to return your call if you reach out.

Lyle Fogarty 03MBA, Goizueta adjunct professor & managing partner, Clover Investment Properties

“I don’t think that one week has gone by in the last 15 years that I haven’t heard from at least one fellow Emory grad or former student,” says Fogarty.

As Lyle looks toward the future, he is encouraged by the prospects of the program. “Atlanta is at its core a ‘real estate town.’ There are many great real estate programs at other schools around the nation and they are focused on growing and improving as well. We can learn from them and grow with them as well. But compared to other programs, our secret sauce is Atlanta which has a seemingly endless growth story which provides exceptional teaching and learning opportunities for students.”

An Expanding Program

Today, the courses and offerings for students continue to grow. More than 260 students participated in real estate classes in 2024, up from 157 in 2022. Graduate students can earn a real estate concentration in the MBA programs, and undergraduate BBAs enroll in the real estate depth program in the Finance department that focuses on the real estate industry, including development, market research, REITs, and capital markets, among other areas.

Instructors in the Real Estate program work in the industry “so you’re going to get very hands-on information on working in commercial real estate,” says Gárate. “Our course offerings will help you get placed in pretty much any real estate private equity firm. Because of the branding, history, and quality of our real estate students, we have alumni now working at all the big real estate firms. Goizueta shows immense strength in capital markets, innovation, and development.”

Students have access to hands-on learning both in and outside the classroom that strengthens their skill sets and resumes. Last year, Goizueta started offering a Real Estate career trek to New York, providing students a unique opportunity to meet with top firms, explore career paths, and strengthen professional networks nationwide. Through the Real Estate Private Equity fund, students manage real-world investments. They look for opportunities to find undervalued REITs on the equity side and consistent returns to safely and consistently maintain the fund’s capital on the debt side.

For Tom Evans 12EvMBA, one of the founders of the Real Estate Private Equity Fund, it has been fulfilling to see the work he did in his student years paying off for a whole new generation. He is now managing partner of Toccoa Capital Management and an adjunct professor at Goizueta. “It’s rewarding to see that, over 13 years later, the fund is still going strong.”

As Emory’s Real Estate program enters its next chapter, the strength and enthusiasm of its current student base and growing network signal a future as expansive as the skylines its alumni help shape. With a dedicated center on the horizon, a transformative endowment, new course offerings, and the energy of a thriving city like Atlanta, Goizueta Business School is poised to take its place as a powerhouse at the forefront of real estate excellence.

Interested in getting involved? Register for the Emory Goizueta Real Estate Conference on April 17. If you’d like to discuss partnering with Goizueta, hiring our students, or contributing your expertise, please reach out to Sergio Gárate.

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• + Michael Ritz, EVP Investments, Peachtree Group
• + Sachin Nagpal 12BBA, Principal, Two Sigma
• + Aubrey Dennis-King 08Ox 10BBA, Vice President, Equity Residential
• + Lindsey Snider 11BBA, Executive Director, JP Morgan Asset Management

Panelists discussed the shifting dynamics in equity capital markets and offered advice in navigating today’s economic landscape. Leaders encouraged professionals to deploy an extensive network to overcome limited capacity and develop rigorously crafted and well-supported business plans, as only the strongest projects are attracting capital in the current environment.

With Atlanta’s status as a hub for Fortune 1000 companies and real estate investment, the opportunity is clear. Goizueta’s Real Estate program is designed to leverage this market by preparing students with hands-on learning to become leaders and entrepreneurs.

“Our goal is to create a space where education and industry expertise intersect, strengthening not only our students’ potential but also the region’s economic landscape,” shared Gareth James, John H. Harland Dean of Goizueta Business School.

Over the past two decades, Goizueta has built a strong foundation in real estate education, and recent additions, such as the annual Emory Goizueta Real Estate Conference, have solidified its position as a key player in the field. Launched in 2022 by alumni including John Schellhase, Russell Hardin, Bernard Clevens, and John Hillman, the 2024 spring conference garnered more than 650 attendees, fostering an exchange of ideas among top national and regional industry leaders.

Schellhase emphasized the critical role of networking in real estate. “The real estate business is all about personal connections and the ability to generate and maintain relationships. With marquee speakers from New York, Washington DC, and Atlanta, these events are a must-attend for anyone in the industry,” he shared.

Interested in getting involved? Save the date for the Emory Goizueta Real Estate Conference this spring! The conference will take place on April 17, 2025 at the St. Regis in Atlanta. If you’d like to sponsor the 2025 conference or future events, please reach out to John Schellhase or gbsalumni@emory.edu.

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This year’s conference, led by Conference Co-Chairs Bernard Clevens 22MBA, Russell Hardin 21EvMBA, John Hillman 21EvMBA, and John Schellhase 23EvMBA, boasted 38 sponsors and over 650 people in attendance, about 400 of which were alumni according to Schellhase. “It’s a chance for these people to get together in a way they normally don’t,” he says.

Goizueta Cements Leadership in the Real Estate Space

To Schellhase, Goizueta is a natural choice for a gathering of industry professionals. “It has one of the most prominent real estate programs in the country,” he says. The conference has solidified Emory’s spot on the map in the commercial real estate industry.

Gareth James, John H. Harland Dean of Goizueta Business School, weighed in on the conference ahead of the event. “Through the Emory Goizueta Real Estate Conference, we are able to engage thought leaders, exchange ideas, and gain valuable perspectives on navigating the complexities of the real estate market,” he said. “This not only helps our students but also the industry as a whole to be better prepared to address key challenges and capitalize on opportunities for sustained success in the dynamic Atlanta market.”

Elite Speakers Gather at Goizueta

A large part of the staying power of the conference is the talent it brings to Goizueta. Accomplished alumni and professionals from all over the nation make the pilgrimage to participate and share their knowledge.

Atlanta does not normally get this caliber of speaker coming in. Over 50% of the speakers flew in from across the country to be a part of this. That’s pretty special.

-John Schellhase 23EvMBA

Emory alumnus Chris Lee 00C, Partner and Co-President of KKR Real Estate, gave the keynote address via a fireside chat with Matthew Borstein 94C, portfolio manager & partner at Oak Hill Advisors. Despite a tumultuous market, Lee spoke with optimism about the future of commercial real estate. Following Lee, other leaders of national and global firms spoke through panel discussions including a session on Navigating Choppy Capital Markets Across Asset Classes, Pivots and Priorities Amidst Broader Capital Market Volatility featuring speakers Andrea Drasites, senior managing director at Blackstone; Greg Friedman, managing principal and chief executive officer at Peachtree Group; Kennedy Hicks, chief investment officer at Cousins Properties; and Porter McDonald, managing director at Landmark Properties. The panel was moderated by Matt Rendle 01MBA, chief investment officer for Selig Enterprises.

The second panel discussion From College to Cap Rates: Navigating Capital in the Residential and Industrial Sectors featured speakers Ashish Karamchandani, executive vice president at Heitman; Aaron Rosdal 05BBA, senior vice president at Prologis; Ryan Shear 05BBA, managing partner at PMG; and was moderated by Jason LaBonte 01MBA, chief investment officers, Crescent Communities.

Networking Opportunities Abound

As a cornerstone of the community, the Emory Goizueta Real Estate Conference looks to grow and continue to connect industry professionals and hopefuls. While the event has become a nationally renowned meeting of the minds for more than just Goizueta grads, recent alumni and students shouldn’t shy away from attending.

If you’re an alumni in commercial real estate, you’re missing out by not going.

John Schellhase

 “The room is filled with hundreds of decision-makers: people who have hiring authority. So, if you’re a student, raise your hand, get involved, and that’s the best way to potentially find a job.”

The Goizueta Real Estate Conference would not have been possible without contributions from more than three dozen sponsors, including: Bisnow, Cousins Properties, Eastdil Secured, The Graham Group, Oak Hill Advisors, Rockefeller Group, Summit Contracting Group, and Walker & Dunlop.

Learn more about the Goizueta Real Estate Group which offers a robust calendar of annual events and experiential opportunities within real estate. Contact Sergio Garate, Director of Goizueta’s Real Estate program.

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Atlanta, April 10, 2024 – Emory University’s Goizueta Business School today announces its third annual Real Estate Conference is set for May 2^nd, 2024 at the St. Regis in Atlanta. The half-day conference brings together developers, investors, and other commercial real estate professionals to hear experts discuss the industry’s most relevant and pressing topics. Tickets are available now.

Emory alumnus Chris Lee 00C, Partner and Co-President of KKR Real Estate, will give the keynote address. Following Lee, other leaders of national and global firms will speak through panel discussions and fireside chats. Speakers include: Andrea Drasites, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone; Aaron Rosdal, Senior Vice President at Prologis; Ashish Karamchandani, Executive Vice President at Heitman; Kennedy Hicks, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director at Cousins Properties; Greg Friedman, Managing Principal and Chief Executive Officer at Peachtree Group; Ryan Shear, Managing Partner at PMG; Porter McDonald, Managing Director at Landmark Properties; and more. Networking opportunities will also be available throughout the day.

“The Emory Goizueta Real Estate Conference has quickly become a cornerstone event for professionals and academics passionate about the future of commercial real estate,” said John Schellhase 23EvMBA (Co-Chair, Emory Goizueta Real Estate Conference Steering Committee). “This year, we continue our tradition of bringing in speakers who are unmatched in their knowledge of where the industry is today and, more importantly, can share their thoughts on where we are headed.”

Registration for the third Annual Emory Goizueta Real Estate Conference is now open. All industry professionals, academics, students, and anyone interested in the future of real estate are invited to join us for this dynamic and informative event.

“At Goizueta, we see community engagement as a cornerstone of driving industries forward,” said Gareth James, John H. Harland Dean of Goizueta Business School. “Through the Emory Goizueta Real Estate Conference, we are able to engage thought leaders, exchange ideas, and gain valuable perspectives on navigating the complexities of the real estate market. This not only helps our students but also the industry as a whole to be better prepared to address key challenges and capitalize on opportunities for sustained success in the dynamic Atlanta market.”

Sponsorship opportunities are also available, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. Current gold sponsors include Cousins and Rockefeller Group. Silver sponsors include Brasfield & Gorrie; The Graham Group; Fides Development; GreenCapRE; Juneau Construction Company; Madison Realty Capital; Morris Manning & Martin, LLP; Nelson Mullins; Peachtree Group; Thematic Capital Group; and The Wilbert Group.

For more information and to register, please visit the website.

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“In economic times like these, the need to come together as a real estate community and as an alumni community has never been more important,” said John Schellhase 23EvMBA, president, Goizueta Real Estate Group and one of the event’s student organizers. “The fact that the event sold out two weeks prior to the conference shows the need for this type of content.”

Organized by an alumni steering committee and Goizueta Real Estate Group, which offers graduate and undergraduate students experiential opportunities to learn more about commercial real estate, the Emory Real Estate Conference attracted real estate executives from across the country, including keynote speakers Dean Adler, CEO and co-founder, Lubert-Adler Partners and Roy March, CEO, Eastdil Secured, who participated in the event’s fireside chat.

“In real time, we are witnessing major movements in the financial markets that affect real estate and all asset classes,” Gareth James, John H. Harland Dean of Goizueta Business School told conference attendees. “As we continue to examine how this impacts each of our businesses, my duty and the duty of Goizueta is to continue to prepare our students for a future in this dynamic industry.”

The conference’s CEO spotlight featured Jodie McLean, CEO, EDENS, a retail real estate owner, operator and developer. McLean was one of three women featured in the conference’s programming. “As we continue to increase our efforts to provide diverse thought and perspectives in an industry that has not been, traditionally, very diverse, we were really excited to have a number of women executives participate this year,” noted Schellhase.

The morning’s panel discussion, “Investment Sentiment in a Changing Macro Environment,” was moderated by Hussein “Moos” Moosajee 07MBA, managing director, Blue Horseshoe Real Estate and an adjunct professor in Goizueta’s Real Estate Program. Panelists included Alex Vouvalides 00C, CEO, Equity Office, Brandi Hanback, EVP, Rockefeller Group, Colin Connolly, CEO, Cousins Properties and Matt Schulman, CEO, Ardent Companies.  

Following lunch and networking, the afternoon panel discussion, moderated by Adam Sklar 05BBA, co-portfolio manager and co-head of Real Estate, Monarch Alternative Capital, tackled “Capital Markets Insights: Trends and Disruptors.” Panelists included Jay Curran, president, Multifamily, Crescent Communities, Jeffrey Beckham, EVP, GID, Kelly Kuykendall 13MBA, deputy CIO, Office, Bridge Investment Group and Michael Regan, managing director, CIM.

The conference would not have been possible without contributions from more than three dozen sponsors, including Lubert-Adler Partners, Eastdil Secured, Cousins Properties, Metzler Real Estate, Peachtree Hotel Group, Portman Holdings, and Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

Although Schellhase will graduate this May, James asked him to continue to co-chair the Emory Real Estate Conference through 2028. Schellhase agreed. “It’s a great way to contribute to Emory and the city of Atlanta,” he said. Co-chairs of the steering committee included Bernard Clevens 22MBA, principal, Thematic Capital Group, John Hillman 21MBA, partner, FIDES Development, and Russell Hardin 21MBA, VP, Investments, Cousins Properties.

Professor Roy Black, who was instrumental in founding the school’s Real Estate Program in 2007, retired last year. As a result, Dean James saw an opportunity to elevate the program during this time of transition. Between significant institutional resources prioritized by Dean James and Emory University President, Gregory L. Fenves, Goizueta is seeking philanthropic partners to create a distinguished professorship to conceptualize a real estate center that advances thought leadership, education and innovation.

With nearly $2.5 million pledged towards a goal of $3 million, Goizueta is well positioned to complete the first round of funding in the coming weeks. Hiring a transformative leader in this space is both a clear need and significant opportunity for Goizueta—and the first step toward establishing the premier real estate program in the southeast.

“As we move forward, we will continue to attract top tier students who will grow into the future real estate leaders of tomorrow—both here in Atlanta and across the nation,” said James.

In addition to the annual conference, the Goizueta Real Estate Group hosts monthly events and a speaker’s series. Year-round programming now includes a Fall Speaker Series, Winter New York Reception and the marquee April Real Estate Conference. Learn more about the critical work happening in this space and how you can get involved.

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When Entrepreneurs Share Their Failures, Early-Stage Founders Benefit from the Experience

In an Instagram-perfect world that seems obsessed with success, Christy Brown is more than happy to talk about her failures. In fact, she’s proud of them. “I have founded and exited four of my own companies,” says Brown. “I’ve had a lot of successes, but the way I can help early-stage founders the most is from my failures. In my opinion, that’s where we learn.”

A serial entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience, Christy Brown is now an Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR) for The Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. She lends her expertise to Goizueta students who dream of starting their own businesses, and she gives it to them straight.

“All entrepreneurs think that our ideas are amazing, but that does not mean that anyone is going to buy it. I give founders the tools to really ensure that there is consumption for their idea,” says Brown. “My interest in working with founders is focused on how to save them time and money and on customer conversations and customer discovery. Entrepreneurs must have organic conversations with potential customers to determine if anyone even cares about the problem they’re solving.” Read the full story.

Goizueta Students Travel to Norway & Explore Social, Cultural, and Geopolitical Landscape

To prepare students to become principled leaders in an interconnected world, Goizueta developed Global Experiential Modules (GEMs), which are delivered multiple times per year for MBA students.

“Empathy and cultural competence are critical in the development of principled leadership. Goizueta’s Global Experiential Modules align with our strategic priorities to deliver truly distinctive lessons on business and its role in service to humanity,” says Brian Mitchell, associate dean for Goizueta Global Strategy and Initiatives. “These are so much more than just ‘trips’ because the experiences are contextualized by experts in history and culture.” Discover more about GEMs.

Students and Speakers Unpack Artificial Intelligence in Media and Entertainment Industry at the 2022 MSBA Conference

At the fifth annual Goizueta Business Analytics Conference, topics included AI and machine learning in decision making, media personalization, and audience targeting. Industry experts in the crowd were also Goizueta alumni, including women data scientists from the MSBA program who participated in the alumni panel, “MSBA Women in Media and Entertainment.” The women spoke about what drew them to their roles and this industry, advice for graduating students, and what it’s like to be a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field of data science.

“The MSBA program equipped me with strong data science and analytics skills, and it also enhanced my problem-solving skills. The conference was a great chance to learn and discuss opportunities and challenges in the media and entertainment industry,” says Lancy Mao 18MSBA, business data scientist at Google. “As we are exploring better personalization in a more privacy-preserving way, AI and machine learning have become more important.” Learn more about what’s new in AI and data analytics.

Certified B Corps: Students Explore Business as a Force for Good

With more than 5,300 certified B Corps globally and rising, “We are educating students about B Corps by taking part in the movement,” says B Corp Learning Lab instructor Brian Goebel 09MBA, managing director of the Business & Society Institute. “It’s a win-win all around.”

The B Corp Learning Lab and a growing number of other social and environmental impact activities (such as the Start:ME accelerator program, Net Impact Club, Peachtree Minority Venture Fund, and Grounds for Empowerment) demonstrate Goizueta’s strategic belief that business and society together can deliver a more equitable and sustainable world. When businesses and business education shift, other stakeholders benefit, too.

“The B Corp certification is a powerful and transparent way for companies to verify their social and environmental commitments,” says Wes Longhofer, academic director of the Business & Society Institute. “Because the assessment process is so tangible, students get hands-on experience on how companies can both measure their impact and set meaningful targets and goals. It also fits the educational mission of our Institute of putting theory into practice.” Dig into the process in the full story.

Inaugural Emory Real Estate Conference Draws Influential Leaders for a Sold-Out Crowd

Goizueta Business School hosted the inaugural Emory Real Estate Conference for more than 550 real estate professionals and investors. The keynote address was delivered by Sam Zell, founder, and chairman of Equity Group Investments, a self-made billionaire who serves as chairman of several companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In addition to a panel discussion on “Capital Market Insights: Trends and Disruptors,” Colleen Keating, CEO, FirstKey Homes, offered her perspective on the rise of single-family rentals (SFR) as an asset class.

One of the nation’s top real estate markets, Atlanta has seen significant growth over the last few decades. Given Emory University’s location and the growing renown of Goizueta’s 15-year-old real estate program, the conference’s student co-chairs John Schellhase 23EvMBA and Bernard “Bern” Clevens 22MBA saw hosting an Emory and Goizueta-branded conference as a great way to unite real estate professionals, serve the greater Atlanta community, and showcase the Emory and Goizueta brands. Gain more real estate insight.

Executive MBA Ranks 6th in Nation by Financial Times

The Executive MBA program at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School continued to climb in the rankings, recognized as the 6th ranked EMBA program nationwide, according to a recent Financial Times report. Delivering on its promise to provide world-class educational experiences and opportunities, the program also garnered notable gains internationally, rising to 36th in the world.

At Goizueta, the Executive MBA program provides the breadth of business acumen and depth of expertise that a seasoned professional or current executive needs to drive organizational value.

Jackie Conner, associate dean of the Executive MBA program

“It offers a personal, deeply immersive, and hands-on experience that expands an individual’s leadership capacity,” says Conner. Read the full rankings report.

Goizueta Supports Active-Duty Service Members and Veterans with Student Scholarships, Fellowships, and Public Service Award

“One of the most important aspects and strengths of the Goizueta military and veteran community is how they support one another through their transition, MBA journey, and pursuit of their goals,” says Ken Keen, Lieutenant General, Retired, U.S. Army and Goizueta associate dean for leadership development and senior lecturer of Organization & Management who also serves as Goizueta’s military advisor. “We seek to make it personal and help every veteran as they apply their skills and leadership experiences gained through military service toward seeking careers in the business world.”

“Goizueta does a great job of making the veterans feel valued,” says Goizueta Military Scholarship Recipient Matthew Ball 23MBA. Ball served as squad leader for the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment with six combat deployments across Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. At Goizueta, he leads the Goizueta Veterans Club for 2022-2023, which has 18 full-time MBA students and 21 Executive MBA and Evening MBA students for a total of nearly 40 active members. “To me it is even more impactful that donors want to take part in assisting the educational growth and career advancement of our student vets.” Learn more about Goizueta’s commitment to veterans.

Goizueta Business School Faculty Rank in the Top Two Percent of Scholars Worldwide

Seven faculty members of Goizueta Business School were honored in Stanford University’s World’s Top 2% Scientists, a prestigious worldwide ranking of researchers for their career-long impact.

The study, published in the journal PLoS Biology, is based on the bibliometric information contained in Elsevier’s Scopus database that includes more than 160,000 researchers from the more than 8 million scientists considered to be active worldwide, taking into account 22 scientific fields and 176 subfields. Read more about our esteemed Goizueta faculty.

Goizueta Trailblazers Pave the Way for Growth and Opportunity in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

“Our history is illuminating,” says Jill Perry-Smith, senior associate dean of strategic initiatives. Perry-Smith is charged with leading the school’s DEI strategies and notes, “It is important to recognize trailblazers and have an opportunity to think through the events of the country and world as they collide with our local history.”

In recognition of our journey, Goizueta created Black History at Goizueta, a timeline of significant milestones throughout our institution’s history. In 2020, Goizueta launched the Common Read program, providing a forum for self-education and a safe space for honest dialogue for those seeking to be allies. Last fall, Goizueta launched the Peachtree Minority Venture Fund through The Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation—a million-dollar venture capital fund focused on empowering underrepresented founders. In December, Goizueta announced the addition of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion concentration for Full-Time MBA programs. And earlier this year, Goizueta announced the winners of the John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case competition, engaging leading students to examine how companies can address racial injustice within their organizations. Learn more about Goizueta trailblazers.

Do Grammy-Winning Pop Artists Take More Creative Risks Than Their Runners-Up?

Taylor Swift has had a career marked by an evolution in sound and style. Swift emerged into the industry a country star and was later rebranded a pop icon. She’s gone on to explore alternative rock and indie folk sounds.

Research by Giacomo Negro, professor of Organization & Management and professor of Sociology (by courtesy), suggests Grammy award wins may be credited as the catalyst for these changes. Gain more insight from this faculty research.

Emory Business digs into stories that matter. Keep reading to meet the change makers, the trend setters, and the leading influencers shaping business today.

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Steigman, the one-man team behind his Georgia real estate brokerage America Realty, never toured one of the properties in person. Instead, he utilized “Steignet,” a proprietary technology he developed to analyze residential real estate data and identify properties in which to invest.

Recognizing Patterns and Spotting Real Estate Trends

“A lot of people ask me what’s the secret sauce, the differentiator, and I would say it’s my chess background,” explains Steigman. A Chess Master at age 13, Steigman spent eight consecutive years as the number one chess player in the U.S. in his age group. Developing a brain for chess meant exercising his ability to recognize patterns and spot trends—skills he’s put to good use in the single-family housing market.

Prior to the 2008 financial crisis, most of the bigger, institutional players invested in commercial real estate, which they considered a more viable asset class than the single-family housing market. “Coming out of the financial crisis, I saw that these assets were trading for pennies on the dollar,” says Steigman. As a result of the downturn, many home builders and developers went bankrupt, slowed, or stopped building homes altogether, and housing starts fell precipitously. Steigman recognized that it was only a matter of time before Millennials and their Generation Z counterparts would start buying houses, driving up demand.

Steigman began to buy properties. “At the time, it was a very outside perspective,” he explains. When institutional investors caught on and began to enter the single-family housing market, Steigman knew he needed to innovate.

Steigman was 12 years old when the IBM supercomputer, Deep Blue, beat World Champion Chess Grandmaster Garry Kasparov in 1997. At the time, Kasparov was the best chess player in the world, but in the same time that human chess players are allotted to make a move, the chess supercomputer could calculate 100 billion to 200 billion positions. Computer chess software has strengthened since then. “Most chess decision engines just blow humans off the map,” Steigman says.

Using the Chess Master Mindset to Conquer the Single-Family Housing Market

A big believer in their applications, Steigman decided to create a decision engine focused on the single-family housing market. “When you’re looking at millions of data points, time is of the essence, and when it’s a very competitive market, you need to be very fast,” explains Steigman. Using Steignet, Steigman can identify properties and make offers in a fraction of the time it would take a human—or a team of humans—to go through the data, all of which is publicly available. “It’s how you ingest the information or analyze it that makes it proprietary,” he says.

The majority of Steignet’s technology was developed as part of the venture initiation accelerator program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, where Steigman earned his MBA in 2018. During the pandemic, Steigman continued to tweak and improve the technology. Steignet’s capabilities have attracted attention, allowing Steigman to add the likes of Bruce Chizen, the former CEO of Adobe, and Beth O’Brien, founder and CEO of CoreVest Finance, a large residential lending company, to his advisory board.

Steignet works mostly with investors—multi-billion-dollar private equity funds and high-wealth families—to buy, sell, renovate, and rent residential real estate properties. A licensed broker in several states, Steigman makes money when the properties are bought and/or sold. Working with deep-pocketed investors also helps Steigman close deals quickly, as most sellers view all-cash deals as hassle-free. He has recently closed over $150M of deals in Georgia, Florida, and Pennsylvania alone.

Institutional Real Estate Investing: Predatory or Genius?

The increase of institutional investors in the residential real estate market has been met with some pushback. The properties the institutional investors are most attracted to are those that are undervalued. As such, investors can find themselves buying properties in lower-income neighborhoods, where homes are often priced below market value.

Opponents of institutional investment in the single-family housing market often qualify the investments as predatory, but Steigman points out that the sellers of these properties are represented by real estate agents too.

“There’s always a fiduciary on the other side of the equation that at the end of the day, recommended to their clients to sell the property for that price,” he says. Steigman adds that these investors often renovate the properties they buy to increase rental yields. “If anything, they’re improving and modernizing the local communities because they have the capital to do so.”

Technology to Transform the Single-Family Housing Market

Going forward, Steigman predicts technological innovation will transform the single-family housing market. “Marketplaces try to become more efficient,” he explains. Steigman believes single-family housing will morph into a marketplace where properties are traded much like stocks are.

Technology will almost commoditize real estate and make it more transparent from a trading perspective. -A.J. Steigman
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Steigman, a serial entrepreneur, is considering Steignet’s next move. Sourcing deals for institutional investors and wealthy families has its appeal, but working directly with investors also means operating under their highly specific criteria. Numerous accretive deals are sometimes unnecessarily terminated by the client when, in fact, Steigman would like to purchase them with his own capital.

To fully utilize the extent of Steignet’s firepower and “meet the demand of what the tech is identifying,” Steigman hopes to secure $100 million in real estate, either as equity or debt, to transact and trade the properties identified by the tech. “I’m looking for those kinds of partners to take this to next level and to have scaling capabilities.”

Learn more about the Goizueta Real Estate Group (GREG), which offers a robust calendar of annual events and experiential opportunities within real estate. Join the Emory Real Estate Alumni Group on LinkedIn.

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It’s a big selling point, Black explains, that Goizueta is located in one of the country’s most vibrant real estate markets, and, as a result, the home to a robust real estate job market.

Black, professor in the practice of finance and director of Goizueta’s Real Estate Program, has a law degree, a master’s degree in real estate, and a PhD in business administration. He joined Goizueta in 1998 to teach real estate finance. In 2007, he was asked by then-Goizueta Business School Dean Larry Benveniste to build a real estate program “brick by brick,” recalls Black. This August, Black will retire from Goizueta. “I’ll miss it, but the program has turned a corner,” he explains. “It will survive because there are great people supporting it.”

Black highlights the resounding success of the inaugural Emory Real Estate Conference, held in Buckhead in April, as a prime example of the kind of support the program has within Goizueta and the greater community. The conference was organized and co-chaired by students John Schellhase 23EvMBA and Bernard “Bern” Clevens 22MBA. A sold-out crowd of 550 people attended the event. 

Black remains in constant touch with the program’s alumni. Several have served as adjunct professors. “They share their hands-on experience,” notes Black. “Their years of experience in the real estate profession give them a tremendous amount of credibility.”

The real estate program’s involvement with the Emory Center for Alternative Investments, the formation of the Goizueta Real Estate Club, and the ability for students to analyze and make investments through the Real Estate Private Equity Fund are all elements of the program Black is proud to have been a part of and which he believes sets Goizueta’s real estate program apart.

Growing Real Estate at Goizueta

Though Black is proud of how far the real estate program has come, he’d love to see a full-time faculty member dedicated to fueling its future growth. Creating a Real Estate Center that conducts research and provides the greater real estate community with cutting-edge research is also on his wish list. “We have the breadth,” explains Black. “Now we need to go for depth beyond what the other real estate programs have. Real, innovative stuff that’s next frontier.”  

As he nears his retirement, Black is dusting off his list of hobbies. He’s “dibble-dabbled in portraiture,” he says, and plans to do more. He also has a collection of Baroque-era musical instruments he’d like to learn to play—and hundreds of books on his reading list.

“Goizueta and the real estate program was a wonderful opportunity, and I am glad to have been a part of it.”

– Roy Black

Read more about the inaugural Emory Real Estate Conference. Learn more about the Goizueta Real Estate Group (GREG), which offers a robust calendar of annual events and experiential opportunities within real estate. Join the Emory Real Estate Alumni Group on LinkedIn.

Join Goizueta alumni and community members in supporting 2O36, our ongoing campaign to fund strategic priorities such as endowed faculty professorships, student scholarships, and more. Learn more about how you can invest in Goizueta’s future.

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One of the nation’s top real estate markets, Atlanta has seen significant growth over the last few decades. Given Emory University’s location and the growing renown of Goizueta’s 15-year-old real estate program, the conference’s student co-chairs John Schellhase 23EvMBA and Bernard “Bern” Clevens 22MBA saw hosting an Emory and Goizueta-branded conference as a great way to unite real estate professionals, serve the greater Atlanta community, and showcase the Emory and Goizueta brands. 

“Our hope for the conference was to plant a flag that Emory is serious about real estate, that it’s passionate about it,” explained Clevens. The pair also believe the conference will be a way “to attract talent and develop a strong real estate pipeline of students interested in the space,” he added. “A pipeline not just in Atlanta but spanning  the nation to New York and California.”

Key to the conference’s success were the efforts of Roy Black, professor in the practice of finance and director of Goizueta’s Real Estate Program, Goizueta’s Interim John H. HarlandDean Karen Sedatole, numerous faculty, Goizueta staff, alumni, and a number of Schellhase’s and Clevens’ fellow Goizueta Real Estate Group members. Clevens said, “We were blown away by the support.”  

Schellhase and Clevens were able to secure $200,000 in funding from 36 sponsors, including TASORO, Monarch Alternative Capital, Eastdil Secured, Toccoa Capital Management, and Cousins Properties.

Students Engage Luminaries to Discuss Real Estate Trends, Capital Markets, and Asset Classes

Schellhase estimates that he and Clevens put in approximately 1000 hours each to get the conference off the ground and make it happen. There were pitch meetings, email inquiries, phone calls, Zoom calls. And in December 2021 the conference “got real” when the students confirmed their keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and investor Sam Zell.

Zell, founder, and chairman of Equity Group Investments, is a self-made billionaire who serves as chairman of several companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2017, Forbes recognized Zell as one of its “100 Greatest Living Business Minds.”

In addition to Zell, Schellhase and Clevens secured a number of real estate luminaries to speak on salient issues. Panelists Ambrish Baisiwala, CEO, Portman Holdings, Matt Bronfman, CEO, Jamestown LLP, Colin Connolly, CEO, Cousins Properties, and T. Dallas Smith, CEO, T. Dallas Smith & Company, discussed “Sunbelt Growth: Atlanta Takes Center Stage.” Klaas Baks, professor in the practice of finance and executive director of the Emory Center for Alternative Investments, acted as moderator.

The “Capital Markets Insights: Trends and Disruptors,” panel, moderated by Hussain “Moos” Moosajee, senior vice president, Trammell Crow Company and an adjunct professor in Goizueta’s real estate program, included Bryan Donohoe, partner, head of real estate debt, Ares Management, Lance Patterson, CEO, Patterson Real Estate Advisory Group, Adam Sklar, co-head of real estate, co-portfolio manager, Monarch Alternative Capital, and John Wolf, managing principal, Westbrook Partner.

Colleen Keating, CEO, FirstKey Homes, offered her perspective on the rise of single-family rentals (SFR) as an asset class.

Black was thrilled by what Schellhase and Clevens were able to achieve. “The list of speakers and the events around this conference was the best I’ve ever seen,” said Black, who has been to his share of real estate conferences.

Schellhase was appreciative of Goizueta’s ability to empower its students and give them experiential learning opportunities, such as planning and executing a conference. “For both Bern and I, this has been the highlight of our entire graduate and professional experience to date,” added Schellhase. “The school let us run with this thing.”

Emory Real Estate Conference in the Works for 2023

With a sellout crowd, Schellhase and Clevens are already planning tweaks for next year’s conference—including a larger event space and improvements to the guest and attendee experience. Targeted networking opportunities and a recruiting event will piggyback on the conference.

“We want to make the conference a repeatable event on the calendar and continue to make it relevant,” said Schellhase, who will graduate in December 2022 and is currently looking for a mixed-use investment role in the Atlanta area. After he graduates this May, Clevens will join Bridge Investment Group’s Industrial real estate team as a senior associate.

Learn more about the Goizueta Real Estate Group (GREG), which offers a robust calendar of annual events and experiential opportunities within real estate. Join the Emory Real Estate Alumni Group on LinkedIn.

Join Goizueta alumni and community members in supporting 2O36, our ongoing campaign to fund strategic priorities such as endowed faculty professorships, student scholarships, and more. Learn more about how you can invest in Goizueta’s future.

Read more about Roy Black’s career and retirement here.

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Atlanta has seen significant growth over the years, leading to a booming real estate market. With Emory University sitting near the heart of the rapidly growing city, two students in the Goizueta Real Estate Group, John Schellhase 23EvMBA and Bernard Clevens 22MBA, saw a unique opportunity to bring real estate professionals together.

With the support of the university, alumni, faculty, and staff, the students’ vision of the inaugural Emory Real Estate Conference will come to life this April.

“We thought it was a great opportunity to become an annual, student-led tradition in Atlanta that would emanate from not only Emory, but the city of Atlanta,” Schellhase says. Professionally, Schellhase is the head of development asset management with IHG Hotels & Resorts. His colleague Clevens spent six years in commercial real estate prior to Emory, including four with Prologis. “Our goal with speakers was really to bring the best and brightest minds in real estate,” Clevens says.

I think folks who come to the conference will get to hear a blend of perspectives. There will definitely be a key perspective focusing on Atlanta real estate, but the conference will also be macro in nature

Bernard Clevens 22MBA

“It’s been wonderful to see students like John take the lead on this event,” says Corey Dortch, associate dean of Goizueta’s Evening MBA program. “Our students take the initiative at Goizueta, impact change in industries and communities, and create meaningful professional events like this that will last in perpetuity.”

Leading Experts to Inspire Conference Participants

Set to take place on April 14 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Whitley Hotel, conference attendees will hear from national and local real estate professionals, as well as be able to recruit and network. 

The conference will also feature keynote speaker Sam Zell, a global, industry-agnostic entrepreneur and investor. Zell has an extensive track record of turning around troubled companies and assets, leading consolidations and bringing companies to the public market. His current investments are in logistics, healthcare, manufacturing, energy, and real estate.

In addition to hearing from national and C-suite real estate professionals, the conference will also feature CEO of FirstKey Homes Colleen Keating to share her perspective on single-family residential, a new asset class in real estate.

Both Schellhase and Clevens worked closely with their moderators and panelists to provide content that would be relevant, enlightening, and informative. “We worked with our panelists and moderators to really stress test and challenge the panelists in a way that might be slightly uncomfortable, but ultimately, will drive an ‘aha’ moment,” Schellhase says. “That will provide insights that normally aren’t seen in a material way.

We want this conference to serve as a thought leadership platform – where real estate is today and where real estate is going in the future.

John Schellhase 23EvMBA

Focus on Atlanta and the Southeast: Commercial Real Estate Trending and Capital Influx Gaining

While many topics will be discussed during the conference, the students hope to emphasize two key points.

The amount of capital coming to the southeast is extraordinary and commercial real estate is Atlanta’s core.

“For Emory to take a leading position within capital, and commercial real estate is a really important point for the school,” Schellhase says. As the first real estate conference to take a deep dive into Atlanta’s market, Clevens hopes the event will bring a bigger awareness to real estate at Emory.

“Our goal is to elevate the perception of Emory real estate and the kind of talent that we’re putting out to compete with the top schools in the country,” Clevens notes. “We want this conference to make an impact on the real estate world, the finance world, and everybody involved in hiring students and making investment decisions.”

Learn more about the Goizueta Real Estate Group. To register for the 2022 Inaugural Emory Real Estate Conference, please visit here.

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