The PipelineJULY 2010

Mark J. Riedy, PhD

Recently, we invited a group of 10 industry executives to meet and discuss our idea about creating a program in which industry mentors would provide advice and counsel to start-up companies and companies seeking to re-invent or re-start themselves. With the strong encouragement of that group, the Burnham-Moores Center invites executives willing to serve as mentors, as well as those seeking the assistance of real estate industry mentors, to contact John Ferber, the Center’s commercial real estate director, to volunteer for this program.

We anticipate that this service program will start slowly, so that we can learn about what works and what does not for the volunteer mentors as well as those who seek guidance. At the outset, we offer these program parameters:

What it is:  Mentors will be volunteers, including retirees and the semi-retired, as well as active executives with time available to give back to the real estate industry. Mentors will commit to helping a real estate client starting or re-starting a company for three months, with a three-month extension if both parties mutually agree. Mentors will commit to no less than five hours per week. Mentors will be welcomed from any business field, not exclusively real estate. Clients will be real estate-oriented exclusively.

What it is not:  Mentors are not paid for their time and talent during the three to six months of the volunteer commitment. The program is not employment oriented, so there should be no expectation of employment opportunities for the mentor or the client. The mentor is expected to provide wisdom and guidance, but has no authority over the client or his/her operations. Mentors will not offer legal or tax advice.

In effect, this new program is an extension of the Center’s goal of creating networking opportunities within the real estate industry. It is sharply focused and involves one-on-one helping relationships to advance success among real estate professionals. My expectation is that mentors will derive as much satisfaction and value from their participation as will those being mentored.

Dr. Mark J. Riedy
Executive Director

A few full- and part-time openings are remaining in the Fall 2010 class of USD’s Master of Science in Real Estate program, which begins Aug. 23. The program takes 10 months to complete on a full-time basis and two years to complete on a part-time basis.

To be eligible, students must have a GMAT score of at least 550, an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher, and a minimum of two years of real estate experience.

For more information on entrance requirements, contact Lauren Lukens at 619-260-7619. For more information on the program, go to www.sandiego.edu/msre.

Charles Tu, PhD

Charles Tu, MSRE program academic director, recently became certified in ARGUS Developer, a real estate development pro forma software program. Tu passed the certification exam after attending a training course for professors at the ARGUS headquarters in Houston. Tu is already certified for the ARGUS Valuation-DCF, which he teaches in the MSRE program.

In 2009, a group of five MSRE students took first place in the first-ever ARGUS Software University Challenge, which included contenders from elite universities across the United States.

Norm Miller, PhD

Norm Miller, distinguished research professor, recently had the manuscript he co-authored, “The Economic Impact of Anticipated House Price Changes–Evidence from Home Sales,” accepted for publication into Real Estate Economics.

Louis Galuppo, professor and director of residential real estate, and Charles Tu, MSRE program academic director, had their manuscript, “Capital Markets and Sustainable Real Estate: What Are the Perceived Risks and Barriers?” accepted into the second volume of the Journal of Sustainable Real Estate.

Norm Miller, distinguished research professor, spoke at the 2010 Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International Conference in Long Beach, Calif., June 27. Miller gave the audience an update on the green buildings productivity study that he co-authored with CB Richard Ellis.

Louis Galuppo, Esq.

On June 29, Louis Galuppo, residential real estate director, spoke to nearly 100 real estate agents at the Richard Realty Groups Inc. annual company meeting in Carlsbad. Galuppo discussed the state of the marketplace and the importance of education. The following day, Galuppo was one of three featured guest speakers at an Urban Land Institute Young Leaders Group meeting in San Diego. Galuppo, along with Gary London of The London Group Realty Advisors, and Alan Nevin, director of economic research at MarketPointe Realty Advisors, spoke to the group about the new economy and their near-term forecasts for real estate.

John Ferber, director of commercial real estate, and his wife, Jean, were recently awarded the Knights of Columbus Family of the Year award by their council, the St. Timothy Council 10802. The award was announced at the council’s Anniversary and Awards Celebration during which the Ferbers were honored for providing “a living example that love can bind us to life.”