USD Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate Names New Executive Director

Dave Pyke, PhD, dean of the University of San Diego's School of Business Administration, announced today that Stath Karras, executive managing director, San Diego Area, for Cushman & Wakefield, will be the new executive director of the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate, effective Jan. 19, 2015. Karras succeeds Mark Riedy, PhD, founder of USD’s real estate program in 1993, who is retiring on Jan. 15, 2015. Karras has been an active member of the Burnham-Moores Center’s Policy Advisory Board Executive Committee since 2003.

“We all know Stath well from working alongside him for so many years,” said Pyke. “He exceeds all of the qualifications we were looking for in someone to assume leadership of the Center, one of USD’s premier programs and a genuine asset to San Diego,” Pyke added. “Looking ahead, I fully expect his selection to translate into continued growth in the industry’s strong support for the Center, expansion of interdisciplinary activities involving the real estate program with other departments of USD and even greater value creation for this community.”

Karras was the long-time CEO of Burnham Real Estate Services before its acquisition by Cushman & Wakefield in 2008. He is a past chair of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and continues to serve on the EDC’s Board of Directors.

“I am excited and honored to follow Mark as executive director,” Karras said. “It is a change of pace and perspective for me and will be a wonderful career opportunity. I treasure the achievements of the Center under Mark’s leadership and believe firmly in its future potential. It’s great to come into a position knowing that the Burnham-Moores Center has been built on a solid foundation.”

Riedy said he feels confident stepping down from his 20+-year post at the helm of USD’s real estate program knowing that Karras is his successor. “Stath Karras is a consummate real estate professional with an awesome skill set, an enviable ability to build productive relationships, a highly visible and positive public profile and a terrific record of success throughout his career,” Riedy said. “Stath his 100 percent committed to advancing the quality of USD’s real estate program and expanding its reach locally as well as globally. He is perfectly suited for his position in every way imaginable.”

About the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate
The Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego is committed to creating exceptional value for the real estate professionals of today and tomorrow through personalized education and career services, industry support, research and the promotion of socially responsible leadership. As a part of the University of San Diego’s School of Business Administration, the Center offers a Master of Science in Real Estate degree, an undergraduate major and minor and in real estate, a continuing education certificate and several major industry conferences throughout the year. For more information, visit www.usdrealestate.com.

About the University of San Diego

The University of San Diego sets the standard for an engaged, contemporary Catholic university where innovative Changemakers confront humanity’s urgent challenges. With more than 9,000 students from 69 countries and 50 states, USD is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States. The university's eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. USD's Envisioning 2024 strategic plan capitalizes on the university’s recent progress and aligns new strategic goals with current strengths to help shape a vision for the future as the university looks ahead to its 75th anniversary in the year 2024.