BSP CEO Develops Leaders

Buchanan Street Partners CEO Develops Next Generation of Leaders
A pending shortage of qualified and experienced talent in the real estate industry
may create issues as significant as today’s access to capital

Newport Beach, Calif. – April 20, 2011 – Buchanan Street Partners, a national real estate investment management firm, recently announced the involvement of its CEO and Chairman, Robert Brunswick, as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Irvine in the Paul Merage School of Business teaching Introduction to Commercial Real Estate Processes.
Some research suggests that there will be a looming shortage of experienced talent and leaders that may have a long-term negative effect on the real estate industry. According to CEL & Associates, Inc., the current average age of real estate professionals is between 40-50 years, depending on the function and level, and an estimated 65% of senior leaders will retire or “phase out” by 2020. As such, a considerable effort must be made to develop the next generation of professionals and leaders so real estate companies cannot only survive, but thrive in the coming years.
“I firmly believe that investing in human capital is one of the most important initiatives for the success of a company and for the industry as a whole,” said Robert Brunswick, chief executive officer and chairman at Buchanan Street Partners. “My goal at UCI was to bring academia and the real estate investment world together for the students in an engaging, thought-provoking class that gives them a strong understanding of commercial real estate and how it practically applies in today’s world.”
The course provides students with a thorough overview and history of the commercial real estate industry and its impact on the economy as well as a strong analytical framework for making real estate investments. Brunswick’s approach aims to integrate strategic decision making with the marketing and finance of commercial real estate to provide a hands-on, practical education through lectures, guest speakers, site tours, case studies and group projects.