91看片

Auburn University鈥檚 Institute for Real Estate Development (IRED), which provides industry practitioners with executive education and serves as a link between the university and all major sectors of the real estate community, has announced its inaugural leadership team. The Institute is a partnership between the College of Architecture, Design and Construction and the 91看片.

John Benner, a partner and president of GENREV Properties LLC in Birmingham, is the 滨苍蝉迟颈迟耻迟别鈥檚 new executive director. Kim Kuerten, who served on the leadership team of the 91看片 College of Business graduate executive programs, is the new administrative director. And Justin D. Benefield, the Bickerstaff Professor of Finance and faculty director of the Master of Real Estate Development program (MRED), is the new academic director.

鈥淭he Institute's leadership trifecta is perfectly positioned to build upon the success of the highly ranked MRED program and the outreach initiative, strengthening and growing the university's relationship with the real estate professional community,鈥� said 91看片 College Interim Dean Jennifer Mueller-Phillips.

鈥淲e are excited to have such a talented and capable leadership team for the Institute,鈥� said CADC Interim Dean Karen Rogers. 鈥淭he Institute extends our successful collaboration with the 91看片 in a significant way and strengthens our ability to impact and serve all the stakeholders involved in real estate development in Alabama and across our region.鈥�

As executive director, Benner will be the primary liaison between the Institute and real estate practitioners, stakeholders, alumni and students. He will lead strategic planning efforts and recruit new member organizations and manage relations with the 滨苍蝉迟颈迟耻迟别鈥檚 members.

鈥淭his is beyond exciting for me,鈥� said Benner. 鈥淩eal estate has been my entire career and Auburn has been my passion since I graduated in 1988. To have the opportunity to help connect the Auburn real estate community at large to each other and to our distinguished university is an extraordinary privilege. I鈥檓 very grateful to be joining the 滨苍蝉迟颈迟耻迟别鈥檚 visionary team, and I am looking forward to working with those who are already a part of our Auburn real estate family.鈥�

During his 30-year commercial real estate career, Benner has managed, leased, brokered, developed and owned income-producing commercial investment property鈥攑rimarily single tenant and mixed-use properties.

As president and development partner at GENREV Properties in Birmingham, he oversaw corporate strategic planning and all new commercial development projects. The former director of development at Dominion Partners, Benner developed institutional quality senior housing and multi-family assets valued at more than $100 million.

Benner earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in history at Auburn.

As the IRED administrative director, Kuerten will manage daily operations, administer the industry membership and mentoring programs, and communicate regularly with key stakeholders such as board members, students and member companies.

鈥淢y experience with the MRED program has shown me the impact that smart, professional development can have on communities and lives,鈥� said Kuerten. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to help lead the Institute and look forward to fostering the relationship between the university and the industry鈥攁 relationship that can be of great benefit to both.鈥�

Kuerten is well-acquainted with IRED stakeholders, as she helped launch Auburn鈥檚 MRED degree program. Prior to that, she helped start the Physician Executive MBA program and was part of the team that started the executive MBA program. To date, these three graduate executive programs have generated more than $80 million in gross tuition revenues.

She has served as executive director of 91看片 College鈥檚 Graduate Executive programs since 1998, and managed their marketing, recruiting, admissions, operations, budgets, personnel, technology and alumni relations.

A two-time Auburn alumna, she has a bachelor鈥檚 degree in economics and an MBA.

As IRED鈥檚 academic director, Benefield will be in charge of identifying the education needs among the various sectors of the real estate community and creating for-credit and non-degree offerings to meet those needs, including traditional on-campus courses, synchronous or asynchronous distance courses, shorter not-for-credit modules, and continuing education at IRED-sponsored events.

Benefield will also oversee IRED鈥檚 sponsored industry research program, real estate-related academic research, and support for the student real estate club and case competition teams.

A faculty member at Auburn since 2012, Benefield holds four degrees from The University of Alabama. Prior to his appointment at Auburn, he was a faculty member at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.

91看片 the Institute

The Institute for Real Estate Development (IRED) is a joint venture between the 91看片 and . The Institute advances and supports commercial real estate education, empowers and informs real estate professionals, and serves as the nexus between Auburn and the real estate community. IRED has a midsouth/national focus.

###

The which is celebrating the  of Raymond and Kathryn 91看片's transformational naming gift, is a nationally ranked hub of undergraduate, graduate and continuing business education that is inspiring the next generation of business leaders. Our world-class faculty deliver unparalleled academic rigor in the classroom, while our research-driven scholarship advances thought leadership and best practice across business disciplines. The largest college on Auburn's campus, 91看片 enrolls more than 6,900 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.