DES MOINES, Iowa – The Wilson College of Business awarded Tom Nordstrom the inaugural Arthur T. Cox Real Estate Champion Award at the second annual UNI Real Estate Alumni Reception and Award Presentation, held Thursday, April 24, at the DMACC Urban Campus.

Nordstrom helped launch the Wilson College of Business real estate program in the early 1990s and served on its advisory board for more than three decades. The award is named in honor of Arthur Cox, the influential director of the UNI Center for Real Estate Education.

“It’s extra special to be honoring Tom, because he’s been with the program from the very beginning,” said Brett Olsen, head of the Department of Finance, which oversees the real estate program. “You can certainly tell the strong connection he has to UNI and real estate just by being on campus, and this award is deserved after how long he’s been engaged with our students and faculty.”

After graduating from UNI in 1969 with a degree in education, Nordstrom pivoted to a career in real estate. He rose to senior leadership roles at Partners Real Estate and Aegon USA Realty Advisors. Beyond his professional success, Nordstrom has made a lasting impact by funding endowed scholarships for real estate students and launching an internship program at Aegon, which brought many UNI alumni into the industry.

The reception also celebrated recent major growth for the UNI real estate program— the only four-year real estate program in Iowa— including a 69% increase in student enrollment since 2020 and a 100% job placement rate since 2019.

In addition, the recently launched real estate alumni network has already grown to more than 100 members nationwide, connecting graduates and strengthening professional ties across the industry.

“It’s a great start, and we have a vision for a much larger group,” Olsen said. “We really feel that we’re energizing our alumni, which is helping spread the word about UNI real estate and getting more students connected in the industry—a big advantage for graduates.”

Many of those alumni are based in the Des Moines metro area, creating a strong pipeline of talent for one of the fastest-growing metropolitan regions in the Midwest and making the capital city a fitting place to hold the event.

Launched in 2024, the annual UNI Real Estate Alumni Reception has already become a signature event, bringing together current students, alumni and industry leaders.

“I enjoy seeing alumni from all the way back to the start of the program, as well as new graduates,” Olsen said. “You really see the entire spectrum of our program in one room, and it shows how well-rounded and deep-rooted our connections are.”

Find out more about the Wilson College of Business real estate program at business.uni.edu/real-estate.