DES MOINES, Iowa –  A new event hosted by the University of Northern Iowa will connect and honor Des Moines real estate alumni during a night of celebration. The UNI Real Estate Alumni Reception and Award Presentation, hosted at the DMACC Urban Campus, will take place on Thursday, April 11 from 4:30 - 6:30 in Building 7. The event will also announce the creation of the Arthur T. Cox Real Estate Champion Award, honoring the longtime director of the UNI Center for Real Estate Education. The first recipient will be selected in 2025.

“I’m so excited to see how strong the connections are in this industry and especially in the Des Moines area,” said Brett Olsen, head of the Department of Finance, which oversees the real estate program. “I can’t wait to get this large group together and enjoy and appreciate all of our alumni and their friends and family.”

The UNI real estate program has a strong pipeline to the Des Moines area, which is one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the Midwest, providing plenty of opportunities in the industry. The Des Moines – West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area grew from 626,778 residents in 2012 to 729,053 in 2022, an increase of 16.3%, according to estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

“I think this event will mean a lot for the future of the program, and it’ll allow people to stay in touch with what’s going on within the David W. Wilson College of Business,” said Chad Hade (‘97), Real Estate Advisory Board Director and Portfolio Manager – Commercial Mortgages at Principal Real Estate in Des Moines. “The goal is to bring together industry professionals that have or want a connection with the university so they can help us in our mission to be one of the most successful real estate programs in the Midwest.”

The Arthur T. Cox Real Estate Champion Award will recognize alumni who have given back to the UNI real estate program and helped it become a fixture in the industry. Cox worked at UNI for more than 25 years before retiring in 2021. While leading the program, Art was well known for his extensive connections in the real estate industry and with alumni, a strength he used to grow the program into what it is today.

“It’s not hard to see the influence he had on the real estate program,” Olsen said. “You go anywhere in the state and talk about UNI’s real estate program, 90% of them say Art Cox. He’s one of those people who knows everyone, and everyone knows him. This is a testament to what he’s meant to the program and to real estate throughout the Midwest.”

Hade added: “Art Cox did a phenomenal job of staying connected to industry professionals. I think this event is a great way to honor his work and bring in people who are in the process of growing their connections while also helping people understand all the great things that UNI does for students and alumni.”

To learn more about the UNI Real Estate Alumni Reception and Award Presentation please visit business.uni.edu/real-estate-event or contact the Department of Finance at 319-273-2929.