Urban Land Institute Michigan Kicks-Off Leadership Program

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SOUTHFIELD – Urban Land Institute Michigan has launched The Larson Center for Leadership, a formal curriculum program designed to help train and mentor the next generation of real estate and land-use leaders in Michigan. The program is named for the late Robert C. Larson, a nationally recognized and respected Michigan real estate executive, founder of Larson Realty Group, and former chair of the ULI Foundation.

The mission of The Larson Center for Leadership is to cultivate leadership development by informing a select group of emerging industry leaders as to the transformative dynamics currently emerging statewide, and promote engagement in the process. Ultimately these individuals will continue or further expand their professional reach into the real estate and development industries while leveraging ULI Michigan’s principles and practices to the benefit of the state and its future economic growth.

Similar programs have been successfully implemented within other ULI District Councils in the past years, including Atlanta and Washington, D.C. The ULI Seattle District Council will also be starting its own version of the program this year.

 “The goal is to develop tomorrow’s leaders who will implement ULI’s mission in the local region,” said Michael Horst, senior vice president of the Urban Land Institute’s Larson Leadership Initiative. “With five District Councils now doing these nine-month programs, we have reached a critical mass in the District Council network and expect to see many more in the next three years.”

The inaugural class of the Larson Center for Leadership will be composed of 30 mid-career Michigan professionals, who work either directly or indirectly in the real estate or land-use sectors, and have a strong working knowledge and commitment to the ideas supported by ULI Michigan. These professionals will consist of individuals from both the private and public sectors, and will have diverse backgrounds in real estate related industries such as finance, law, planning, and other related fields.

“We hope and anticipate that this continues as an annual program that can help this state grow and foster a diverse group of talented leaders who are committed to positively influencing the state and staying here,” said William Watch, ULI Michigan president. “It’s important that the knowledge we have accumulated as industry leaders in the state is carried over to the next generation to ensure a vibrant Michigan for years to come.”