Published: Sept. 23, 2020

Why did you decide to come to Leeds?David Shirkey
ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Leeds offered a full-time MBA with a real estate concentration, smaller class size versus other programs, and desire to try living in a different part of the country—and ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ was high on the list.

What is one thing you learned at Leeds that you will never forget?
Different perspectives are not wrong, just different. If I keep an open mind, I can learn from those different perspectives.

Tell us about a particular professor or mentor that influenced you while you were at Leeds.
Byron Koste and Katie Latier worked tirelessly to help open up doors for my real estate-focused classmates and me.Ìý
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Gerry Engle, my real estate mentor, coached me and encouraged me while I was as ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ and continues to be a friend over 10 years later.

Where has life taken you since you graduated Leeds?
Life has taken my wife Kelley and I from our small, married housing apartment in Boulder, where Kelley worked full time as I was in the MBA program, to a small family farm in Michigan where Kelley and I are raising our three daughters, two horses, 12 chickens, and one cat.Ìý
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I am working for our family manufacturing business (Orbitform), serving on the board of a few other manufacturing businesses, managing some real estate assets, and also doing a significant amount of investing via our family office.
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We are very blessed.

What is one piece of advice/best practice that has stuck with you throughout your career?
Do what you say you are going to do.Ìý

What advice would you give to anyone interested in pursuing a career in your professional field?
Take more risks than you think you should. Volunteer for the difficult assignments. Go see: When you are not sure of what is going on, go and see for yourself what is going on. Don't assume; just go and see for yourself.Ìý

What do you miss most about Boulder?
Hiking and ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ football games.

Is there anything else you would like to share?
I'm grateful for the friends I made at ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥. Especially for Scott, John, Eric, Mark and Kevin. Remember our sport coat Fridays? Remember our GREA trips? What a bunch of nerds.Ìý

What is your title and company
Director of Strategy, Orbitform