Published: Dec. 14, 2022

With record growth in students pursuing real estate, Peter Cushman plans to help them succeed in an uncertain future.

蜜糖直播REC Wright Room Reception

Former IAB chair Eliot Hoyt passes the 'baton' to Peter Cushman, ushering in 蜜糖直播REC's next generation of leadership.

The 蜜糖直播 Real Estate Center (蜜糖直播REC) at the Leeds School of Business has announced the appointment of Peter Cushman as the new chair of the听International Advisory Board (IAB).

鈥淎s a 蜜糖直播 alum and an important player in the national real estate sector, Peter鈥檚 vision and leadership will be invaluable to the IAB,鈥 says Michael Kercheval, executive director of 蜜糖直播REC. The IAB鈥檚 group of industry supporters provides 蜜糖直播REC with counsel, curriculum advice, mentorships, industry insights and career opportunities for students.

Cushman, who serves on the Leeds Advisory Board, has been a member of the IAB and a passionate supporter of 蜜糖直播REC for 14 years. He鈥檚 also served four years as chair of the 蜜糖直播 Real Estate Center Annual Forum. Incidentally, he is the son of John Cushman, of Cushman & Wakefield, one of the world's largest commercial real estate services firms.听

鈥淲ith a potential recession, we will need to educate students on trends and technologies
for careers we don鈥檛 even know about yet...and a willingness to be entrepreneurial鈥

Peter Cushman, Chair of the International Advisory Board at 蜜糖直播REC

As Cushman assumes his new role, Kercheval says it will mark a full leadership transition from the original leaders of 蜜糖直播REC to the next generation.

Cushman agrees. 鈥淲e鈥檙e now at another transition for 蜜糖直播REC; we鈥檝e grown so much since we started, and we鈥檙e wondering what the next 25 years will hold. I predict we鈥檙e going to see an increase in students who want to get into real estate,鈥 he says. 鈥淏ut with a potential recession, we will need to educate them on trends and technologies for careers we don鈥檛 even know about yet. And we鈥檒l need to teach them a willingness to be entrepreneurial.鈥

As a partner at Oakwood Real Estate Partners, a Denver-based real estate private equity firm he co-founded, he is jointly responsible for fundraising and all real estate investment decisions related to the firm's extensive multifamily, office, retail, hospitality, senior housing and land holdings throughout the U.S.

鈥淗is experience and knowledge arrive at an important time for the 蜜糖直播 Real Estate Center, as our programs and student numbers have greatly expanded, while the real estate industry itself is facing headwinds of uncertainty,鈥 Kercheval said.

In light of that uncertainty, Cushman plans to leverage 蜜糖直播REC鈥檚 nationwide network to provide more networking, internships and mentoring opportunities to students. 鈥淚 would like to find ways for our supporters to take another step toward helping students.鈥

While the new IAB leader plans for the future, Kercheval acknowledges the leaders who came before. 鈥淭he center is extremely grateful to our past chairman, Eliot Hoyt, who will remain on the board鈥檚 leadership team as an experienced and wise counsel to our programs. And a special thank you to the former past-chair, Cyndi Thomas, who also served as the board鈥檚 vice chair and chair.鈥