The dean of the College of Business Administration said on Firday that the University of Central Florida will start looking for an eminent scholar in real estate in September. This serves as a first step in UCF's School of Real Estate.

Thomas Keon said once that professor is on board. It shouldn't take more than a year or so to have a program up and running.

He also said that fundraising for the school and related research has reached $10 million. Mike Beale, Florida operations director for Highwoods Properties, said Central Florida's real-estate landscape will benefit greatly from the UCF school.

Mike Beale is also the immediate past president of the local chapter of the National Association of Office and Industrial Parks, which has committed $600,000 toward the school.

UCF has received $380,000 of the association's contribution with the balance due over four years. Of the money contributed so far, $300,000 has come from Jim Heistand, majority owner of Capital Partners Inc., an Orlando investment company, $50,000 from the local chapter and $30,000 from Jeff McFadden and Taurus Southern Investments LLC.

By M. Sese
http://realestatepress.org