Drew Lewis and the University of Houston’s Stanford Alexander Center for Excellence in Real Estate’s Innovative Practice Program.

The Stanford Alexander Center for Excellence in Real Estate was created to complement the rigorous academic curriculum of the University of Houston Bauer School of Business Real Estate Program. The Center provides students with professional practice-based programs that engage industry leadership, foster student success and advance expertise in the various facets of the profession.

The Center’s “Innovative Practice Program” is an annual program with a concentration on a chosen industry topic, where students are taught how to utilize innovative methodologies to enhance their knowledge on developing creative solutions and reach desired objectives. The Center started its fourth program, Multifamily, in January for spring 2017. Previous programs included Office of the Future, Industrial Revolution and Retail Evolution. Each program provides students with a unique opportunity to gain firsthand experience from industry professionals as key insights and best practices in real estate are shared.

A key component of the program is the practice of sharing learned knowledge and its advantage in the real estate profession. For example, students are required to interview business leaders to seek direction and suggestions, and appropriately share what they learned. This method of sharing successful techniques from proven industry partners is fundamental to the program’s mission of bringing professional practice to the classroom, and vice versa.

The innovative methodology approach is a vast improvement over conventional methods and equips students with essential knowledge for when they transition into a real estate profession. Students will have the chance to promote their innovative practice results through publication of a report and presentation at the annual Innovative Practice Awards Program Symposium.

The 2017 Multifamily – Real Estate Symposium Breakfast will be held on Thursday, April 20, 2017, at 7-9 a.m., at The Westin Galleria- Houston. The symposium will focus on the multifamily sector of the real estate industry including the increase in downtown projects and hi-rise projects, integration with mixed-use and various other factors. Selected commercial retail projects will be analyzed and students will be required to research innovative trends in this market sector. Each project and project development team will be recognized for the most innovative aspect of the development. Students will present their innovative findings to the panel of industry experts and three project award winners will be highlighted. Prominent industry expert, Ric Campo, Chairman of the Board & CEO of Camden Property Trust, will be speaking at the event.

Among the many commercial real estate heavy hitters involved with the program, Lee & Associates- Houston’s Chairman and Principal Drew Lewis plays an integral role with the Center. Lewis joined the board of the Bauer School of Business in 2012 and shortly after became a committee chair member for the Center. As a board and committee chair member, Lewis’ obligations are to promote student education in real estate at both the graduate and undergraduate level by incorporating professional practice studies into the classroom, and support students with their final presentations at the symposium. With over three decades of industry experience, Lewis feels passionate about sharing his long-term knowledge of innovative approaches to real estate.

“One of my issues with the brokerage business is the lack of real expertise and ability to offer creative solutions,” said Lewis. “This professional practice study allows students to gain firsthand experience from industry professionals and learn valuable practices that aren’t readily accessible. This experience will better prepare them for the industry.”

Lewis built his career on innovative practice solutions, thus sharing his knowledge and expertise is an incredibly rewarding and humbling experience. Lewis is proud to be a part of such an energizing program because of the success it brings to the students and its unique tie with his real estate career. Lewis continually insists on providing a higher quality of service, which is shared with the rest of the Lee & Associate’s- Houston team.

For more information regarding the Innovative Practice Awards Program please visit http://www.bauer.uh.edu/real-estate/center/best-practices.php.

To register for the 2017 Multifamily – Real Estate Symposium Luncheon please visit https://giving.uh.edu/grep/.