Dec. 17, 2025
By Dave Scheiber

Randy Anderson, PhD, knows there’s a vital ingredient when it comes to building a vibrant real estate program at the university level. The key, like an attractive property, is location. For any school, it helps to be in proximity to a thriving real estate community.

“There have been a number of programs that have started, even a long time ago, at some very good flagship universities across the United States,” says Anderson, director of USF’s burgeoning real estate program. “But without linkages to industry, many have ultimately petered out.”

The University of South Florida, by contrast, has deep roots in a region where real estate is a major employer and economic driver; where industry experts are readily available as guest speakers; and where career opportunities abound for graduates.

A successful program also needs the right leader.  The Muma College of Business has found that individual in Anderson, a proven heavyweight in real estate and academia alike.

Hired in June 2025, Anderson checks all the boxes — and then some. An internationally recognized scholar and practitioner, he specializes in investment trusts, private and public real estate solutions, and portfolio construction. He’ll be responsible for expanding USF’s real estate programs, which launched in 2024 with the introduction of a real estate minor. The minor has proved popular with business and non-business majors alike.

Anderson has played a major role in developing real estate education across the nation, establishing and leading programs at Florida International University and the University of Central Florida — holding eminent scholar chairs at both universities. At Baruch College in New York, he served as academic director of the William Newman Real Estate program and held its first endowed chair. 

Along the way, he co-founded and served as CEO of Griffin Capital Asset Management Co., launching highly successful and innovative funds for everyday investors. He also served as executive director of the American Real Estate Society, won the prestigious Kinnard Young Award that recognizes top scholarship in real estate, and served as co-editor of the Journal of Real Estate Management and the Journal of Real Estate Literature.

In short order, Anderson has bolstered USF’s real estate minor; continued growing new graduate concentrations; and laid the groundwork for a proposed Master of Science in Real Estate program that could start in fall 2027. The enthusiasm he has infused into the endeavors has not gone unnoticed.  

It attracted donor support from alumnus Jeffery Hills, president of the Eisenhower Property Group in Tampa who recently made a generous $1.25 million gift to support and grow the program.

“I knew how valuable a program like this could be, and given Randy’s expertise and experience, he seemed like the logical choice to run this, and made me excited to get involved,” Hills says. “First and foremost, his background and wisdom in the business stands out. He’s a proven entity in the real estate field and he’s also got natural leadership ability to engage and energize. He’s very enthusiastic with his vision and in bringing people on board who are going to help make this a reality.”

Hills’ donation will support Anderson in getting the master’s program up and running, especially in bringing aboard key personnel. In a larger sense, it advances real estate education in a meaningful way in the Tampa Bay area at an optimum time — given the significant student and industry demand in the robust market locally.

“This is a pivotal moment for our real estate programs, with unprecedented student interest in the field aligning with the industry’s growing need to hire more specialized talent,” says David Blackwell, the college’s Lynn Pippenger Dean. “Jeff’s incredible generosity, combined with Randy’s exceptional leadership, has positioned USF to become a national leader for real estate education and research.”

Anderson had planned on retiring prior to coming to USF, but he recognized a tremendous opportunity in the offer to come to USF.

“When you think about the ingredients for a successful real estate program, you need a couple of things,” he says. “You need a school that’s at a top level — that’s strong enough to attract and retain top faculty and top students. And it’s important to have a strong real estate community, because you need to build a bridge between the academic work and research you get from the high-quality faculty and the industry expertise in the market.

“For instance, if you want somebody to come in and help in a property evaluation class, you have some of the best in the world here who can value any property in the U.S. and beyond.”

Prior to Anderson’s arrival, students established a Real Estate Society, which had more than 700 participants at any given time — a strong indicator of demand for the program.

“They are really why we’re here,” Anderson says. “When you see the students who want to consume education like this, and not only in the classroom, you get pretty excited.”

And that’s an investment truly worth making.