Annual Real Estate Center Dinner
The UC Real Estate Center's Annual Dinner highlights the accomplishments of the Center, the real estate academic program, Center supporters, Lindner faculty and staff, and distinguished students and alumni.
In 2025, our Annual Dinner returns for its 34th year on Wednesday, June 11 at historic Cincinnati Music Hall.
Distinguished Real Estate Service Award
Each year, the UC Real Estate Center looks to peers in the industry to nominate individuals for the University of Cincinnati Distinguished Real Estate Service Award. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual for making a lasting impression on our region. These individuals are recognized not only for their years of success in our industry but also for their work in giving back to the community and efforts to change our region for the better.
This award is the top honor recognized at our Annual Real Estate Dinner.
2025 Awardee: Shenan Murphy, Vice Chairman Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland-Akron, Colliers
From an early age, Shenan Murphy aspired to pursue a career that provided autonomy and the opportunity to shape his path. Commercial real estate has enabled him to achieve both personal and professional success. His journey began in 1989 as a retail and investment broker. In 2000, he acquired a local business, expanded it into a regional company and later partnered with Colliers in 2010. To ensure continued growth and access to world-class resources, he sold the business to Colliers in 2022, securing a global platform for clients, partners and employees.
Over the years, Shenan has gained invaluable experience across various positions, enabling him to serve a broad client base and cultivate meaningful relationships. Today, he leverages his brokerage, operational and investment expertise to provide strategic and transactional guidance to businesses nationwide. With no day-to-day operational responsibilities, his focus is on helping businesses align their real estate strategies with their overarching objectives.
Having built a multi-city brokerage and property management business, an information technology enterprise, a minority business enterprise, a construction business and an investment platform, Shenan has a deep understanding of the challenges that businesses and entrepreneurs face when making strategic decisions. His career has been built on experience, relationships and trust — the cornerstone of successful partnerships. He takes pride in the relationships he has fostered and looks forward to using his expertise to help others succeed.
Shenan has a long-standing connection with the University of Cincinnati, spanning his time as a baseball player, his involvement with Athletics, and his extensive association with the UC Real Estate Center and Program. As a dedicated advocate for UC’s real estate students, he has been a long-time member of the Center’s Board of Executive Advisors in Real Estate (BEARE) and remains actively engaged in mentoring and hiring Bearcat students. In addition, he is in his ninth year of service as a UC Foundation Trustee, further demonstrating his commitment to the university’s growth and success.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Shenan's proudest accomplishment is his wonderful family, including his supportive spouse and three amazing children, who have been instrumental in his entrepreneurial journey. Equally important to Shenan and his family is giving back to the community. He is passionate about contributing to the growth and success of Greater Cincinnati. Influenced by teachers and coaches who went beyond their roles to mentor and inspire him, he is committed to paying it forward.
Cincinnati is a thriving region, and Shenan is honored to be part of its progress. He looks forward to the next adventure!
Dinner Sponsorship Opportunities
Expand the drop down to learn more about what is included with each sponsorship level.
Corporate Sponsor - $5,000
Includes
- One full table with preferential seating (10 seats)
- Twenty complimentary drink tickets
- Prominent display of your company logo on all marketing materials (website, dinner advertisements, event programs, sponsor signs, invitation)
Bearcat Sponsor - $2,500
Includes
- Half table with preferential seating (5 seats)
- Ten complimentary drink tickets
- Prominent display of your company logo on all marketing materials (website, dinner advertisements, event programs, sponsor signs, invitation)
Individual Sponsor - $1,250
Includes
- Two tickets to dinner
- Four complimentary drink tickets
- Prominent display of your company logo on all marketing materials (website, dinner advertisements, event programs, sponsor signs, invitation)
Past Annual Dinners
Nearly 600 real estate professionals, students, alumni and supporters packed Cincinnati Music Hall on June 12, 2024 for the University of Cincinnati Real Estate Center’s 33rd Annual Real Estate Dinner.
Attendees showed out to celebrate Lindner’s real estate students and the night’s top honoree Gregg Fusaro, partner, CIG Communities, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.
Highlights of the 33rd Annual Dinner included:
- A celebration of the 16 scholarship recipients for the 2023-24 academic year. Awards for the year topped $38,000.
- Recognition of the Center's Board of Executive Advisors in Real Estate (BEARE) and Real Estate Executive Advisory Council (REEAC).
- A tribute to the late Snowden Armstrong, a longtime supporter of the UC Real Estate Center, founding member of the Roundtable series and a fixture in the Cincinnati real estate community.
- Recognition of Gregg Fusaro, partner with CIG Commnities as the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Real Estate Service Award.
- A thank you to the 31 local and national companies who sponsored the 2024 Annual Dinner.
On June 14, 2023, 620 guests visited Music Hall in downtown Cincinnati to highlight the accomplishments of the center, the real estate program, its supporters, Carl H. Lindner College of Business faculty and staff and distinguished students and alumni.
The evening included:
- A celebration of 2022-23 academic year scholarship recipients
- Recognition of the students honored as our BEARE Scholars.
- The introduction of Gary Painter, PhD, as the new academic director of the real estate program
- Recognition of Laura Brunner, president and CEO of the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, as the recipient of the Distinguished Real Estate Service Award.
Following a two-year absenced due to COVID-19, the center marked the joyous return of its annual awards dinner on June 1, 2022, attracting 550 commercial real estate professionals to the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati to celebrate the accomplishments of the center, program, faculty, staff and distinguished students and alumni.
Rusty Myers, BBA ’82, was recognized as the Distinguished Service Award recipient. Myers is a longtime volunteer and servant leader for UC. The fourth-generation Bearcat is a past president of the UC Alumni Association, Real Estate Advisory Counsel and Real Estate Roundtable.
Furthermore, 18 students received a combined total of $40,000 in UC scholarship awards. Additionally, four of these students received additional external scholarships from Ohio Realtors and Society of Industrial and Office Realtors valued at another $7,000.
Our Annual Center Supporters
The Real Estate Center is thankful for its generous corporate partners for providing financial support, sharing valuable input and expertise, and acting as global ambassadors for the Center and the real estate program.
PNC
Premier Partner
Eagle Realty Group
Platinum Partner
Brandicorp
Gold Partner
Hills Properties
Gold Partner
Kroger
Gold Partner
Neyer Properties
Gold Partner
North American Properties
Gold Partner
Procter & Gamble
Gold Partner
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