{"688614":{"#nid":"688614","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Alumnus\u2019 Commitment Establishes Tony Kepano Joint Center for Real Estate","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech is launching the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/kepanocenter.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ETony Kepano Joint Center for Real Estate\u003C\/a\u003E, a collaborative hub that will elevate real estate education, industry engagement, and alumni involvement across campus. The center is being made possible through a significant commitment from accomplished real estate leader Tony Kepano, who graduated from Georgia Tech in 1986 with a degree in industrial management.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe center will bring together the strengths of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EScheller College of Business\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/design.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECollege of Design\u2019\u003C\/a\u003Es \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Building Construction\u003C\/a\u003E, serving as the Institute\u2019s primary platform for preparing students to pursue careers in the real estate industry. The center is a priority for the leaders of the two Colleges: Anuj Mehrotra, dean of the Scheller College and Stephen P. Zelnak Jr. Chair, and Ellen Bassett, dean of the College of Design and John Portman Chair. Designed to support both undergraduate and graduate students, the center will provide academic support, professional development opportunities, academic research, and deeper connections with industry partners.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKepano credits the lessons he learned at Georgia Tech with profoundly influencing his life and career.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI would not be where I am without my Tech experience,\u201d said Kepano. As an out-of-state football and track-and-field student-athlete, he carried a full academic load while working night shifts at Delta Air Lines. The discipline, perseverance, and problem-solving mindset he honed at Tech laid the foundation for his successful four-decade career in commercial real estate. Today, Kepano serves as vice chairman at CBRE\u2019s Industrial and Logistics Advisory \u0026amp; Transaction Services.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis latest commitment builds upon Kepano\u2019s previous philanthropy directed to Georgia Tech, including support for scholarships and fellowships for business students and for athletics. He also provides volunteer leadership to his alma mater and currently serves on the Georgia Tech Foundation Board of Trustees and Scheller College Advisory Board.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKepano sees the center\u2019s interdisciplinary model, which integrates business, design, architecture, city planning, and building construction, as uniquely powerful. Students, he said, will graduate with a \u201c360\u2011degree understanding of development\u201d and a significant advantage in the field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy vision is for Georgia Tech to become one of the top thought leaders in commercial real estate, producing students who are uniquely qualified, prepared, and capable of driving the next wave of innovation in the industry,\u201d said Kepano. \u201cI hope that 10 or 20 years from now, we can look back at all the people this program has influenced, and how they\u2019ve gone out and impacted their environments and communities in a positive way.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith a focus on offering students a pathway into one of the state\u2019s most dynamic fields, the center will serve as a bridge between academic study and real-world practice.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunding from Kepano\u2019s commitment will support a wide range of activities, including student programming and collaboration, faculty and industry outreach, operational needs, technology, and conference participation. His support will allow Georgia Tech to respond nimbly to emerging opportunities in the real estate sector.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt Georgia Tech, we have a broad base of offerings that are related and connected to real estate. That gives us a competitive edge in providing a well\u2011rounded education and a portfolio of courses and activities that most universities can\u2019t offer. The center brings all of this together \u2014 engineering, design, construction, business \u2014 so students can experience the full range of real estate opportunities across the Institute,\u201d said Rick Porter, director of the College of Design\u2019s Master of Real Estate Development program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding opportunities for students interested in real estate, the center aligns with Georgia Tech\u2019s commitment to preparing leaders who can shape the built environment and the business landscape surrounding it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJonathan Clarke, senior associate dean for strategic initiatives at Scheller College, said, \u201cThe future of real estate will be shaped by rapid advances in technology and innovation. Success in this evolving industry will require an integrated understanding of finance, design, and technology. The Tony Kepano Joint Center for Real Estate will play a vital role in preparing students with this multidisciplinary foundation so they\u2019re ready to lead where real estate is headed.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKepano\u2019s investment is included in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/transformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETransforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The $2 billion comprehensive campaign, running through 2027, is\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ea generational effort to make a lasting impact across campus, providing essential resources for Georgia Tech students, faculty, and programs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech is launching the Tony Kepano Joint Center for Real Estate, a collaborative hub that will elevate real estate education, industry engagement, and alumni involvement across campus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech is launching the Tony Kepano Joint Center for Real Estate, a collaborative hub that will elevate real estate education, industry engagement, and alumni involvement across campus. "}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-03-02 16:25:32","changed_gmt":"2026-03-03 00:47:47","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-02T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-03-02T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679485":{"id":"679485","type":"image","title":"Tony Kepano","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETony Kepano\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1772470564","gmt_created":"2026-03-02 16:56:04","changed":"1772470564","gmt_changed":"2026-03-02 16:56:04","alt":"Tony Kepano","file":{"fid":"263654","name":"tonykepano-EDIT2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/02\/tonykepano-EDIT2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/02\/tonykepano-EDIT2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":13601648,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/02\/tonykepano-EDIT2.jpg?itok=ryexmuQz"}}},"media_ids":["679485"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/kepanocenter.gatech.edu\/","title":"Tony Kepano Joint Center for Real Estate"}],"groups":[{"id":"1221","name":"College of Design"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1262","name":"Office of Development"},{"id":"1274","name":"Scheller College of Business"},{"id":"1223","name":"School of Building Construction"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"168831","name":"College of Design"},{"id":"167089","name":"Scheller College of Business"},{"id":"506","name":"alumni"},{"id":"2096","name":"philanthropy"},{"id":"4097","name":"real estate"},{"id":"1461","name":"Building Construction"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:anne.stanford@dev.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAnne Stanford\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003EOffice of Development\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}