About Us

Talent Development

• Developing new touchpoints for our next generation of leaders

Recruitment

• Connecting top-tier alumni, students and faculty

Research

• Facilitating thought leadership between academia and practice

Networking

• Programming differentiated and relevant content

Research

• Enlarging footprint within journals and popular press

Student Recruitment

• Enhancing the value of real estate as a concentration

Fundraising

• Strengthening ties among a strong base

Reputation

• Deepening out leadership within finance and entrepreneurship

Collaboration

• Fostering experiential learning in a growing industry

Knowledge

• Offering case competitions, workshops and guest speakers

Education

• Complementing academics with experiential learning

Research

• Collaborating with faculty on leading-edge research projects

Networking

• Liaising with other students and deep alumni base

Donald D. Sheets, Executive Director

Donald has two dozen years of leadership experience on Wall Street across several investment management firms, one of which he founded nearly a decade ago and recently sold. In conjunction with his recent dual appointments to both the faculty of Harvard University and as Executive Director of The Ohio State University Center for Real Estate, he concluded his roles as Managing Director and member of the Management Committee at Broadshore Capital Partners - a subsidiary of Guardian Life Insurance.  While at Broadshore, his team underwrote, serviced, and resolved investments on behalf of its cornerstone investors comprised of Harvard Management Company, Bain Capital Real Estate, and the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System.  He previously was a Partner and Managing Director at Clarion Partners upon its acquisition of AlumCreek Holdings, a private equity platform that he founded and scaled.  Donald previously was Senior Principal and co-led the transaction team at Square Mile Capital Management after he launched and scaled a special situations commercial real estate platform at Davidson Kempner Capital Management.  Prior to earning an M.B.A., he worked with The Carlyle Group, EastBanc, and Starwood Urban Investments.

Donald has meaningful prior academic experience having maintained dual faculty appointments for over a dozen years with Columbia University and New York University, where he developed the inaugural graduate-level distressed real estate investing electives within each institution’s curriculum.  He maintains a faculty appointment with Auburn University and has lectured at Georgetown University, The George Washington University, Harvard University, and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  His pedagogy spans undergraduate and graduate programs with a curricula of capital markets, distressed investing, structured finance, law, negotiation, private equity, and leadership.

Donald is a Board Member and Chair of the Audit Committee of Educational Housing Services - New York’s largest student housing operator – and serves as Chair of the Harvard Alumni Real Estate Board.  He is active with the Commercial Real Estate Finance Council, having prior appointments to the Board of Governors, Co-Chair emeritus of the Education Committee, Co-Chair emeritus of the High Yield and Distressed Realty Assets Forum, and Member of the Editorial Board.  Donald collaborates with several privately-held investment management platforms as strategic advisor to founders and c-suite teams.       

Donald received a B.B.A. magna cum laude from The George Washington University and received an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Itzhak Ben-David, Academic Director

Professor Itzhak (“Zahi”) Ben-David is the Neil Klatskin Chair in Finance and Real Estate at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. He serves as the Academic Director of the Ohio State Center for Real Estate. He teaches real estate and finance classes to both graduate and undergraduate students. Dr. Ben-David has published in top finance and economics journals, such as the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, and Review of Financial Studies. His work in recent years investigates the role of intermediaries in precipitating the housing bubble and the aftermath of the housing crisis. Dr. Ben-David holds an MBA and PhD in finance from the University of Chicago, as well as a BS and MS in industrial engineering, and a BA in accounting from Tel-Aviv University, and an MS in finance from London Business School.

Allyson M. Irwin,
Senior Program Administrator

Ally Irwin is the Senior Program Administrator for the Center for Real Estate at the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. As Senior Program Administrator, Ally imparts demonstrable impact across the center's key stakeholders, executes high-focus strategic initiatives, and liaises directly with the center's Executive Director. Ally is an organizational development practitioner and has experience coordinating business, academic, and philanthropic programming while managing client relationships, stakeholder involvement, and outreach initiatives. She is a passionate community leader and empathetic change-maker who focuses on innovative and sustainable strategies. Ally earned an MBA from Ohio University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Community Leadership from The Ohio State University. Prior to her time at the center, she worked with various organizations across multiple industries including the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, Dennis Learning Center, Encova and Nationwide Insurance, and Columbus Blue Jackets. 

Stephen J. Klein,
Business Operations Analyst

Steve Klein is the Business Operations Analyst for the Center for Real Estate. Steve graduated from The Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of Business in May 2023 where he studied finance and logistics. He interned with Rocket Mortgage in 2021 and 2022 with its Administrative Sales and Web Mortgage Banking teams where he supported multiple regional vice presidents and worked closely with a team of mortgage bankers. In this role, Steve provides strategic and administrative support for the day-to-day operations and assists in program implementation.

Andrew T. Shimmel,
Business Operations Intern

Andrew Shimmel is a Business Operations Intern for the Center for Real Estate. Andrew is currently a senior at The Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of Business and is studying finance and real estate. In this role, Andrew assists the Center’s Executive Director, Senior Program Administrator, and Business Operations Analyst. Andrew has always been interested in his family’s development firm and plans to lead a career in multifamily investment and development.

Jack P. Platten,
Business Operations Intern

Jack Platten is a Business Operations Intern for the Center for Real Estate. Jack is currently a junior at The Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of Business and is studying finance and real estate. Jack contributes to the Center's organizational success by working to support the team. Jack was introduced to the Center through his event and program attendance. His interest in the industry has grown exponentially through the various connections made during Center networking opportunities.

View an updated list of Real Estate and other Department of Finance faculty here.