Dozens of real estate leaders from throughout central Ohio recently gathered at Fisher to explore the future of The Ohio State University campus and that of the City of Columbus — and to recognize one of their own.

Robert Weiler (MA ’64, PhD ’68) was honored as part of an event sponsored by the Ohio State Center for Real Estate. Weiler, president of The Robert Weiler Company, was celebrated for his extraordinary vision, leadership and philanthropy within the central Ohio real estate community and beyond.

Anil K. Makhija, dean and John W. Berry, Sr. Chair in Business at Fisher, spoke of Weiler’s tremendous impact as a supporter of education, including students and programs at Fisher.

“Throughout his entire professional career, Bob has served as a shining example and advocate for the power of education,” Makhija said. “When we talk about individuals who believe in and truly support the mission of educational institutions like Fisher and Ohio State, we are grateful to count Bob as one of our most passionate and engaged friends.”

Makhija later presented Weiler with a bound copy of Weiler’s PhD dissertation, completed in 1968, and titled “A Critical Examination of Existing Real Estate Taxation Valuation Procedures.”

In addition to Makhija, Don Kelley, founder of Donald W. Kelley & Associates and a longtime friend of Weiler’s, also shared his thoughts on the vision and influence that Weiler continues to have on commercial real estate in central Ohio. Weiler and Kelley have spent decades working with each other on numerous projects including the Polaris Centers of Commerce.

The event also brought together representatives from Ohio State and the City of Columbus to discuss strategic priorities on the horizon. Jay Kasey, senior vice president for administration and planning at Ohio State, shared the university’s recently unveiled Framework 2.0, a long-term vision for how Ohio State will develop physical spaces on campus.

Steve Schoeny, director of the Department of Development with the City of Columbus, discussed the Smart Cities initiative currently underway. The program, part of a $40 million grant awarded to Columbus by the U.S. Department of Transportation, will position the city to become one of the first to fully integrate innovative technologies — self-driving cars, connected vehicles and smart sensors — into its transportation network.

“Events such as this provide our members with valuable opportunities to learn about exciting developments within the central Ohio real estate community and to engage with those leading the way,” said Itzhak Ben-David, director of the Real Estate Center. “We look forward to continuing our mission of connecting our members, faculty and students with the very latest in real estate news, trends and innovations.”