Georgia Tech has announced the creation of the Tony Kepano Joint Center for Real Estate, a new initiative designed to enhance real estate education and industry collaboration across campus. The center is being established through a significant commitment from Tony Kepano, a 1986 graduate of Georgia Tech with a degree in industrial management and a recognized leader in commercial real estate.
The center will operate as a partnership between the Scheller College of Business and the College of Design’s School of Building Construction. It aims to serve as the main platform for students interested in pursuing careers in real estate, offering academic support, professional development, research opportunities, and connections with industry partners at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
Tony Kepano reflected on his experience at Georgia Tech: “I would not be where I am without my Tech experience.” He described how balancing athletics, academics, and work helped him develop skills that have supported his four-decade career. Kepano currently serves as vice chairman at CBRE’s Industrial and Logistics Advisory & Transaction Services.
This contribution adds to Kepano’s history of philanthropy at Georgia Tech, including scholarships for business students and support for athletics. He also holds volunteer leadership roles on the Georgia Tech Foundation Board of Trustees and Scheller College Advisory Board.
Kepano highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of the new center: “My 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. I hope that 10 or 20 years from now, we can look back at all the people this program has influenced, and how they’ve gone out and impacted their environments and communities in a positive way.”
The center will connect academic study with practical experience in one of Georgia’s most active sectors. Funding from Kepano will support student programs, faculty outreach, technology needs, conferences, and operational expenses. This flexibility will help Georgia Tech respond quickly to changes within the real estate field.
Rick Porter, director of the Master of Real Estate Development program at the College of Design, stated: “At 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‑rounded education and a portfolio of courses and activities that most universities can’t offer. The center brings all of this together — engineering, design, construction, business — so students can experience the full range of real estate opportunities across the Institute.”
Jonathan Clarke, senior associate dean for strategic initiatives at Scheller College said: “The 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’re ready to lead where real estate is headed.”
Kepano’s investment supports Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech—a $2 billion fundraising effort running through 2027 aimed at strengthening resources for students, faculty, and programs.
Georgia Tech is part of the University System of Georgia (https://gatech.edu/) and maintains an urban campus covering more than 400 acres in Midtown Atlanta (https://gatech.edu/). The institute has produced alumni who include military generals and innovation leaders (https://gatech.edu/), contributing significantly to society while generating an economic impact estimated at $5.8 billion statewide (https://gatech.edu/). Georgia Tech consistently ranks among top public universities for undergraduate experiences (https://gatech.edu/).
