At the University of Texas at Dallas Scholarship Breakfast on Nov. 6, real estate legend Herb Weitzman and his wife, Donna, announced the establishment of the Herbert D. Weitzman Institute for Real Estate through a $3 million-dollar gift to the school.
Weitzman, or Mr. Retail as he is known in the real estate community, is founder and executive chairman of Dallas-based Weitzman, one of the state’s largest retail real estate companies. Weitzman graduated from The University Texas of Austin with a degree in business management, but says he is excited to partner with the UTD and Jindal School of Management on the new endeavor.
“This University has an excellent, highly rated business school with a diverse student population,” Weitzman said. “I watched this school grow over the past decades and have seen amazing things happen. It makes me proud to say that our company is associated with UT Dallas. This school has a zeal for excellence.”
With nearly six decades of commercial real estate development experience, Weitzman has made his mark on the major Texas real estate markets, and now, he says he is most interested in leaving his footprint on real estate’s next generation.
Weitzman’s goal in establishing the institute is to allow students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to follow a career interest in real estate, he says, and to provide more academic support and opportunities. “A program that trains our future leaders offers the potential of reshaping the North Texas community in a positive way for decades to come,” he said. “I’m honored to be able to contribute to that promise.”
