Three inducted into Minnesota Real Estate Hall of Fame

Commercial real estate broker Tom Holtz, real estate consultant Jim Nelson and former real estate and project management executive Russ Nelson are the newest additions to the Minnesota Real Estate Hall of Fame.

They join 36 other members of the Hall of Fame, established in 2010 by the Shenehon Center for Real Estate at the University of St. Thomas’ Opus College of Business.

An induction ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 7 at the Golden Valley Golf and Country Club.

Members of the Minnesota Real Estate Hall of Fame are chosen for their outstanding business performance, high standards of ethics and community activities. They are chosen by a selection committee made up of senior executives and owners of major Twin Cities real estate companies, said Herb Tousley, St. Thomas’ director of real estate programs.

Holtz is an executive vice president with the Minneapolis office of CBRE specializing in major investment transactions for office and industrial properties, according to a St. Thomas press release. His 45 years in real estate have been with CBRE. Holtz has a client list that includes Cargill, J.P. Morgan, Prudential and Ryan Cos. US Inc., and is credited with approximately $11 billion in investment transactions.

“He’s been involved in a lot of big deals,” Tousley said in an interview.

Jim Nelson has played a leadership role in projects including the renovation of the Midtown Exchange, the Walker Art Center expansion and the U.S. Bank Stadium. Nelson is president of Eberhardt Advisory LLC in Minneapolis, which provides strategic planning and implementation services to commercial real estate clients. Nelson has in recent years concentrated on counseling the city of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, the state of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority.

Russ Nelson recently retired from his role as president and principal of Minneapolis-based real estate and project management firm NTH Inc. He played a major role in one of the largest land sales in the city’s history when the Star Tribune newspaper sold 12.5 acres in the Downtown East area of Minneapolis.

The sale launched the redevelopment of the Downtown East Commons, which includes Wells Fargo offices, apartments, restaurants, retail space, and a two-block park. Nelson also managed the $45 million renovation of Orchestra Hall.

Tickets are $60 per person for the Minnesota Real Estate Hall of Fame program, which is open to the public.

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