Two innovative real estate leaders with keen business acumen will be added to the North Texas Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame roster in 2024. One inductee is known for a national portfolio that also includes Fields, a Frisco land purchase that is home to the PGA of America’s new national headquarters, and also Clearfork, a mixed-use development in Fort Worth. The other inductee has built a reputation for his build-to-suit projects across the U.S. and his efforts to reshape Deep Ellum while preserving its historic essence.
Bill Vanderstraaten, president of Chief Partners and Scott Rohrman of 42 Real Estate, LLC will be inducted into the 2024 North Texas Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame in cooperation with NTCAR, on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at the Arts District Mansion, 2101 Ross Ave. in downtown Dallas. The event will begin at 5 p.m. with a reception, followed by dinner and program at 7 p.m.
Jack Fraker, president and global head of industrial and logistics capital markets for Newmark, will receive the Michael F. McAuley Lifetime Achievement Award.This recognition is presented to an individual who has dedicated countless hours to his or her community, professional organizations committed to the real estate industry, and charitable pursuits during their professional real estate career.
Sponsorships for the always sold-out event are available with title sponsorships at $25,000, platinum sponsorships at $10,000 and gold sponsorships at $5,000. For more information, go to ntcarhalloffame.org or email HallofFame@eventlinkintl.com.
“North Texas is known as one of the best real estate regions in the U.S., and both Bill Vanderstraaten and Scott Rohman have contributed greatly to that reputation. We are delighted to induct these exceptional leaders into the NTCAR Hall of Fame,” said Robert Grunnah, co-founder and chairman emeritus of the 35-year-old Hall of Fame event.
Vanderstraaten’s Chief Partners boasts $1.4 billion in assets under management
Hall of Fame inductee Bill Vanderstraaten founded Chief Partners in 2007 in partnership with Trevor Rees-Jones and the Rees-Jones family. A commercial real estate investment firm, Chief Partners focuses on teaming with best-in-class operators across the country, producing a widely successful portfolio of currently over 80 separate investments through 30-plus operating partners. During its history, Chief has placed more than $1.1 billion of equity and currently has $1.4 billion in assets under management. Another 110 investments have gone full circle, more than doubling their net returns. The team at Chief and its partners have completed 3.64 million feet of development since inception along with 3.43 million feet of value-added repositioned assets. The firm also invests across all growth markets in the U.S. with concentrations in multifamily, industrial, retail, medical office, land, data center and self-storage.
Prior to founding Chief Partners, Vanderstraaten was an original Fund I partner of Thackeray Partners (now Greystar), a real estate private equity firm. Previously, he worked for CarrAmerica beginning in 1997 and joined Harwood International (previously SPG International) after graduating from SMU.
His contributions extend beyond his business. A 1982 graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration from SMU, he is a devoted alumnus, serving as past chairman of the SMU Alumni Association, a past SMU trustee and a current member of the SMU Cox executive board and the Folsom Institute board. Other current or previous civic activities include the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, UT Southwestern board of visitors, chair of the UT McCombs Parents Council, Goodwill Industries of Dallas board chair, Goodwill Foundation board chair and the Elizabeth Toon Foundation Board. Past industry boards and other involvement include chair of NAIOP, TREC Board and Fight Night chair, Arts District management board chair, West End Association board and Uptown Association board.
Vanderstraaten resides in Dallas with wife, Mimi, and children, Emily and Will.
“Bill’s activity in the real estate community has reached far and wide by developing invaluable partnerships in many cutting-edge projects, including the iconic Fields Ranch that will exceed $5 billion of build-out valuation,” said Hall of Fame Committee Member Greg Cannon. “Additionally, Bill’s service to the Dallas area community and SMU is extraordinary.”
Rohrman’s 42 tackles national projects, embraces historic Deep Ellum and Cedars neighborhoods
Hall of Fame inductee Scott Rohrman and his 42 Real Estate team focus on a wide gamut of real estate initiatives – from industrial and land investment/development projects to urban re-development and pro-bono projects. His build-to-suit efforts span 40 states and Canada, and his clients include Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, 24 Hour Fitness, Tractor Supply, FedEx, Frito-Lay and UnitedHealthcare. 42 also invests in land and speculative industrial projects (with about 10 million square feet of planned or owned land).
His passion includes Dallas’ Deep Ellum, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. A decade ago, he assembled over 55 parcels while taking a community-driven rather than profit-driven approach with the re-development. In addition to restoring the remaining vintage buildings, he was behind the 42 murals program where local artists – from 14-year-old students to beginner and veteran painters – added colorful, often powerful and edgy, topical messages, greatly enhancing the quirky historic district known a century ago as the live music capital of North Texas. His firm also controls more than 15 properties in The Cedars and 16 properties in downtown Dallas.
Rohrman started his career at Henry S. Miller Company/Grubb & Ellis, moving to The Stratford Group and Fischer & Company. Known for his pro-bono and charity work, he helped develop St. Philip’s School and Community Center’s 12,000-square-foot retail building and acquired lots for several nonprofits’ low-income housing. He mentors young professionals, is an elder in his church, and has served on the boards of Circle Ten Council of Boy Scouts of America, Downtown Dallas, Inc., The Real Estate Council (TREC), Deep Ellum Foundation, and Carry The Load. Additionally, he served on the State of Texas School Land Board, which oversaw a $6.2 billion portfolio and more than 13 million acres in Texas, benefiting for public schoolchildren in grades PreK-12.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and master's degree in education at Baylor University and an MBA at SMU. Rohrman and his wife, Laura, reside in Dallas. They have three adult children.
"Scott’s vision and creativity – unparalleled in this industry – are the catalyst for his legacy projects, yet his flawless leadership skills and love for people are his number one priority,” said Hall of Fame Committee Member Lynn Dowdle. “Always going the extra mile to inspire others, Scott is a difference-maker, and that’s a benchmark of his huge success."
Michael F. McAuley Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Jack Fraker has led a distinguished career at Newmark, but the real estate veteran has always found time to give back to industry and charitable organizations.
In addition to receiving numerous awards from SIOR, NAIOP and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), he landed a lifetime achievement award from Dallas Business Journal in 2014. And this isn’t his first time to be recognized by NTCAR – he was given the Stemmons Service Award in 2003.
In addition to having served on the Board of Governors of the ULI, he was a board member and adjunct professor for SMU and The University of Texas Business School. He currently devotes his time as a board member of Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep school and he held former board positions at Hunt Southwest, Cushman & Wakefield, USAA (Realco), the Metropolitan YMCA of Dallas and Girls Inc.
Fraker earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The University of Texas at Austin. He resides in Dallas, and his two children followed in his steps and also have successful commercial real estate careers.
“Jack’s contributions epitomize the gold standards with which this award represents,” said Darrell Hurmis, a co-founder and member of the NTCAR Hall of Fame Committee. “A standout in every respect, he has given back to his community and shaped our industry in so many wonderful ways.”
Founded in 1987, NTCAR Hall of Fame has celebrated region’s iconic movers and shakers
The Hall of Fame was launched in 1987, when the first six distinguished real estate recipients were Trammell Crow; Lyn Davis; Henry S. Miller, Jr.; John M. Stemmons, Sr. and his brother, L. Storey Stemmons; and Angus G. Wynne. Later additions to the roster included, among others, John Carpenter; Roger Staubach; Henry S. Miller Company; Jerry Jones; Ross Perot, Jr.; Gerald Hines and Jeff Hines; and Ray L. Hunt.
The most recent Hall of Fame inductees for 2023 were Ray W. Washburne,president of Highland Park Village, and Rex Glendenning, founder and owner of Rex Real Estate. Last year former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price received one of the rarely given Industry Service Awards.
The 2024 Hall of Fame recipients and other honorees will be listed in the fourth edition of THE BOOK – Dallas/Fort Worth Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame, which is being released in late 2024.
Originally published in 2008 with expanded editions produced in 2013 and 2019, THE BOOK captures the stories of past Hall of Fame honorees and Michael F. McAuley Award recipients along with other honorees – all legendary figures whose extraordinary vision and real estate prowess played a major role in North Texas’ development over the past 100 years.
The coffee table book, filled with historical photos, is available for $150. For details and to order, visit ntcarhalloffame.org/the-book, email HallofFame@eventlinkintl.com or call 214-750-9247.
The North Texas Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame Committee members are event co-founders Robert Grunnah (Emeritus), Darrell Hurmis and Chris Teesdale along with Greg Cannon, Kathy Permenter, Lynn Dowdle, Bill Cox, Jack Gosnell and Teri Abram.
Holland Morris is executive director of the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors and Real Estate Professionals.
The media partner for the 2024 Hall of Fame event is D CEOmagazine.
ABOUT NTCAR
Founded in 1995, NTCAR is a trade association that exists to enhance the business opportunities of its members through real-time access to critical real estate information, education, recognition and networking events. One of the first and leading local commercial real estate associations in the country, NTCAR’s members benefit from proprietary industry resources and customized services. For more information, go to ntcarhalloffame.org or email HallofFame@eventlinkintl.com.