Christopher J. Mayer, the Paul Milstein Professor of Real Estate and director of the School’s Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate since 2003, has been named the School’s next senior vice dean. He succeeds Paul Glasserman, the Jack R. Anderson Professor of Business, who has served in the position since 2004. In addition to many other responsibilities, the senior vice dean is very involved in the recruitment of new faculty members.“Chris has built a stellar reputation as a scholar and practitioner through his extensive teaching and research in real estate,” Dean Glenn Hubbard said. “As both a faculty member who consistently earns high teaching ratings and director of the Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate, he possesses a deep understanding of student interests and needs.”A visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Board from 2007 to 2008, Mayer is an expert on real estate cycles, capital markets, housing, mortgages and debt securitization. His work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the government of Canada and the Real Estate Research Institute. Mayer is frequently quoted in national media outlets, such as the New York Times, CNN and National Public Radio.
Mayer will continue to be involved with the Milstein Center as both research director and vice chair of its advisory board. Beginning next month, Lynne B. Sagalyn, the Earle W. Kazis and Benjamin Schore Professor of Real Estate, will assume directorship of the Center. Widely known as an expert in real estate equity securities and public-private development finance, Sagalyn is a highly acclaimed teacher and the author of more than 70 real estate cases. Having served as the center’s inaugural director, she is already very familiar to many in the Columbia Business School community.