This post was written by Dan Jackson, a 2012 UST MBA graduate.
For me, it was a night to remember as many real estate professionals from around the Twin Cities area gathered in the Schulze Auditorium on the Minneapolis campus of the University of St. Thomas. Everyone had come to share in the joy and excitement of the Inductees of the 3rd annual Minnesota Real Estate Hall of Fame. As a young professional getting started in the real estate industry, it was very exciting to be among many professionals who were very well established in the Twin Cities. It was an opportunity to see that with hard work and determination that I could end up in similar roles of these great individuals. Below is a brief overview of each of the four inductees that were featured at this year’s event. The information below was adapted from the Hall of Fame program given to participants that evening.
Real Estate Hall of Fame Inductees
David C. Bell
Known as one of the Twin Cities’ founding fathers, David Bell came to Minnesota to work for his brother at a small general store. He eventually was able to open the Bell Bros. Dry Good store in downtown Minneapolis in 1862. Bell continued to work with a number of new ventures including several banks, which allowed him to open his own mortgage company, the David C. Bell Investment Company. In 1880 he began originating mortgages in Minnesota and sold them to banks in New York. This in turn brought a lot of development into the Minneapolis area. Bell’s service to the community was just as impressive. He served as a trustee of Carleton College, taught Bible classes at Plymouth Congregational Church and was a member of many state boards and charities.
Robert P. Boblett, Sr.
Robert Boblett’s contributions to the commercial real estate industry span more than 41 years. During World War II, he served as a captain in the 103rd Infantry Division in Europe, before returning to establish his own industrial real estate firm, Robert Boblett Associates, Inc. Outside of real estate, he was also a member of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, a part of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Planning Commission and served as president of the Minneapolis City Planning Commission. Boblett helped to develop a course in appraising for the American Institute of Appraisers. The Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) have named their highest honor award in honor of Boblett. (more…)
