Cody Kuhne
Cody Kuhne (’22)
Trammell Crow Company
Phoenix, AZ
Congratulations on your graduation! What’s next?
After moving back to Phoenix, I’ll start my new job as a senior associate on the development and investment team at commercial real estate leader Trammell Crow Company. I will be focusing on multifamily and industrial development opportunities, overseeing all aspects of due diligence and financial modeling of prospective developments and acquisitions, including validation of market information, preparation of packages for investment committee and communication with external parties.
How has the Anderson experience changed you?
Anderson allowed me the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be charged with leadership. As the president of the Association for Real Estate at Anderson, I was heavily tested on my mentorship, time management and organizational skills. I left Anderson with much more confidence in my ability to lead an organization, and I gained a playbook of strategies to become an effective leader. These skills have transferred from the academic setting to both my professional and personal life.
Was there a class, experience or involvement opportunity that was a highlight during your time at Anderson?
The highlight of my time at Anderson was learning from Professor Eric Sussman. While I learned a great deal about real estate and financial statement analysis in his classes, I learned far more about how to think like an MBA and finance professional. Eric challenged all his students to engage in second- and third-level thinking, to read the writing on the wall, and to arrive at thoughtful conclusions based on evidence and analysis.
What lesson or piece of knowledge you learned at Anderson has stuck with you, as part of personal and professional life today?
The lesson that has stuck with me most since leaving Anderson is the importance of networking. I had no idea that my success as a real estate developer was going to be so heavily influenced by my ability to network with brokers, consultants and community leaders. Fortunately, Anderson prepared me for this networking through the job search process and through the primary research stage of my capstone Applied Management Research consulting project.
What do you think makes Anderson different from other business schools?
Anderson is located in the largest county in the nation, providing unparalleled access to executives and entrepreneurs of every industry. No matter what career path you are pursuing, Anderson has ties to the best companies and talent in your industry. I was able to grow my network of commercial real estate professionals from scratch, thanks to the vast UCLA alumni network.