The CREDA Research Foundation has announced the appointment of Mindy Rietz, partner, strategic growth, Gardner Group, to join the Foundation’s Governors. Individuals who demonstrate their commitment to the Foundation’s mission by making a substantial contribution to its endowment fund are invited to accept this lifetime distinction.

Rietz is a commercial real estate executive with more than 17 years of experience spanning development, acquisitions and capital markets, with particular expertise in industrial real estate. Throughout her career, she has led or contributed to more than 3.75 million square feet of commercial development, including master-planned industrial parks, speculative and build-to-suit industrial projects, and office and retail developments.

In her role as partner for strategic growth, Rietz is a member of Gardner Group’s leadership team and leads the company’s expansion into new markets by sourcing, underwriting, capitalizing and executing development, acquisition and investment opportunities across industrial, multifamily, office and mixed-use assets.

She received the CREDA (formerly NAIOP) Developing Leader Award in 2016, is a former CREDA Research Foundation Visionary and is a current CREDA Forums member. She is a member of the CREDA Colorado chapter and based out of Salt Lake City.

“Mindy has been engaged with CREDA and the Research Foundation for years – as a Developing Leader Award recipient, a Visionary and a Forums member – and her appointment as a Governor reflects that long-standing commitment,” said Shawn Moura, Ph.D., executive director of the CREDA Research Foundation. “We are pleased to welcome her to this distinguished group and look forward to her continued contributions to the Foundation's work.”

The CREDA (formerly NAIOP) Research Foundation was established in 2000 as a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to provide practical research and education that allows commercial real estate owners and developers to successfully capitalize on new trends and address challenges in the industry.

Notable reports include the annual Economic Impacts of Commercial Real Estate report; the CREDA CRE Sentiment Index; and quarterly office and industrial space demand forecasts.