Dear Colleagues,
Join me in extending heartfelt congratulations to Bruce Walden as he approaches his well-deserved retirement on April 30, 2024. His expertise in project planning and real estate has been instrumental in the success of numerous initiatives and special projects throughout his tenure.
Bruce earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Illinois and dedicated 31 years to municipal government, where Bruce worked for both the City of Champaign and the City of Urbana, serving in the position of Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Urbana for much of that time. In 2007, his talents were recognized when he was recruited by Mike Bass to serve as Director of Real Estate Services for the Illinois System.
Over the past 17 years, Bruce has expertly managed countless real estate transactions, spanning space leasing, ground leasing, acquisitions, sales, and trades. His role expanded to include overseeing the execution of P-3 capital construction projects, such as the UIUC Campus Instruction Facility, the UIC Outpatient and Specialty Clinic, the UIC Academic and Residential Complex, and the UIUC Wymer Hall project, among others. Bruce has also worked closely with the Research Park and University of Illinois Foundation.
As Bruce embarks on this new journey, we express our sincere appreciation for his dedicated years of service and send our warmest wishes for a fulfilling retirement ahead. Bruce graciously shares his thoughts:
“While I am very grateful to the university for providing me with the opportunity to serve in what was essentially my dream job, it is time for me to move on to a new chapter in life and maybe improve my challenged golf game. I sincerely appreciate the support and encouragement of many within the System Administration which gave me the confidence to try new approaches and otherwise change many of the ways we view and utilize real estate and particularly how we engage with the private sector in capital delivery. I have met and worked with many wonderful and talented people at the university and will miss them all.”
Thank you,
Paul Ellinger
Please share as appropriate.