Starting Nov. 2, Ben Schmidt will serve as the Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor of Real Estate Development and Administration, transitioning from his current role as Associate Director of Real Estate Administration.
Ben succeeds Paula Veltum, who has been appointed Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor of Physical Plant.
“Since Ben joined our team, he has proven himself indispensable,” said Paula. “He jumped right in, providing valuable expertise, serving as a trusted adviser and key part of our team. I am confident in his ability to lead the real estate team during this transition.”
In his current role, Ben draws on his deep well of institutional and private sector real estate experience to manage UW-Madison’s real estate assets. He plays a key part in real estate transactions, property agreement negotiations, budget management, and regulatory compliance.
A UW-Madison alumnus, Ben has an MBA in real estate. He also holds a BS in finance and JD from Indiana University.
“Being able to serve the Badger community in this way is an honor,” said Ben. “I am excited to lead our talented team as we continue to enhance our real estate capabilities and transactional expertise.”
As the Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor, Ben will lead the effort to advance one of UW-Madison’s key revenue strategies. He will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to leverage university real estate assets to their highest and best use in support of UW-Madison’s academic, research and outreach missions.