We are pleased to welcome Geoff Stuhr to the Graaskamp Center’s Board of Advisors. Geoff brings deep industry insight and leadership experience that will strengthen our work as we continue to advance Wisconsin’s position as a global leader in real estate education.
Can you share a bit about your current role and what a typical day looks like for you?
I’m the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Smart Asset Capital, a private equity firm focused on acquiring and operating Class-B industrial properties across Wisconsin. My world sits at the intersection of capital, strategy, and execution.
A typical day blends high-level vision with real, hands-on operating work: investor calls/meetings, presentations, portfolio reviews, negotiating acquisitions and leases, meeting with business owners about sale-leasebacks, and coaching our team.
From your perspective, what is the most exciting opportunity—or area of growth—in commercial real estate today?
For me, the most exciting opportunity sits in the “middle market” industrial space – properties that are too small for institutions but too sophisticated for casual investors. It’s a fragmented space that provides a lot of opportunities for our platform’s strategy.
Wisconsin (and the Midwest in general) is full of manufacturers, fabricators, and distribution companies that are the backbone of the U.S. economy. Many of these businesses are run by owners who are thinking about succession, liquidity, or expansion. The chance to structure win-win sale-leasebacks, modernize these assets, and aggregate portfolios for long-term value creation is enormous.
What do you find most rewarding about working in the real estate industry?
For me, the most rewarding part is seeing the impact – investors creating generational wealth, tenants growing their businesses inside our buildings, and local communities benefiting from revitalized industrial corridors.
Additionally, this industry runs on relationships. You can create a lot of success by being trustworthy, transparent, and consistent. When someone calls you years later because you did right by them, you can build long lasting relationships and create a very successful business this way.
Can you tell us about one of the most interesting or meaningful projects you’ve been involved in, and why it stands out to you?
The most meaningful project to date was launching and scaling SAC Industrial Fund I, our first fund. It wasn’t just a financial milestone—it was a cultural one.
We acquired properties across southeastern Wisconsin, brought new capital into the state, and partnered with manufacturers, distributors, and business owners who trusted us with their livelihoods. Seeing the fund grow, hit its stride, and deliver results for investors has been incredibly fulfilling.
It stands out because it blended everything I care about: strategy, execution, partnership, and long-term value creation.
What advice or insights would you offer to Wisconsin students who are preparing to launch their careers in real estate?
1. Treat every relationship like it matters—because it does.
The real estate world is small. Your personal brand and reputation are equity with compounding interest.
2. Get in the game early.
Don’t wait for the “perfect job.” Start somewhere that interests you ideally working for people that you look up to, learn fast, and be willing to do work others overlook.
3. Build your skillset around value creation.
Learn underwriting, deal structuring, communication, and how to think like an owner. If you can solve problems for investors or tenants, you’ll always be in demand.
4. Bet on Wisconsin.
This state has real momentum. Manufacturing, logistics, technology, and the talent pipeline from UW give Wisconsin an edge that’s only getting stronger.
Stay curious, stay humble, and stay hungry. The industry rewards people who are all three.