The University of Utah has named longtime commercial real estate professional and university real estate executive John Creer its new chief real estate officer.

Creer, currently Arizona State University’s vice president of real estate development, will join the U’s experienced real estate team in February.

“We are delighted to have a skilled university real estate executive with local ties join our team,” said Cathy Anderson, chief financial officer. “John brings years of experience—both as a commercial real estate developer and broker and as an academic real estate manager. He will lead an exceptional team managing a growing and increasingly complex real estate portfolio.”

Creer joins the university’s Real Estate Administration in a new position at a time of expansion. Under President Taylor Randall’s Bold Transition Team, university leaders are preparing an updated strategic plan to guide the next decade of growing enrollment, cutting-edge research and community service. U. administrators have recently announced plans to engage in Salt Lake County’s west-side neighborhoods and a $57 million Herriman campus shared with Salt Lake Community College.

“I’m excited to join the University of Utah’s real estate team at such a dynamic time,” Creer said. “The U is at a point of inflection—increasing its involvement in the community around it while expanding opportunities for education and employment across the Wasatch Front. This is the perfect time to be thoughtful and strategic in managing and expanding such a diverse real estate portfolio.”

As chief real estate officer, Creer will work as a liaison between the university and the communities around it. The chief real estate officer will oversee the team focused on all university real estate transactions, as well as work to develop market analyses, site selection plans, and coordinate real estate development negotiations.

Creer started his real estate career in Salt Lake City and has nearly 30 years of experience in commercial real estate development and management for private and public projects. He has led ASU’s real estate office since 2013, overseeing five innovation districts in the Phoenix valley, including a biomedical campus, Omni Hotel, conference center and mixed-use development. Prior to Arizona State, he worked with the Trammel Crow Company, co-managing the Los Angeles Unified School District’s $28 billion capital program and developing a $3.5 billion master plan for public and charter schools, as well as a K-12 teacher housing project.