President’s Circle: Grubb & Ellis The success of Grubb & Ellis executives Bob Dean (’75, Business Administration), Matt Cologna (’94, Business Administration) and Ken Noack Jr. could be measured in square feet. The three have been instrumental in hundreds of commercial projects and thousands of acres of land transactions in the Sacramento Region. “We’re in a business where we are able to find out a lot about what’s going to happen in a community before it happens,” says Cologna, vice president of industrial services. It’s this type of insight that the trio brings to the University as the company representatives for Grubb & Ellis on the President’s Circle. The President’s Circle provides private support to the University as well as counsel to President Gonzalez. Dean says companies have a responsibility to support higher education. “The corporate world has a responsibility to our higher education system,” says Dean. “I think the President’s Circle is an excellent way to foster (that) connection.” Sacramento’s Grubb & Ellis office is one of the largest full-service commercial real estate companies in the Capital Region. Led by Dean, executive vice president managing director of Grubb & Ellis’ Northwest Region, they have worked on many signature projects. In addition to leasing and sales, the company is involved in revitalization projects in Sacramento’s R Street corridor, Rancho Cordova and Folsom. Last year, Grubb & Ellis brokered the sale of a 20,000-acre ranch near Rancho Murieta owned by the Howard family, owners of the famed racehorse Seabiscuit. Dean earned his MBA from Sac State in 1975. From 1995-96 he was board president for the Sacramento Area Commerce and Trade Organization (SACTO). Cologna earned his bachelor’s degree in strategic management from Sac State in 1994. He is a past president of the College of Business’ alumni chapter and maintains a position on its advisory council. Noack Jr., senior vice president, land and retail group, represents land buyers and sellers throughout Northern California » Back to contents