Richard Hurd needs no introduction in Des Moines.

He’s left an indelible mark on the face of Iowa’s capital city.

But what you might not know is the gritty story behind Hurd Real Estate—and how Richard built it from the ground up.

Over his career, he’s personally owned and developed more than $1B in commercial real estate. Richard takes us back to his early days in real estate, flipping houses, balancing a second job on the railroad, and serving in the military. 

It’s a story of hard work, patience, and a relentless drive to build something that lasts.

Key Takeaways:

• How military discipline shaped Richard’s approach to business

• The secret sauce behind Hurd Real Estate’s edge: relationships, service, and speed

• Learning to identify contrarian opportunities

• Adapting to the changing landscape of investing & developing from the 1980s to today

• Advice Richard Hurd would give to his 20-year-old self

Biography:

Richard Hurd began his career in real estate investment in 1973, specializing in single and multi-family residential properties in the Central Iowa market. In 1981, Richard founded the regional commercial development, investment, and brokerage firm known today as Hurd Real Estate. Richard has provided strong leadership and focused the Hurd Real Estate team on acquisitions, sale-leasebacks, and development of office, retail, medical, and industrial properties.

Richard has had the pleasure of working with a number of regional and national companies either through sale-leaseback or build-to-suit transactions since founding the company in 1981. Currently, Richard owns over 130 properties in twelve states. During Richard’s career, he has personally owned and developed over $1B in commercial real estate.

On the brokerage side of the business, Richard managed the largest commercial brokerage firm in Iowa from 1986 to 1993. He was selected to represent Central Life Assurance Company (now known as Athene Annuity USA) in the repositioning of their national commercial real estate portfolio.

Richard has won numerous awards; a few recent accolades include being named into the Midwest Real Estate News Hall of Fame in 2013, awarded the CRE Professional of the Year by the Business Record in 2017, and elected into the Lincoln High School Hall of Fame in 2018.

Richard’s professional designations include CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member), SIOR (Society of Industrial and Office Realtors), and CRE (The Counselors of Real Estate). Believing in sharing his time and experience to help build a strong community, Richard serves on the Grand View University Board of Trustees, Bankers Trust Company Community Advisory Board and West Des Moines Presidents Council. In 2019, Richard & Linda Hurd started construction of the “Jamie Hurd Amphitheater” in West Des Moines, IA, in honor of their daughter.

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