J. David Heller, BBA '87: Winner of the 2017 Alumni Achievement Award

The University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business is honored to present J. David (David) Heller, BBA ’87, with the 2017 David D. Alger Alumni Achievement Award.

Heller is a real estate industry leader. He is co-founder and principal of the NRP Group, a developer, general contractor, and property manager that has constructed more than 27,000 residential units in 13 states since its founding in 1995. NRP recently earned national recognition for its inclusion in the National Multifamily Housing Council’s 2017 NMHC 50, where it was ranked the #6 contractor and the #7 developer in the country.

Prior to co-founding the NRP Group, Heller was a consultant with the Townsend Group, where he invested more than $3.6 billion in real estate over two years. His clients included the state of Washington, the city of Milwaukee, Los Angeles Police and Fire, the city and county of San Francisco, and others. Prior to that, Heller served as a manager in the real estate consulting division of Arthur Andersen & Co. in Chicago.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Heller has an expansive record of volunteerism. At Michigan Ross, he serves as the co-chair of the Cleveland Campaign Council for the Victors for Michigan campaign and was a member of the council during the Michigan Difference campaign. He is a past member of the Alumni Board of Governors and a current member of the Ross School Advisory Board. Heller has also volunteered with the Ross Real Estate Investment Club and has hosted student teams for Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP), a Michigan Ross program that assigns students to work with companies to address real business challenges.

Outside Ross, David’s leadership roles include serving as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, an executive committee member and past chairman of the Housing Credit Group for the National Association of Home Builders, an advisory board member for the Campaign for Affordable Housing, an editorial advisory board member for Affordable Housing Finance magazine, and more.

In 2009, David was appointed to a five-year term as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by the President of the United States. Heller has a deep and longstanding commitment to the Jewish community locally, nationally, and internationally. He serves on the board of trustees for the Jewish Federation of North America, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the United Way of Cleveland, among other appointments. He is also a trustee for Cuyahoga Community College and past board member of Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation and the United States Holocaust Museum.

For all these reasons, David Heller lives out the spirit of the David D. Alger Alumni Achievement Award in extraordinary ways. As a leader and community citizen, he embodies what it means to be a Michigan Wolverine.

About the Award

Established in 1989, this award recognizes an alumnus or alumna of the business school whose attainments in their professional field have brought distinction to themselves, credit to the school, and benefit to their fellow citizens.

The Alumni Achievement Award has been named in honor of David D. Alger, MBA 1968, and 2001 recipient of this award. David was a dynamic, involved, passionate member of the Michigan Business School community and a member of the School’s Visiting Committee. David perished in the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Previous Recipients

2016 Steve Bolze, MBA '89

2015 Jeff T. Blau BBA '90

2014 Harvey Spevak MAcc, BBA 1987

2013 Mary Kay Haben MBA 1979

2012 Michael Jandernoa BBA 1972

2011 Fred Erb BBA 1947

2010 J. Ira Harris BBA 1959

2009 Stephen M. Ross BBA 1962

2008 John M. Fahey, Jr. MBA 1975

2007 Stephen Sanger MBA 1970

2006 Robert Shaye BBA 1960

2005 Ronald N. Weiser BBA 1966

2004 John Madigan BBA 1958, MBA 1959

2003 Allan D. Gilmour MBA 1959

2002 Cleveland Christophe MBA 1967

2001 David D. Alger MBA 1968

2000 Stan Frankel AB 1963, MBA 1964

1999 Barnett Helzberg BBA 1956

1998 Joel Tauber BBA 1956, JD 1959, MBA 1963

1997 Sam Wyly MBA 1957

1996 Sandy Robertson BBA 1953, MBA 1954

1995 David B. Hermelin BBA 1958

1994 Martha Seger BBA 1954, MBA 1955, PhD 1971

1993 Everett E. Berg MBA 1948

1992 Robert Briggs AB 1925, MBA 1928, HON LLD 1969

1991 L. William Seidman MBA 1949

1990 Eugene B. Power BA 1927, MBA 1930