Justin Roberts
Justin Roberts (MSRECM 2008) believed from the time he was a sophomore in High School that his career path would either be playing professional baseball or being an attorney. Like 99% of high school baseball players, the dream of playing at a higher level died relatively quickly, so an attorney he would be. However, during his second year of law school, he realized that he was more drawn to the business of real estate than he was in the law. So, after completing his law degree, he ventured to University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business, knowing there were skills he could learn that he had not yet gained in his previous education and experience.
That technical training became the bridge between his legal education and a career that would span institutional investing, development, financing and executive leadership across a 23-year career in real estate, across multiple asset classes.
After earning his MS in real estate finance from the Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management, Roberts built a career through roles with UDR, AIG Global Real Estate, GF Properties Group, Axiom Realty Partners, GE Capital Franchise Finance, OTO Development and Choice Hotels International, steadily expanding his experience across acquisitions, finance, development, asset management, portfolio management and strategy.
With over 20 years of experience and P&L responsibility exceeding $3 billion in total deal value, with leadership across multifamily, hospitality, retail, office, condominium and mixed-use investments, in 2019 he founded Highside Companies, a Denver-based real estate platform focused on investment, development and asset management.
Since its founding, Highside has invested in and developed more than 30 assets, including 20+ extended-stay hotels across the country, building on Roberts’ deep hospitality background and his long-term vision for scalable, institutional quality real estate platforms.
Roberts credits the Burns School with giving him the technical grounding that helped launch his career.
Coming from a legal background, he says the program gave him the financial skill set, industry exposure and confidence to enter the business, and he has continued to rely on relationships with DU professors for insight and guidance at different points throughout his career.
Today, Roberts stays connected to the Burns School by speaking on panels, mentoring current students, and always welcoming opportunities to interview DU students and alumni within his organization.
That continued involvement reflects the same mindset that helped shape his own path: a belief that strong technical training matters, but so do relationships, mentorship and staying engaged with the next generation of professionals.
Outside of work, Roberts enjoys spending time with his wife, Jen, and their children, Grace and Zac.
As a family, they enjoy skiing, traveling, following the Broncos, and spending time in the Colorado mountains.