URP welcomes Paul Muench

URP welcomes Paul Muench

Paul Muench_3.jpgUniversity Research Park, Inc., a 501(c)(3) supporting the University of Wisconsin – Madison, announced the selection of Paul Muench of Madison to serve as the next Associate Director to lead URP’s real estate and operations functions.

“I’m tremendously excited to work with Paul,” said University Research Park’s Managing Director, Aaron Olver. “If the Madison real estate community had an all-star team, Paul would play shortstop and bat cleanup.”

Muench, 53, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison’s Graaskamp Real Estate Program and holds a Masters in Architecture from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.  After several roles in real estate finance, Muench joined Urban Land Interests in 1997 and made substantial contributions to their transformational, mixed-use projects in downtown Madison, including Block 89, Findorff Yards, and the redevelopment of USBank Plaza and Anchor Bank.

“University Research Park is advancing many important economic initiatives supporting the university,” Chancellor Rebecca Blank, the president of the board, said. “I’m delighted Paul will join the team and help lead these efforts.”

“I’m honored to have been selected and looking forward to solving puzzles with Aaron and the URP team,” Paul Muench said.  “University Research Park has outstanding real estate holdings within our City and it has succeeded in supporting and retaining homegrown businesses and technologies.  The ongoing success of the University Research Park is dependent on its commitment to evolve, to promote great architecture, and to attract people and activities, while being ever-mindful of real estate’s solemn responsibility to serve its (rent-paying) customers and always enhance its urban surroundings.  I’m so grateful for the past 20 years of redevelopment work alongside Brad and Tom at Urban Land Interests; they represent the gold standard to me.”

Established in 1984, University Research Park is an internationally recognized research and technology park that supports early-stage and growth oriented businesses in a range of sectors including engineering, computer, and life sciences. Over 125 companies call University Research Park home employing approximately 3,800 workers and generating $43 million of local and state tax revenue annually and an economic impact over $825 million each year.

Muench’s wife, Lisa is a public school teacher with Middleton Public Schools. They have two sons, Carl and Vaughn.