University of Mississippi Business School Hires New Head of Real Estate Program

Ken Johnson is first holder of the Walker endowed chair

By Stella Connell

Ken Johnson has joined the University of Mississippi School of Business Administration as the new Christie Kirkland Walker Chair in Real Estate. He will teach classes in real estate valuation and appraisals, and finance and investments.

Johnson comes to Ole Miss from Florida Atlantic University, where he was associate dean of graduate programs in FAU’s College of Business for 10 years. He was a founding member of the Florida Atlantic University Real Estate Initiative.

“We are very excited about Dr. Johnson joining us as the real estate professor and Christie Kirkland Walker Endowed Chair in Real Estate,” said Ken Cyree, dean of the business school. “He brings a wealth of experience to the program through his many years of teaching and research in the area and engagement with industry.

“Ken will add industry and alumni connections that will greatly enhance our students’ experiences and preparation for successful careers.”

Johnson is a well-known scholar with numerous peer-reviewed publications on the U.S. housing market, real estate brokerage, transactional real estate, mortgage markets, and real estate investment. His recent articles have appeared in Real Estate Economics, Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Journal of Housing Economics, and Journal of Real Estate Research.

He also has won several Red Pen Awards for outstanding service and contribution to both the Journal of Real Estate Portfolio Management and Journal of Housing Research. He is a previous editor of the Journal of Real Estate Practice and Education and the Journal of Housing Research.

“From the hundreds of successful real estate alumni around the country, to the present board members, the history of Ole Miss real estate is rich with tradition and success,” Johnson said. “All of these factors, and more, have come together to let me know Ole Miss real estate is the place for me.”

Johnson is active in the American Real Estate Society, where he serves on the board of directors and is a past president and former publications director. The society presented him with its Richard Ratcliff Award for innovative research in 2023.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Johnson join our faculty since he adds incredible value to our program and students,” said Bonnie Van Ness, professor and chair of the finance department. “His experience will be a tremendous asset to our real estate students, alumni, and the industry and poises Ole Miss to be a leader in the region.”

Johnson regularly produces publicly available housing indices to enable more informed real estate decision making among consumers, industry professionals, and policy makers. Before his academic career, Johnson had over a decade of applied experience in real estate, specializing in the marketing of corporate and lender-owned properties.