Paul J. Everson Real Estate Center

Founders of Center

Watch the video about Mr. Paul J. Everson and Dr. James R. Webb or read their bios below.

Learn more about the posthumous gift that Mr. Everson provided the Center in 2017 here.


Mr. Paul J. Everson

Dr. James R. Webb

Almon "Bud" Smith


Mr. Paul J. Everson, GRI

For more than 40 years, the name Paul J. Everson has been synonymous with real estate in Northeast Ohio. The retired president of Paul J. Everson & Associates worked diligently to advance the business of real estate as a broker, agent, developer and educator. Mr. Everson served as president of United Multiple Listing Services Inc., the Cleveland Area Board of Realtors (CABOR), the Ohio Association of Realtors (OAR), the Northeast Ohio Apartment Association, the Euclid Development Corporation and the Ohio Real Estate Commission. Mr. Everson was a director and trustee of the Real Estate Political Education Committee, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the Ohio Real Estate Commission. In recognition for his high achievements in leadership and service roles in the industry, Mr. Everson received “Realtor of the Year Award” from CABOR and “Distinguished Service Award” from NAR. For his sustained contributions in the real estate profession, Mr. Everson was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Business Administration from Cleveland State University in the year 2008.

Mr. Everson’s support for real estate education began in 1992 when he established the Paul J. Everson Scholarship Fund. In 2008, Mr. Everson pledged a $1 million gift to create the Paul J. Everson Center for the Study of Real Estate Brokerage/Agency and Markets, and the Paul J. Everson Endowed Distinguished Professorship. At the time of establishing the endowment, Mr. Everson said that his gift “maintains the Real Estate program at CSU forever, and makes the Center for Real Estate Brokerage and Markets more unified.”  Mr. Everson's hope was that his donation would have a lasting effect on Real Estate professionals in the community, allowing them “to take their careers to the next level, expanding into the investment grade.”

Mr. Everson’s philanthropy provides the Monte Ahuja College of Business with resources needed to expand its real estate concentration and offer scholarships to students aspiring to become real estate professionals. The Center, exclusively devoted to the study of Real Estate, enhances the Department’s capabilities for promoting real estate research, conferences, seminars and educational offerings for the benefit of real estate professionals (e.g., prep courses for licensure and certifications and continuing education credits). 

Mr. Everson passed away on Saturday, November 5th, 2016. The College and Cleveland State are honored by his generosity, dedication to education and founding of the Center. In 2017, he left an additional, posthumous gift to the Center (learn more here). His gifts are lasting legacy that have benefitted and will benefit students and the Northeast Ohio community for years to come.  


Dr. James R. Webb, Ph.D.

Dr. James R. Webb, who passed away in 2009, was a well-known researcher and highly regarded instructor in the field of real estate. He joined Cleveland State University as a professor in 1989 and served as Chair of the Department of Finance from 1989-1991. In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Webb loved mentoring students, faculty and aspiring real estate professionals. He co-authored numerous journal articles with doctoral students and real estate colleagues from around the world.

Establishing the Real Estate Center in 1991 was among Dr. Webb’s many significant contributions to the real estate education and research at Cleveland State University. Mr. Paul Everson, encouraged by Dr. Webb’s efforts for advancement of real estate education and profession in the Greater Cleveland area, established the Paul J. Everson Scholarship Fund in 1992. Their continued association and respect for each other led Mr. Paul Everson to pledge a sizable gift in 2008 for the creation of the Paul J. Everson Center for the Study of Real Estate Brokerage/Agency and Markets.

Dr. Webb was a co-founder of the American Real Estate Society (ARES), a well respected real estate research organization with many chapters around the world. Dr. Webb’s valuable contributions to the real estate profession rightfully earned him the coveted title of the “National Distinguished Fellow” of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), a distinguishing feather in his cap among the numerous other awards he received at both the national and international levels.  


Dr. Almon “Bud” Smith, DBA

Dr. Almon R. “Bud” Smith, was the first Visiting Real Estate Executive of the Paul J. Everson Center for the Study of Real Estate Brokerage/Agency and Markets.

Prior to his retirement in 1997, Dr. Smith was the Chief Executive Officer of National Association of Realtors (NAR) for six years. A leader in the world of Association Management, Dr. Smith served on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Association Executives from 1979 to 1981, and was its Vice Chairman in 1982. During 1968-70, Dr. Smith held the position of Executive Vice President at Cincinnati Board of Realtors. He also served in the capacities of Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ohio Association of REALTORS® for 12 years and Cleveland Area Board of Realtors for 8 years.

Dr. Smith was a recipient of ASAE’s Key Award, the highest recognition given by the society, and was Chairperson of ASAE’s Research and Development Foundation. In 2006, he was inducted into Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council’s (REBAC) Hall of Fame. His educational accomplishments include MBA and DBA degrees.