Barry Branch, Robert H. Ledbetter Sr. Professor of the Practice of Real Estate Development, passed away on Thursday, August 6, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of industry leadership, program building, and dedication to his students.
Branch joined Scheller in June 2012 and played a leading role in developing real estate programming for undergraduate and graduate students, including the Scheller MBA Finance concentration in real estate and the undergraduate certificate in real estate development, as well as supporting the development of the M.S. in Real Estate Development program in the College of Design. He also served as faculty advisor to the Georgia Tech Student Real Estate Club and on the board of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Real Estate Organization, further extending his impact beyond the classroom.
"Barry brought his extensive professional experience into the classroom with generosity and helped connect many students with the real estate industry," said Dean Anuj Mehrotra. "His contributions have left a lasting mark on our students, the College, and real estate education across Georgia Tech."
Branch came to teaching after more than 40 years in real estate, having financed, developed, marketed, and managed more than $12 billion of domestic and international real estate since 1971. He began his career as a corporate attorney at Hansell, Post, Brandon & Dorsey, now Jones Day, and from 1971 to 1984 served as executive vice president, chief operating officer, and chief financial officer of Portman Properties, where he oversaw projects including The Westin Peachtree Plaza and the New York Marriott Marquis. He later led Dutch Institutional Holding Company as president and CEO, founded Branch Real Estate Advisors, a real estate investment advisory firm, in 1998, and became managing partner of SSG Realty Partners, LLC, in 2018.
He served on the boards of Duke Realty Corporation and Weeks Corporation, and was chairman of the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate, vice chairman of the National Realty Committee, now the Real Estate Roundtable, and founding chairman of the Society of International Business Fellows. A graduate of Davidson College and Duke University School of Law, he received Davidson’s Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2012.
Georgia Tech mourns Branch’s passing and extends its sincere condolences to his family, friends, students, and colleagues. His impact on real estate education at Georgia Tech will continue to be felt through the programs he built and the students he taught.