H. William Walter

Carlson School of Management, September 10, 2015

H. William Walter received a bachelor of civil engineering (1966) from the College of Science and Engineering and a master of business administration (1972) from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He is the president and founder of Heartland Realty Investors (formerly Shelter Company), which has a presence in twelve states. Walter started working for Shelter Company soon after serving in Vietnam and earning his MBA, and later brought the company out of bankruptcy. His focus was primarily in undervalued apartment communities and, more recently, hotel properties such as the Hotel Ivy and Marriott in Minneapolis. He is considered to be a national authority in the field of affordable housing and he has served on several committees of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Heartland received an Accredited Management Organization (AMO), one of the real estate industry’s most coveted awards. Heartland is one of 500 firms worldwide that has earned this designation that recognizes firms that have demonstrated excellence in business ethics, leadership, education and financial stability. He is also one of the founding members of the Yellowstone National Park Foundation and one of the founders of March for Parks. Walter is a long-time trustee of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), and helped to establish a NPCA presence in the Midwest to protect Voyageurs National Park and many others. Walter has served on the Carlson Board of Overseers since 2005 and is the co-founder of Carlson School Military Initiative. He is described as an extraordinary person who is an enthusiastic Gopher athletics booster, volunteer leader, and benefactor.