Derek Conn has worked in the real estate industry since he began his career in 2008.

Prior to ZS, Derek was a partner and executive vice president at Etkin Johnson Real Estate Partners in Denver, CO. In that role for seven years, Derek was responsible for all capital markets activities including acquisition, disposition, financing and equity raises in addition to managing the accounting team. His tenure with Etkin Johnson culminated in the complete disposition of assets and associated wind down of the organization in 2021. Over the course of his tenure, Derek led over $1.7 billion of capital transactions with a keen focus on managing assets through their entire life cycles. In addition to over $400 million in capitalizations of new development projects, he spearheaded the disposition of the two largest industrial portfolios in Colorado’s history: Colorado Industrial Portfolio in 2019 and Colorado Technology Center in 2021. Derek ‘s previous experience also includes whole loan acquisition and default workouts at Waterfall Asset Management in New York City and acquisition underwriting at LaSalle Investment Management in Chicago.

A fourth generation Coloradan, Derek is focused on improving the community much of his family calls home. He is a board member of Jewish Family Service and Blue Sky Fund and is an active member of Urban Land Institute, serving on the Colorado Office Workplace and Industrial (COIC) Product Council. In 2018, Conn was recognized as one of Colorado’s Top 25 Young Professionals by ColoradoBiz magazine.