2017 WSU Center for Real Estate and Kansas CCIM Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award

Each year the WSU Center for Real Estate and the Kansas Chapter of Certified Commercial Investment Members (CCIM) present their annual Lifetime Achievement Award. The award honors local professionals who have made outstanding contributions to the commercial real estate profession and is a great honor and a tribute to individuals who represent the finest examples of Wichita’s rich history of entrepreneurship in the real estate industry.

2017 Honoree – George Laham

George Laham is the recipient of the 2017 WSU Center for Real Estate and Kansas CCIM Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award.

After graduating from the University of Kansas in 1986, George Laham came back to Wichita and started his real estate career in the commercial division of JP Weigand and Sons. George was involved in retail brokerage and development until 1995 when he formed Laham Development Company to focus on real estate development.

As president of Laham Development, George has been involved in shaping Wichita’s energetic retail and master planned development growth over the last 25 years and continues a strong relationship with JP Weigand and Sons today.

Laham Development created one of the nation’s first lifestyle centers with Bradley Fair, bringing a succession of the nation’s foremost retail and restaurant concepts to our City, including Banana Republic, Chico’s, GAP, Sephora, Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and, most recently, Athleta.

As a native Wichitan, George’s commitment to the community can be seen in his development of Wichita’s vibrant northeast corridor, which includes:

  • Wilson Estates, a 320-acre master-planned community located at 21st and Rock Road.
  • Plazzio, a 350,000-square foot entertainment center located at 13th and Greenwich, featuring the 20-screen Warren Theatre, various restaurants and hotels including TRU Hotel by Hilton that is currently under construction and the recently announced Chicken N Pickle restaurant and entertainment venue featuring indoor and outdoor pickleball courts and a rooftop bar.
  • At 13th and Greenwich Laham Development was involved in the development that features the Walser Luxury Collection, which includes Mercedes, Lexus, and BMW, as well as two brands that are new to the Wichita market, Range Rover and Audi.
  • Regency Lakes, a 400,000-square foot shopping center located at 21st and Greenwich that is anchored by Super Target and Cabela’s.
  • With is latest development, Laham joined the downtown renaissance with the development of River Vista, a 202-unit apartment project located on the West Bank of the Arkansas River that is currently under construction.

George serves on the board of Fidelity Bank, the Wichita Grand Opera, and the Wichita Cancer Foundation and is a lifelong resident of Wichita where he resides with his wife, Jocelyne, and sons, Marco and Rafael.