Member Perspective: The Remarkable Career Journey of Katy Spritzer

By Hayleigh DeLoach

When you sit down with Kathryn (Katy) Spritzer, her calm confidence and deep industry knowledge immediately stands out. Her career in Denver’s commercial real estate world spans more than three decades, weaving through investment management firms, public sector work, large scale redevelopment projects, mentoring, and nonprofit leadership. The story that emerges is not one of a perfectly planned path, but of curiosity, adaptability, and a leadership style rooted in collaboration and trust.

Discovering Real Estate by Accident

Kathryn’s career began the way many meaningful paths do, by accident. As a finance major at the University of Illinois, she expected to build a future in investments and banking. Real estate entered the picture almost casually, through an elective class taken out of curiosity.

That single course changed everything.

Compared to stocks and bonds, real estate felt tangible and creative. It was something you could see, touch, and improve. That interest led to an internship with MetLife, where Kathryn learned underwriting and market analysis. She followed that experience to LaSalle Advisors in Chicago as a financial analyst, a role she still considers foundational to everything that followed.

That early experience ultimately led Kathryn to Denver, where she enrolled in the University of Denver’s graduate Real Estate program. While in graduate school, Kathryn was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and also met her husband, experiences that shaped her resilience and perspective early on. She remains closely connected to the university today as the DU liaison for the NAIOP Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge, continuing to bridge academia and industry while supporting the next generation of real estate leaders.

Learning the Business from Every Angle

Kathryn’s career never followed a straight line, and that is by design. She moved through underwriting, property management, asset management, and portfolio management, gaining exposure to how decisions ripple through every layer of a project.

Property management taught her accountability and how to manage relationships under pressure. Asset management sharpened her strategic thinking. Portfolio management reinforced the importance of surrounding yourself with smart, capable teammates who see things you might miss.

Early in her career, she was influenced by leaders who valued input over hierarchy. That example stayed with her. Kathryn learned that the best outcomes come from listening, asking questions, and trusting the people around you to contribute meaningfully.

Reinvention at Mid Career

In 2008, the Great Recession forced Kathryn to pause and reassess. Her entire Denver office was laid off, leaving her midway through her career and facing an unexpected reset.

Rather than chasing the next obvious role, she listened. A friend suggested she consider public sector work, something she had never imagined for herself. One conversation led to another, and eventually to an interview with the City and County of Denver. She did not get the job the first time, but when the initial hire did not work out, the city called her back.

That moment would change the course of her career.

A Once in a Lifetime Project: The National Western Center

Kathryn describes the National Western Center redevelopment as the highlight of her professional life. As a contractor for the city, she led the acquisition of more than 200 acres of land across dozens of parcels for one of Denver’s most transformative civic projects.

The work required far more than technical expertise. She negotiated with homeowners, small business owners, and major industrial operators. She navigated the complexities of the federal Uniform Relocation Act and worked through emotionally charged relocations that affected livelihoods and communities.

Throughout the process, Kathryn leaned into the leadership style she had developed over decades. She worked alongside stakeholders rather than above them, asked questions before making assumptions, and prioritized transparency. The project demanded patience, collaboration, and respect, qualities that defined her approach.

She remains deeply proud of the outcome and continues to support the project today as platting and easements evolve.

How NAIOP Shaped Her Career

Kathryn is clear about the role NAIOP played in her professional life. Early on, it grounded her locally while her job required frequent national travel. Later, when she worked in the public sector, it kept her connected to the private side of the industry.

Her involvement in the Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge introduced her to the Denver Coliseum site, which later became a piece of the National Western Center redevelopment. It is one of many examples where relationships built through NAIOP quietly opened doors years later.

For Kathryn, NAIOP made a large industry feel smaller and more human. It reinforced the idea that careers are built through relationships, not transactions.

Giving Back Through Mentorship and Advocacy

Supporting others has always been central to Kathryn’s career. She is deeply passionate about advancing women in commercial real estate and believes progress happens when experience is shared intentionally.

Her work with the Susan Stanton Foundation and the Susan Stanton Leadership Academy reflects that belief. Through board service and committee involvement, she helps create opportunities for women to gain leadership skills that did not exist when she was starting out.

She is also a longtime advocate for the National MS Society. Diagnosed with MS at age 25, Kathryn has seen firsthand how research funding has transformed treatment options. She remains a top fundraiser for Walk MS and credits the commercial real estate community for consistently supporting her efforts.

Lessons Learned and Advice Shared

With decades of experience behind her, Kathryn now finds herself frequently advising professionals early in their careers. Her guidance is practical and deeply human.

She encourages young professionals to learn how to talk to people, show up in person, and build real relationships. She believes picking up the phone, walking the site, and having face to face conversations still matter, especially in an industry built on trust.

Kathryn also emphasizes the importance of finding a sponsor, not just a mentor. A sponsor is someone willing to advocate for you when opportunities arise. It is something she wishes she had understood earlier and now encourages others to pursue intentionally.

Looking Ahead With Purpose

As she looks toward the future, Kathryn is excited about what comes next. Consulting work, continued involvement in civic projects, and staying connected to the industry all remain possibilities. 

When asked what she is most proud of, she does not point to a building or a deal. Instead, she talks about the people she hired and supported early in their careers who are now leaders themselves. Watching them succeed has been the most rewarding part of her journey.

Kathryn Spritzer’s career is a reminder that leadership is not defined by titles or timelines, but shaped through collaboration, integrity, and a willingness to invest in others. 

Her impact can be seen across Denver’s built environment, but her true legacy lives in the people she has guided, supported, and empowered along the way.