Each year, the ÐÔÊӽ紫ý Alumni Association recognizes the achievements of outstanding alumni with an awards celebration. The University and the Association are honoring Nathaniel Hagedorn (BBA ’02, MBA ’04) with the 2025 Alumnus of the Year Award.
In 2012, Hagedorn founded NorthPoint Development, a Kansas City-based commercial real estate development company focused on industrial, multifamily and data-center projects. As the CEO of the firm, Hagedorn is responsible for strategically ensuring NorthPoint remains an innovator in data science and technology.
NorthPoint has grown to a team of 400 team members with nine offices across the country and has become the largest industrial developer in the United States, serving most Fortune 500 companies. The company has also invested in more than 8,000 apartment units and is developing several multi-billion-dollar hyperscale data-center campuses. NorthPoint has been recognized by the Kansas City Business Journal as a Best Place to Work in Kansas City for 11 years running.
Hagedorn also serves on the NorthPoint Foundation board, which focuses on charitable efforts to support children in need across Kansas City and in the other communities NorthPoint serves across the country.
What inspired you to start NorthPoint, and how did your experiences prior to founding the company shape your vision for its growth and success?
The seeds for my entrepreneurial journey were planted in high school after I started a small lawn-care company. As the company grew, I caught the "business bug" and knew I wanted to own my own company one day, though I wasn’t sure what that would be.
I stumbled into the real-estate industry because of the Fast Track program I went through at ÐÔÊӽ紫ý. After graduation, I knew I wanted to work for a small business instead of a large company as I wanted to make a real impact and gain a broad range of business skills.
Being in real estate, you start to build industry relationships, expertise and experience that tend to have you stay in the industry. I was fortunate to have drifted into real estate as it is a wonderful business that led me to start NorthPoint.
How have your personal values influenced the company’s culture, and are there any key moments or lessons in your career that shaped your belief in the importance of culture within a company?
Some of my core values are appreciation and gratitude, which have strongly influenced our culture at NorthPoint. At the heart of our culture is the simple acknowledgment that each one of us wants to know we are appreciated and valued. and that the work we do matters. Saying "thank you" is one of the most powerful ways to reinforce that innate desire we all have.
Another wonderful aspect of saying "thank you" and acknowledging people's contributions is it not only makes them feel great, but also makes you feel better. Most activities in life are energy-draining. You mow the grass, sit in a long meeting, or go for a run, and afterward, you often feel tired and drained. However, when you take time to say, "thank you" and build someone else up, you’ll find that it gives you energy.
Focusing on culture and building a world-class environment when leading a business provides a tremendous competitive advantage, and I am confident that it has propelled NorthPoint to great levels of success. Plus, it makes work much more enjoyable. The fact that we've won Best Place to Work in Kansas City for 11 consecutive years is a testament to our strong and enduring work culture.
How do you personally stay connected to the charitable side of your work while leading a highly successful business?
As an entrepreneur, I tend to look around and see opportunities everywhere. I felt that corporate philanthropy did not personally align with me, which is why we started the NorthPoint Foundation with a focus on engaging and challenging our employees to help make an impact on someone else's life. If each of our 400 associates helped just one person each year in a meaningful, personal way, the impact on both our community and employees would be profound.
The NorthPoint Foundation primarily focuses on helping children in need in the communities where we live and work. One of our partnerships is with the Kansas City International Academy, a school for refugee children. It’s an incredible school with passionate teachers. Through our partnership, we help provide shoes for the children, vans to transport them to soccer games, uniforms and track equipment.
In addition to the financial support, many of our employees also mentor these children. My assistant, Heather Pfender, is one of those mentors. She has made a profound impact on her mentee. She calls her every day and makes sure she is off to school, helps her with her homework and takes her shopping. Heather has made a major impact in this young woman’s life, but this young woman has made an equal impact on Heather. This is the vision behind our charitable efforts: It’s not just about writing a check, but showing up with our hearts, and hopefully helping to bend the arc of a young person’s life in a positive direction.
What advice would you give to today’s students who are starting out in a rapidly changing world?
First, commit to curiosity and being a lifelong learner. Some of the brightest minds and best thinkers have shared their wisdom in books. It’s incredible how much you can learn by simply putting your phone down and reading. You’ll find out that most of life’s important lessons have already been figured out and written down.
Also, run toward your problems. Many people try to avoid their problems, but I believe they’re where the opportunities lie. Solving problems, especially alongside company leaders, often leads to an asymmetric outcome. You gain more access to senior leadership, and if you solve the problem, your reputation is elevated. Even if you don’t have the solution, your efforts and contributions are still respected.
How did ÐÔÊӽ紫ý contribute to your success?
I received a great education at ÐÔÊӽ紫ý. I think one of the best things about ÐÔÊӽ紫ý is that it’s in a dynamic city like Kansas City. This created opportunities for me to do internships and co-ops throughout my college experience with companies and businesses. I was able to learn and apply the lessons I received in the classroom with these opportunities, making my coursework much more relevant. Additionally, ÐÔÊӽ紫ý brought me to Kansas City from St. Louis, and being here has had a profound impact on my life. It's where I met my business partners and grew NorthPoint into the company that it is today.