Kiwanis Club of Houston
November 18th Luncheon

Speaker: Jake Salzman

Jake Salzman is an agriculturist turned landscape architect who is passionate about helping real estate developers, communities, and design professionals use systems thinking to improve complex social, economic, and environmental issues. Primary focus areas include placemaking, sustainability, and food system design.

Jake’s passion for nature, entrepreneurship, and design started as a child while working at his family’s greenhouse and farm to market business near Madison, Wisconsin. Before founding CultivateLAND, Jake was a lead designer and project manager on wide variety of development projects throughout the U.S., Middle East, Asia, and Mexico. He successfully partnered with Commercial and Residential Developers to plan and develop communities, mixed-use developments, creative offices, and parks.

Jake now advises them on creating authentic places, incorporating sustainable systems, and optimizing project performance. No matter which hat he is wearing, his goal is simple: to leverage systems thinking to innovate and empower collaboration with clients towards realizing a vision of a brighter future for all.

Jake has worked on Heights Clock Tower, Richmond Agrihood Project, Houston Farmers Market, Heights Mercantile, Houston Center, Bridgeland, Dragonfly Park, Anadarko Westridge, Crosstown Center (Phase II), Sierra Pines and Harvest Green. He has won various awards for these projects, including 2019 ULI Development of Distinction and 2019 Texas ASLA Merit Award for Heights Mercantile. He also earned the 2016 ULI Development of Distinction Award  and Texas ASLA Honor Award for Cross Creek Ranch.

Mr. Salzman has a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from the University of Wisconsin (Madison) and a focus on Economics and Business from the University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee).