Christopher Stafford | Age 32, Vice president, NAI Ruhl & Ruhl Commercial Co.

Photo by Duane Tinkey

Christopher Stafford | Age 32, Vice president, NAI Ruhl & Ruhl Commercial Co. BY BUSINESS RECORD STAFF When it comes to buildings, Christopher Stafford has proved that he can design, develop and lease them. And do it all on a large scale.

As a vice president at the West Des Moines office of NAI Ruhl & Ruhl Commercial Co., the Johnston native is responsible for more than $35 million in retail, office and industrial leasing throughout the United States. He also played a big part in developing and leasing the 400,000-square-foot Willow Creek Crossing retail center in Mason City.

Stafford was the recipient of the company's Rising Star award in 2004, and in 2008 was named Associate of the Year.

Stafford also has been the president of CRS Investments Inc. for the past four years, acting as developer, investor and owner of smaller projects, such as Shoppes on 73rd in Clive.

But before the real estate phase of his career came the architectural era. Stafford graduated from Iowa State University in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in architecture and a minor in entrepreneurial studies. For the next two years, he worked on sports projects for CDFM2 Architecture Inc. in Kansas City, Mo. That meant involvement from design through construction when the University of Missouri spent $75 million on a basketball arena and when the University of Oklahoma put $22 million into renovating its football stadium.

Plus, he got to return to his alma mater four months after graduation and work on Iowa State's $2.5 million indoor practice facility, situated alongside Jack Trice Stadium.

Stafford has contributed to his community through his involvement in Junior Achievement Elementary Mentor Program, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, Habitat for Humanity Blitz Build and New Life Church, where he teaches Sunday school and, naturally, serves on the building committee. He recently joined the board of ALS Association of Iowa.

Stafford's wife, Carolyn, is a veterinarian at Iowa Veterinary Specialties.

In a nomination letter, Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. Director of Corporate Services Mark Miller wrote: "I think it would be hard to find a person of Christopher's age that is more responsible, diligent and creative in his chosen field and has had a more profound impact in the economic development of the metro area in such a relatively short period of time."

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