FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saunders Real Estate Expands Midwest Agricultural Real Estate Platform With Hiring of Matt Gunderson as Managing Director
Omaha-based agricultural real estate executive will grow farmland brokerage, land management, and client relationships across the Midwest and into the West
Key Takeaways
Saunders Real Estate has hired Matthew “Matt” J. Gunderson, AFM, as managing director, based in Omaha.
Gunderson will launch a brokerage team, help grow Saunders’ land management business and expand the firm’s relationships across the region.
The hire strengthens Saunders’ agricultural real estate presence and adds an experienced executive with nearly 11 years at Farmers National Company.
Saunders Real Estate, a trusted land and commercial brokerage with decades of experience across the Southeast, is expanding its Midwest agricultural real estate business with the hiring of Matthew “Matt” J. Gunderson, AFM, as managing director. Based in Omaha, Gunderson will launch a new brokerage team, help grow the firm’s land management business, and expand relationships with landowners, investors, and agricultural organizations across the region.
The hire is part of Saunders’ continued push into the Midwest, where the firm is building its farmland brokerage, land management, and auction capabilities. Gunderson brings more than two decades of experience in agriculture and business leadership, including nearly 11 years with Farmers National Company. The national agricultural land management and real estate services firm has a broad presence across the U.S. agricultural sector.
“Matt joining Saunders is a strategic step in our growth in the Midwest,” said Tyler Davis, president of Saunders Real Estate. “He knows the agricultural land business, understands these markets, and has spent years building relationships throughout the region. He brings the depth and experience to help us grow our brokerage and land management businesses and bring Saunders’ proprietary technology, research and resources to more landowners and investors.”
During his tenure and various Senior Vice President roles at Farmers National Company, Gunderson helped lead growth strategies across 11 business lines. He also worked on mergers and acquisitions and institutional client growth, while building relationships with agricultural organizations, farmland investment groups, banks, and lending institutions.
His experience at Farmers National also included senior leadership roles in strategy, sales, and marketing, as well as serving as vice president of farm and ranch management. His background spans agricultural real estate, farm and ranch management, business development, and market expansion.
At Saunders, Gunderson will focus on building the firm’s presence from Omaha and developing new business throughout the region. His experience with agricultural businesses, institutional clients, and industry organizations will help Saunders reach more clients in key Midwest markets.
“Saunders has built a strong reputation in land real estate, and I see a significant opportunity to expand that reach in the Midwest and west,” Gunderson said. “This is a relationship-driven business. I’m looking forward to building the team and connecting more landowners and investors with the expertise and resources Saunders brings to the table.”
Gunderson’s hiring follows another key addition to Saunders’ Midwest team. Earlier this year, the firm brought Spencer Smith, AFM, ALC, on board as Managing Director of Land and Auctions. Smith brought nearly a decade of experience in farm management, farmland valuation and agricultural land auctions, including work with rural properties in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana.
Together, the hires give Saunders greater regional depth and broaden the services available to agricultural landowners, investors and institutional clients, including farmland brokerage, land auctions, land management, investment acquisitions and strategic land advisory services.
Gunderson has deep roots in agriculture. He is president and owner of Gunderson Enterprises, a diversified agricultural, seedstock livestock, and consulting business. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from South Dakota State University, with an emphasis in business and production and minors in agricultural business and marketing. He also holds the Accredited Farm Manager designation from the American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers and is a two-time winner of the H.E. “Buck” Stalcup Excellence in Management Education award.
He has held leadership positions with several agricultural and business organizations, including the Nebraska Farm Bureau Services Board, Nebraska Ag. 40 and Ag. Builders of Nebraska. His past leadership roles include the National 4-H Youth Livestock Contests, Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, and Omaha Agri-Business Club.
Gunderson’s addition reflects Saunders Real Estate’s continued investment in experienced professionals and specialized services as the firm expands its agricultural real estate business across the Midwest and West.
About Saunders Real Estate
Founded in 1996 by land broker and former Florida state legislator Dean Saunders, Saunders Real Estate is an award-winning land and commercial real estate firm with more than 125 advisors serving the Southeast and Midwest.
Operating through Saunders Land, Saunders Commercial, Saunders Auctions, and Saunders Valuations, the firm provides large-acreage land sales and acquisitions; agricultural, ranch, timberland, recreational, conservation, and development land brokerage; commercial real estate sales and leasing; property and land management; real estate investment acquisitions; and commercial and land valuation services.
Combining local expertise with proprietary market research, Saunders helps landowners, buyers, sellers, and investors make informed real estate decisions across the Southeast. Saunders Land has been recognized by The Land Report as one of “America’s Best Brokerages” for 16 consecutive years. Visit SaundersRealEstate.com.