Matthew Disston

Teaching Associate, Runstad Department of Real Estate

With extensive background in real estate project management, marketing research and economic consulting for a broad spectrum of national and international clients, Matthew Disston brings to DMG important project management and analytical skills in both public and private sector work.  His experience includes market feasibility studies, fiscal and financial analysis, entitlement and development processing, consumer research and economic analysis. Disston’s professional experience includes projects throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America.

Prior to forming DMG, Disston served as vice president for Valeo Companies’ west coast regional office.  As part of the Valeo team, Disston was responsible for the development, product planning, market and financial analysis, architectural review, entitlement and jurisdictional approval for both single-family detached and attached homes in Santa Cruz, Fullerton, Rancho Cucamonga, Perris and Blythe California.  Additionally, Disston served as a project manager for transient lodging, recreational commercial, event facilities and high-density residential components for mixed-use projects located in central Sonoma County, and Fullerton California.

Disston’s resume includes transient lodging, light industrial, office, single-family detached and multi-family residential feasibility analysis throughout California, Arizona and Nevada, traditional and entertainment retail feasibility in Mexico and Brazil, and consumer research throughout the United States.  Disston was also responsible for the feasibility evaluation and market analysis for long-range planning of office, retail, hotel and industrial projects proposed on the 75,000-acre Irvine Ranch.

Disston graduated from the University of California, Berkeley where he earned a bachelor’s degree in urban economics.  He is a past member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, and a past member of the Association of California Water Agencies and he served for twenty years as a Director of the Trabuco Canyon Water District, and five years as the president of the board of directors for the Southern Orange County Wastewater Authority (SOCWA) Additionally, he has a 32-year association with the University of California, Irvine, where he teaches classes. Recently Disston served in an advisory role for the development of the Market Analytics classes extension at the University of Washington and has taught in the Runstad Real Estate Department since 2017.