The University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Architecture (CAPLA) has posthumously named Donald Baker, MRED ’14, its 2026 Alumnus of the Year.
Baker was an active member of the local Jewish community, and his legacy fund held at the Jewish Community Foundation continues to support CAPLA’s Master of Real Estate Development program, along with supporting Jewish communal initiatives in Southern Arizona.
In an article announcing the award, CAPLA said it was “honoring a visionary developer whose influence on Southern Arizona and the university community continues to resonate long after his passing.”
The article continues, “For more than 30 years, Baker was a defining figure in the region’s commercial landscape, developing more than 2.2 million square feet of space valued at over $300 million. In 1994, he co-founded Larsen Baker LLC, guiding a portfolio of 48 properties and more than 350 tenants. His colleagues and partners regarded him as a leader of uncommon integrity, fervent passion, generosity, and collaborative spirit.
“For his family, the University of Arizona and CAPLA’s recognition affirms the legacy he worked so hard to build.
“’This acknowledgment means a great deal to our family and the Larsen Baker team,’ his daughter Lindsey Baker shared. ‘My dad believed deeply in education, community, and building things that lasted, not just buildings, but relationships and opportunities for others.’
“She added: ‘Seeing him recognized by CAPLA and UA is especially meaningful, as last month marked ten years since he and Dawn passed.’”
Donald Baker and his wife, Dawn Hunter-Baker, died in an airplane accident in 2016.
To read the complete article and watch a video from the UA College of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Architecture, click HERE.
