Brian Watson

On March 5, 2018 Watson became the first Colorado State Treasurer candidate to turn in his petition signatures to qualify for the June primary ballot. Watson announced a submission of over 17,000 signatures to the Colorado Secretary of State's office.

In February 2018 Watson announced Northstar Commercial Partners purchased the iconic "Offices at the Art" building in Denver for $17.1 million. "This will be one of the top acquisitions in the Denver market for newer office space and we're thrilled to be involved, especially with Denver as our hometown," [Watson] said in a statement.

On October 20, 2017, Watson announced his candidacy for Colorado State Treasurer. The Denver Post's Brian Eason noted Watson's announcement "shook up the field" in the GOP Treasurer primary, and that Watson "brings fundraising clout to the race, reporting $21,550 in major donations in the six days since he officially filed for office."

Mr. Watson also directs Northstar to fund community-focused initiatives. In 2017, they began raising money to help build a retail and commercial development in Aurora that could benefit veterans in close proximity to the forthcoming Aurora VA facility. The project itself will ultimately cost $120 million, and seek to not only house veterans, but also encourage retail and economic growth around the development. Jason Marcotte, Northstar's development team lead on the Aurora project, said the planned development site stands out today because it is one of the few underdeveloped stretches in that part of Aurora. “Taking this mostly vacant and distressed spot in an otherwise thriving area of town and helping place it back into productivity will create new opportunity and much needed space to live and create,” Marcotte said.

In spring 2017, Watson published The 7 Rings. , a book about "life balance". His most recent book was released in the fall of 2019, titled Building - Lessons Learned in Life and Real Estate.

Watson told the Greenwood Villager his campaign for Treasurer would focus on his career in business and his skills, he argued, that are well suited for the office. "'When you have somebody who understands internal rates of return and complex financial matters and how to go in and restructure debt and can save millions and millions of dollars for the people of Colorado—this is what I do every single day," [Watson] said." In the same interview Watson also described the Colorado public pension system [Colorado Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA)] as a "ticking time bomb." Watson said his ideas to address financial shortfalls in PERA include "raising the retirement age for the state government’s younger employees and perhaps allowing workers more control over their retirement investments."

In October 2014, Watson founded the "Education Opportunity Fund", a $100 million charter school facility fund

Watson said he is proud of Northstar's work buying distressed real estate, arguing doing so provides benefits to communities where Northstar has a presence. "We can take something with low utility, and turn it into a highly productive environment that has a social impact. High tides raise all boats – if we can do well by doing good and give returns back to our investors and prove an asset and help achieve dreams in the community – then that’s a life well lived," Watson said. Watson also stated Northstar's work building a hospital for the healthcare company Clinica will help "serve individuals who don’t have healthcare access."

Watson ran for Colorado House of Representatives District 3 in the 2012 elections. He first ran unopposed in the Republican primary on June 26, 2012 but was defeated by incumbent Daniel Kagan, a Democrat, in the general election on November 6, 2012.

Watson was a manager and director at Cushman & Wakefield. In 2000, he founded Northstar Commercial Partners, a commercial real estate investment company in Denver, Colorado.

Brian Watson (born October 28, 1971) is an American entrepreneur, author, politician, and Forbes Real Estate Council Member and published contributor. He has worked as a commercial real estate owner and is the founder and CEO of Northstar Commercial Partners. Watson won the 2018 Republican primary for Colorado State Treasurer, beating two other candidates, and lost to Democrat Dave Young in the general election in November 2018.