TRENDS DAY AGENDA

7:00am
Registration and Networking Breakfast
Sponsored By: LANDMARK TITLE ASSURANCE AGENCY

7:45-8:00am
Welcome
Heather Personne, Chair, ULI Arizona District Council; Managing Principal, Evolve Ventures
Keyvan Ghahreman, Chair, Trends Day 2024; Director of Operations, Willmeng

8:00-8:45am
Economic Outlook
Sponsored By: PIVOTAL GROUP

Launch into Trends Day with a high-level look at macroeconomic trends in the U.S. economy and around the globe.  Through an engaging presentation, Peter will offer the outlook for commercial real estate, especially as it pertains to the continued long-term ramifications of the pandemic, including the future of work and challenges related to economic growth.

Peter Ricchiuti, Director, Burkenroad Reports, Senior Professor of Practice, A.B. Freeman School of Business, Tulane University

8:45-8:55am
Quick Hit – Commercial Real Estate Construction Outlook
Sponsored By: TERRACON

Over the last year, the construction industry has had to grapple with ongoing inflation, rising interest rates and a dramatic slowdown in project starts. Simultaneously, the industry continues to struggle with issues that arose during the Pandemic. Contractors continue to be hampered by limited availability of skilled labor and an increase in labor costs. While product pricing volatility has leveled, product lead times continue to restrict builders, with three and four times the pre-pandemic rates not out of the ordinary.  How long should the construction industry expect to face the lingering effects of economic uncertainty? How have high interest rates and tighter lending standards impacted construction activity locally and nationally?  What is the construction outlook for 2024 and 2025?

Tom Chermack, President, Chermack Consulting Group, LLC

8:55-9:40am
Reimagining Office Properties
Sponsored By: JOKAKE CONSTRUCTION and ZELUS

In the wake of the pandemic, the use of office properties has undergone a tremendous shift and is still evolving.  This panel will analyze these adaptations and explore their implications, including post-pandemic trends and predictions for the future use and success of office properties.  How will office owners take advantage of these trends?  How will lenders and owners deal with obsolete properties?  And finally, how will the current challenging lending environment impact the future of office properties?  

Steve Lindley, Executive Managing Director, Capital Markets, Cushman & Wakefield – Moderator
Yesenia Felix, Vice President, Operations and Designated Broker, Cousins Properties, Inc.
Angela Johnson, Executive Vice President, K-Star
Bryan Taute, Executive Vice President, CBRE

9:40-10:10am
Parking Perspectives: Navigating Urban Regulations, Challenges and Innovations
Sponsored By: GAMMAGE & BURNHAM

Parking requirements for new developments have been heavily regulated under Euclidean zoning standards/standard zoning codes for almost 100 years.  Advances and changes in workplace habits, transportation models, ride sharing, infrastructure and urbanization are causing several of the Valley’s municipalities to rethink parking.  This panel will discuss local and national trends reshaping parking for new developments.

Manjula Vaz, Partner, Gammage & Burnham – Moderator
David King, Assistant Professor, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation, Arizona State University
Brett Wood, P.E., CAPP, President, Wood Solutions Group LLC

10:10-10:20am
QUICK HIT:  BTR:  A Permanent Asset Class
Sponsored By:  SNELL & WILMER

Build-to-rent (BTR) housing attracted billions of dollars of investor capital and plenty of attention in recent years.  What will sentiment look like as BTR communities become more widespread across the Sunbelt?  We will discuss the impact of higher interest rates on development and investment trends in the build-to-rent housing market.  How will housing affordability and demographic shifts affect the renter population?  What product types are being introduced and have amenity expectations changed?  How are municipalities treating new projects?  Learn why the newest asset class is here to stay.

Trevor Koskovich, President, Northmarq

10:20-11:05am
Addressing the Homelessness and Housing Attainability Epidemic
Sponsored By: SUNBELT HOLDINGS

Housing attainability and homelessness continue to worsen, with no proposed solutions to date effectively mitigating the nation’s crisis.  This panel of local and national experts will discuss the social and economic impact of the crisis, why proposed solutions to-date have not succeeded, and what’s on the horizon.   This robust conversation will address what needs to be done for our State and the Nation to successfully conquer this growing epidemic.  

William Zeh Herbig, AICP, Senior Director, Homeless to Housed, ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing – Moderator
Alison Cook-Davis, Ph.D., Research Director, Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Arizona State University
Owen Metz, Senior Vice President and Mountain West Development Leader of Development & Acquisitions, Dominium
Amy St. Peter, Deputy Executive Director, Maricopa Association of Governments

11:05-11:15am
QUICK HIT – Arizona Water Policy Update
Sponsored By: GREYSTAR

Arizona’s water policy is shaped by the state’s arid climate and the challenges posed by potential water scarcity.  The management of water resources involves a combination of regulations, conservation efforts and collaboration among various stakeholders. Over the years, the state has implemented measures to ensure sustainable water use, including a framework for managing groundwater resources and addressing potential conflicts over water allocation.  Arizona’s current water policy is the subject of local and national discussions, and much is in flux as the state grapples with addressing the ongoing challenges of ensuring water for its future. 

Robert D. Anderson, Director, Fennemore

11:15am-12:00pm
Can Urban and Rural Development Patterns Co-Exist in a Water Competitive Environment?
Sponsored By: LAND ADVISORS ORGANIZATION

Arizona’s growing economy brings increasing pressure on the State’s limited water supplies and creates tensions between urban and rural communities.  These tensions are manifested through the conflicting enforcement of the 100-year assured water supply requirements of the Arizona Groundwater Management Act, policy and funding choices for additional water resources, and conversions of agricultural uses to municipal uses.  This conversation will focus on policy choices between urban and rural interests and explore areas where both interests can be positively advanced.

Nina Mullins, Senior Director of Land and Papago Park Center, Salt River Project – Moderator
URBAN:
Grady Gammage, Jr., Partner, Gammage & Burnham
Sarah Porter, Director, Kyl Center for Water Policy, Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Arizona State University
RURAL:
The Honorable Eric Orsborn, Mayor, City of Buckeye
Chip Sherrill, Managing Partner, 4-B Farms; Chairman, Mohave Valley Irrigation and Drainage District

12:00-1:00pm
NETWORKING LUNCH
Sponsored By: PAPAGO PARK CENTER
and
VIP LUNCH
Sponsored By: DAVIS

1:00-1:10pm
ULI HIGHLIGHTS
Featuring UrbanPlan: Impacting Tomorrow’s Leaders

Shannon Corcoran, UrbanPlan Instructor, World History/Geography and Economics Teacher, Corona del Sol High School
Deb Sydenham, FAICP, Executive Director, ULI Arizona District Council

1:10-2:10pm
KEYNOTE:  LEON LOGOTHETIS, Global Adventurer, Author and creator of the book and series The Kindness Diaries
Go Be Kind: Get Ready to Change the World
Sponsored By: BROOKFIELD PROPERTIES and EL DORADO HOLDINGS

Leon Logothetis is a modern-day explorer of human connection, renowned for his captivating journeys that blend adventures with a profound social mission.  With a spirit fueled by empathy and a genuine curiosity about the human experience, Leon has embarked on remarkable expeditions across the globe, relying solely on the kindness of strangers for his survival. Through his travels, speaking engagements, and impactful documentaries, he has become a powerful advocate for the idea that the world’s most valuable currency is not money, but the compassion and connections we share with one another.  Leon’s unique approach to storytelling and his unwavering belief in the innate goodness of humanity have inspired countless individuals to embrace empathy and reach out to others in meaningful ways.  This is best shown through his series The Kindness Diaries.  To Leon, kindness is simply helping someone feel less alone and through his storytelling, you’re going to see that you have that power to change a life every single day. 

2:10-2:55pm
Powering Arizona’s Future: An Evolving Use of Resources
Sponsored By: LEWIS ROCA

How are we preparing to deliver the energy needs in Arizona for both the near-term growth and for term future to ensure the state continues expanding as a business and technology region?  Coal, solar, nuclear and hydrogen are just a few ways we may serve our requirements. But what are the stressors on our potential to provide enough power to meet growing needs?  As a current importer of energy, what resources are the most readily available and what potential do we have to capitalize on new ways to provide efficiencies and extract new types of energy so that we cannot only ensure the energy needs of a major business metropolis, but even use our resources to become an energy exporter? This session will explore strategies for addressing these challenges and the breakthrough technologies that can help Arizona be a leader in power in the future.

Stephanie Regenold, Partner, Perkins Coie LLP – Moderator
Erik Bakken, Vice President, Energy Resources, and Chief Sustainability Officer, Tucson Electric Power Company
Gary Dirks, Senior Director, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and LightWorks, Arizona State University
Jose Esparza, Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Arizona Public Service
JD Rulien, Director, Renewable Development, NextEra Energy Resources

2:55-3:05pm
QUICK HIT – Exploring Advanced Air Mobility: Shaping the Future of Air Transportation
Sponsored By: CBRE

Advanced Air Mobility encompasses a diverse range of topics, including electric aircraft, urban air mobility, autonomous flight and the integration of AI in operations.  There are nearly 350 companies creating twice that number in electric take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designs.  Most of these are air taxis that will move people and goods in quiet, all electric propulsion, short-range hops over the busiest, most congested streets and from rural areas into urban.  This Quick Hit will shed light on how these innovations are reshaping the industry’s future, offering insights into eVTOL benefits for efficiency, environmental impact, safety and accessibility.

Michelle Olson, APR, Managing Partner, Lambert

3:05-3:50pm
The Industrial Market – Is it Picking Up Steam or Idling?
Sponsored By:  TRAMMELL CROW COMPANY

Industrial real estate has been a darling in Arizona for decades and the superstar of the last three years.  Is it slowing, stable or growing?   Media attention is focused on increased reshoring, nearshoring, new technologies such as electric and self-driving vehicles, lithium batteries, and aerospace projects in Arizona.  Why would this market be slowing…or is it?  How can it keep its momentum with current market economics?   This session will delve into the perspectives of developers, end users, brokers, equity, and utility to better understand today’s industrial market.

Jackie Orcutt, Senior Vice President, CBRE – Moderator
Karla Moran, Manager – Economic Development, Salt River Project
Ryan Norris, Principal, Trammell Crow Company
Matthew Schaeffers, Vice President, Acquisitions, Nicola Wealth Real Estate

3:50-4:35pm
FIRESIDE CHAT PODCAST: An Entrepreneurial Conversation with Francis Najafi
Sponsored By: CLAYCO and GENSLER

A real estate industry titan, Francis Najafi has amassed a career that spans four decades, marked by unparalleled achievements and transformative contributions that reflect a passion for education and global leadership. His company, Pivotal Group, is a multi-strategy investor in a variety of platforms including technology such as the recent acquisition of GlobalMeet, real estate development throughout the Rocky Mountain West, and numerous other business interests. In this exclusive ULI Arizona interview, conducted by Matt Slepin, host of the nationally acclaimed Leading Voices in Real Estate Podcast, gain invaluable insights and advice from a lifetime of experience that are applicable today.

Matt Slepin, Host, Leading Voices in Real Estate Podcast; Managing Director and Co-Head of Real Estate, Terra/ZRG Partners
Francis Najafi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Pivotal Group, Inc.

4:35pm
CLOSING REMARKS
Heather Personne, Chair, ULI Arizona District Council; Managing Principal, Evolve Ventures

4:35-5:35pm
NETWORKING RECEPTION
Sponsored By: SDB CONTRACTING SERVICES, STEINHAUER PROPERTIES and WESTERN ALLIANCE BANK

THANK YOU:
Digital Media Sponsor HOLUALOA COMPANIES
and
Green Room Sponsor WILLMENG
VIP Reception Sponsor BRINKMANN CONSTRUCTORS and NOVUS

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Registration is available onsite.