Whitney Williamson is Vice President, Market Officer for Austin and San Antonio at Prologis. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing all operational activities for the combined 7.7MSF portfolio including strategy, leasing and property management. She also collaborates with the Capital Deployment team on acquisitions and developments. Whitney joined Prologis in 2018 as a member of the Dallas leasing team, most recently covering Prologis’ DFW Airport portfolio.

Whitney received her Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin and undergraduate degrees from Southern Methodist University. She is a member of NAIOP Austin and the Commercial Brokers Association of Austin. Additionally, she serves on the University of Texas Real Estate Center Advisory Council and the SMU Cox Folsom Institute for Real Estate Advisory Board.

Paul serves as Principal of ARCO/Murray’s Central Texas-based operations, which in conjunction with the larger ARCO enterprise, will eclipsed $6B in revenue in 2023 and is the nation’s largest Warehouse and Distribution Builder. He is responsible for all aspects of the design-build process, contributing to his customers’ success through a seamless and efficient design, permitting, and construction process. Paul is currently overseeing several projects across a variety of market sectors in the Austin and San Antonio markets, including notable industrial projects – TransPak Manor Industrial Park, MDH Hwy 71 Logitics Center, Tradition 14|35 Belton Crossing, and Balcones Real Estate Group Westinghouse Business Park. As a true Austinite, Paul is a committed UT Sports fan and golf enthusiast. Outside of athletic activities, he enjoys traveling the country with his family for long weekends. Paul graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering.

Bob Rice has over thirty-nine years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Management from Indiana University, he moved to Texas immediately after graduation and hasn’t looked back since. Throughout his career, Bob has earned a reputation as a businessman and developer dedicated to service and integrity. Real Estate is a people business, and he embodies the importance of developing long-lasting relationships with an old-school, face-to-face mentality.

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Prior to founding Ironwood in 2015, Bob worked with Duke Realty, Seefried Properties and Weeks Robinson Properties where he developed over 6M SF of new industrial property. Since starting Ironwood, he has built a strategic portfolio across the Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin areas, developing and leasing over 13M SF of spec industrial space with another 2M SF currently in his pipeline. Ironwood has consecutively been ranked as one of the Top Commercial Developers in DFW by the Dallas Business Journal for the past seven years and is currently ranked as a Top Commercial Developer in Austin after entering the Central Texas market in 2020. Bob’s involvement includes the entire development process including land acquisition, due diligence, entitlements, lease negotiations, construction, and client services.

Ironwood’s current focus is to expand its footprint in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin markets through land acquisition and development of industrial and logistics facilities in order to support the expansive economic growth in Texas.

Bob is a member of the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors (NTCAR), Texas Association of Realtors (TAR), and Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR), and an avid rancher, outdoorsman, skier and live music fan.

Hutton Lunsford joined Holt Lunsford Commercial in 2019 and serves as a Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Holt Lunsford Commercial Investments (HLCI), overseeing the development and implementation of HLCI’s investment strategies and initiatives.

Prior to joining HLCI, Hutton served as a Partner at Hamilton Realty Finance. Hutton founded Hamilton Realty Finance with Randy Fleisher in September 2016 and transacted on more than $3 billion of debt and equity placement in his time there. Before his time at Hamilton, Hutton worked within JLL’s Debt & Equity platform of the Dallas Capital Markets Team where he worked on a total transaction volume in excess of over $1 billion. Before joining the debt and equity group, Hutton worked on JLL’s multifamily investment sales team where he focused on the underwriting and analysis of over $500 million in multifamily valuation/sales.

Preceding his time at JLL, he was a summer analyst at Patron Capital Partners in London, U.K. There, he evaluated private equity investment opportunities within the office, industrial, hotel, and hostel commercial real estate sectors. Hutton is a native of Dallas and holds a Master of Accountancy and Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Abilene Christian University.

Ricky Brown is a distinguished leader in the commercial real estate sector, with

extensive expertise in property valuation, tax consulting, and portfolio management. As

a Consultant with Meritax Advisors—one of the largest firms in Texas, managing a $50

billion real estate portfolio—Ricky delivers strategic valuation and tax solutions for high-

value commercial properties.

With over a decade of experience, including six years at Invesco, Ricky managed

institutional-grade assets valued at $2 billion across all asset types and classes

nationwide. He also facilitated complex third-party appraisal processes and provided

actionable insights for acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing strategies, establishing a

track record of measurable success.

Ricky’s leadership roles, including VP of Valuation at Amherst Holdings, demonstrate

his expertise in overseeing large-scale portfolios and implementing data-driven

strategies. A Texas Licensed Property Tax Consultant, he combines technical precision

with strategic foresight, enabling clients to confidently navigate the complexities of

commercial real estate.

Now based in Austin, Ricky enjoys playing golf, traveling, and spending time with family

and friends. He earned his undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University and

holds an MBA in Finance and Real Estate from Southern Methodist University.

Cody joined the Gordon Highlander team with more than 25 years of industry experience. This experience has brought confidence and trust with new clients as he stepped into the role of Vice President for the new Central Texas office in Austin. He has built both a cohesive team and the Gordon Highlander reputation in this expanded market. In addition to his extensive professional experience, Cody holds a master’s degree in industrial Distribution from Texas A&M University. His use of industry experience and knowledge has been instrumental in growing the Central Texas market for Gordon Highlander

Jeff Bryant is a highly experienced leader in the commercial real estate sector, with a focus

on industrial and medical acquisitions and developments across major Texas markets. As

Principal and Senior Vice President at Ackerman, Jeff directs the firm’s operations in Texas,

overseeing a diverse portfolio that includes over 3M SF of industrial space, 500K SF of

medical office space, and numerous industrial land developments.

With a career spanning more than two decades, Jeff brings a wealth of knowledge in the

areas of real estate development, asset management, construction, operations and leasing.;

and is active in his local SIOR chapter and the San Antonio business community.

Jeff's extensive experience and deep understanding of the Texas real estate market make

him a sought-after speaker for industry events. He offers valuable insights into the

complexities of commercial real estate development, providing audiences with practical

strategies and forward-looking perspectives that can be applied in today’s dynamic

market.

Born and raised in Austin, TX, Ari Rastegar believed that there was room in the opaque private equity world for a real estate firm that puts investors first. Instead of making money from investors, why not make money with investors?

Motivated to make his vision a reality, he then started his firm in 2006 with just a $3,000 loan for his first real estate project while receiving his Juris Doctorate degree from St. Mary’s University Law School. After graduating in May of 2009 and becoming licensed to practice law in Texas, he and Rastegar Property Company have grown to see much success investing across 38 cities in 12 states representing 7 different asset classes. His resolute work ethic has even earned him honorable mentions from renowned sources like Forbes where he was labeled “The Oracle of Austin” and a spot as the youngest inductee to grace the Commercial Observer’s Power 100 List, which ranks the top most influential power players in the commercial real estate world.

He is one of the most productive owners, developers, and buyers in the Austin real estate market.

James Melody leads Hanover Company’s industrial land acquisition and development efforts in Texas, with a focus on opportunities in Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin. Prior to joining Hanover Company in 2022, James was a Director of Industrial Development at Lovett Industrial, executing on over three million square feet of warehouse space across Texas. Before Lovett, James was at Clarion Partners in New York City, where, as a member of the East Coast acquisitions team, he contributed to the purchase of over $1.0 billion in commercial property investments. James holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Finance from the University of Texas.

Dustin is a strategic and results-based servant leader with operations management experience in the water industry. Before joining Maverick, Dustin led water management efforts for one of the largest publicly traded crude oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in the United States. In that role, he served as the strategic, technical and operations lead for all operating basins as it pertained to water management activities in addition to duties with investor relations and sustainability reporting. Prior to that, Dustin held roles with the federal government, a membership organization, and a water works business. Dustin proudly hails from Livingston, Texas and holds a B.S. degree from Texas A&M University and an MBA from Rice University. Dustin embraces moments to golf, ranch, fish, hunt and contributes to various ministries. Yet, his ultimate source of joy lies in being a devoted father to two remarkable girls and sharing life’s journey with his beloved wife.

Lorelei has been with O’Brien Architects for 11 years and has been in the industry for 18 years. She has worked on a wide range of project types including office, industrial, cold storage, self-storage, call centers, and retail. Lorelei loves working with national accounts and repeat clients, and is committed to understanding their corporate development processes. She brings experience in new construction, renovations, and adaptive reuse. She consults with clients to understand their vision, oversees teams who produce drawings that express that vision, and coordinates with consultants and contractors to ensure each project is a success. Lorelei has managed projects in more than 17 states and is skillful in navigating the various requirements of the different municipalities. She believes that every project should be better than the last because we are always learning and improving. As a manager, Lorelei loves leading teams and making order out of the chaos. She prides herself on taking an organized and thoughtful approach to each project that she touches.

Lorelei holds both a B.S. and Master of Architecture from Texas Tech University. She enjoys spending time with her husband Michael, who also works at O’Brien, and playing with her Olde English Bulldogge named Mack. In her spare time, she tackles home improvement projects. She and Michael are advanced scuba divers and always look forward to traveling to new diving destinations.

With over 20 years of experience in the construction industry, Amber brings an abundance of industry knowledge to her Business Development role at Summit Design + Build. Amber grew up admiring the art of building construction, following her father into the industry. She began her career in the field in various superintendent roles before shifting her focus to project management and business development. Amber’s experience in all facets of construction allows her to better understand current and prospective clients’ unique visions and construction needs.

Garrett Groves is Vice Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives for the Austin Community College District. He joined ACC in February 2018 and leads the college's effort to identify emerging labor market needs, evaluate opportunities for industry collaboration, and build strategic partnerships with local community partners. Garrett has a particular emphasis on aligning workforce development programs with the rapidly expanding advanced manufacturing and semiconductor industries in Central Texas. He currently serves on both the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Council and the Austin Regional Manufacturers Association.

Before joining ACC, Garrett directed the Economic Opportunity Program at the Center for Public Policy Priorities. He also served as a scholar in residence at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and as a Senior Policy Analyst at the National Governors Association in Washington D.C. He has a Ph.D from the University of Texas at Austin in Higher Education Leadership, a master's degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Denver.

Larry Smith is a senior advisor to the President and CEO of Tokyo Electron Limited. He

recently retired as Chairman of the Board for Tokyo Electron America, Inc. (TEA) and

Tokyo Electron US Holdings (TEH), which has regional revenues over $2 billion

annually and over 2500 employees. He joined the company in June 2000 and has more

than 35 years of management experience in the semiconductor industry. He was

recently appointed to Texas Governor Abbott’s Executive Committee for the Texas

Semiconductor Innovation Consortium responsible for allocating grants to companies

focused on the semiconductor ecosystem. Mr. Smith also served in the US. Army as

an Armor Officer for five years.

Larry has a BS in Engineering from the United States Military Academy, West Point.

He also serves his community as Chairman of the Board for Mobile Loaves and Fishes

www.mlf.org which has fed over 6.4 Millon meals to the Austin homeless population

over the last 25 years. He also lived with his wife in the Community First Village for

over five and a half years.

Ariane Marion, MA, LL.M is the Executive Director for the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium.

She brings over 20 years of experience in public policy, government affairs, and legislative affairs across

both the public and private sectors, including almost a decade serving as chief of staff at the Texas House

of Representatives. Ariane earned a Bachelor of Laws from the Faculté de Droit de Nice, a Master of Arts

in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and a LL.M from the University of Texas

School of Law.

Cameron serves as the Director of Economic Development for the City of Georgetown. In this role, Cameron leads the department’s business recruitment and retention efforts and implements the city’s strategic plan and vision for economic development. Cameron holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Sam Houston State University. Cameron is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute and is a Certified Economic Developer(CEcD).