Speakers and Panels

Keynote: Growth at the Edge of DFW

Denton County’s growth outlook, the forces shaping its commercial real estate market, and what current development, investment, and infrastructure activity signals for the county’s future

Denton County Judge Andy Eads is a native Texan and fifth generation resident of Denton County. “It’s been the greatest honor to serve the citizens of this county; first as County Commissioner of Precinct 4 and now as County Judge. Public service is a calling that our family takes very seriously.” said Judge Eads. Eads and the Denton County Commissioners Court have continued to deliver efficient services to residents while staying within budget and maintaining low taxes. Denton County remains one of the lowest tax counties in the state and is financially sound as reflected by its AAA bond rating from Standard and Poor’s. “Keeping taxes low has been a priority of this Court and we provided property tax relief to our taxpayers with a senior tax freeze and adopting a homestead exemption.” Eads continued “I am proud of the work we have done to provide permanent tax-relief for our homeowners.” Eads continues to make transportation and good roads a priority and works closely with state and federal officials to keep projects on schedule. While in office, Eads has invested funds from the 2008 bond election to ensure nearly every state highway in the county has either been expanded, is currently under construction or plans are in place to be improved. As the past Chairman of the Regional Transportation Council and the current Chairman of the Board for DCTA, he has played a leading role in advancing major mobility initiatives across North Texas. “Good roads are a family value by allowing people to spend more time at home instead of sitting in traffic. Anytime TxDOT needs a partner to improve a state highway, farm-to-market road or interstate highway in Denton County, we stand ready to do our part to keep projects moving forward.” After graduating from Liberty Christian School, he earned his BBA from Howard Payne University and his Masters of Public Administration from the University of North Texas. Eads believes in partnerships with our local non-profits and has been heavily involved in numerous civic organizations for decades, serving in leadership roles with organizations such as the Charter President of Cross Timbers Rotary Club; President of the Flower Mound Rotary Club; President of the Lewisville ISD Education Foundation; United Way of Denton County Board Member; President of Denton County Housing Finance Corporation; Board of Directors and Chairman Emeritus of the Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce; Metroport Cities Partnership; Trustee of The Mound Foundation in Flower Mound; Serve Denton Advisory Board; Board of Directors Speedway Children’s Charities; President of the Communities in Schools of North Texas; President of the Denton County Historical Park Foundation; Greater Lewisville Family YMCA Board Member, District Governor Rotary District 5790. Judge Eads began his public service career at the Town of Addison where he worked in the City Manager’s Office, Budget Office and Human Resources. While in Addison he researched and authored the book “Addison, Texas: A Pictorial History.” Prior to elected office, he was a top-producing agent with RE/MAX DFW, where he earned the Rookie of the Year Award and was repeatedly voted one of the Best Realtors in DFW by D Magazine. Judge Eads and his wife, Ginger, live in Flower Mound where they raised their three children.

Denton County Commissioners Court

County Judge

Keynote

Andy Eads

County Judge, Denton County Commissioners Court

Denton County's Momentum Moment

High-level growth and finance trends and why companies, developers, and investors are betting on this market

Jimmy Archie

Managing Director, Realty Capital

Adrienne Bain

Managing Director, JPI

Greg Johnson

Managing Director, SVN VERUS Commercial

Glenn Silva

COO, Lone Star Pace

Designing Denton County’s Next Chapter

How major projects and new construction are shaping a distinctive growth story

Jennifer Bartkowski

Jennifer Bartkowski is the Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (GSNETX), where she has served since 2009 in roles including Chief Development Officer and Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer. Jennifer is driving a bold reimagination of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas with an innovative, community-centered strategy designed to serve more girls in more communities in more inclusive ways. With a focused commitment to southern Dallas and East Texas, she has advanced new models of community engagement, expanded resources, and introduced relevant programming that is building trust in non-traditional Girl Scout communities. The opening of the first two DreamLabs in Texas – including the Dallas County DreamLab powered by Eddie Bernice Johnson – reflects GSNETX’s commitment to meeting girls where they are and providing spaces where they can lead, grow, and show up as their authentic selves. A national leader in STEM education for girls, Jennifer led the creation of the national Girl Scout STEM initiative, grounded in the success of GSNETX’s $15 million STEM Center of Excellence. This 92-acre living laboratory in southwest Dallas, opened in 2018, is transforming the North Texas workforce pipeline by inspiring girls to pursue STEM careers. Under her leadership, GSNETX has accelerated mental health programming, deepened its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, and revitalized outdoor leadership experiences. She has championed strategic efforts to ensure equitable access to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience by reimagining program delivery and volunteer engagement to create a sense of belonging and relevance for today’s girls. Jennifer holds a Master of Public Administration from Texas A&M University and previously worked with organizations including United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, the American Lung Association of Texas, and as a nonprofit consultant. She is a graduate of Leadership Dallas and the Stagen Social Change Leadership Program. Jennifer serves on the boards of the Dallas-Fort Worth Urban League (Inaugural Board), the Aggie Women Network, Slalom’s 2025 Client Advisory Board, and the SMU Tate Lecture Series. She is also a founding board member of Carson’s Village. Her past leadership roles include Chair of the Leadership Dallas Alumnae Association and President of The Dallas Summit, and she is a member of the Dallas Assembly. Jennifer is also a member of the International Women’s Forum Dallas Chapter. Her leadership has earned wide recognition. Jennifer is a 2025 Maura Women Helping Women Award recipient from the Texas Women’s Foundation, was named a 2023 Most Admired CEO by the Dallas Business Journal, and is featured in D CEO Magazine’s 2023, 2024, and 2025 Dallas 500.

Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas

CEO

Girl Scout DreamLab

Jennifer Bartkowski

CEO, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas

Craver Ranch

Teague Griffin

Partner, Old Prosper Partners

Landmark by Hillwood

Andrew Pieper

SVP, Hillwood Communities

Kirk Wilson

Kirk Wilson is a distinguished leader in land development, leveraging deep industry roots and extensive governmental experience to drive exceptional service and facilitate high- quality projects. His expertise in navigating complex bureaucratic and financial landscapes positions him as a trusted partner for both public and private sector developments. A native of North Texas, Kirk graduated from the University of North Texas before embarking on a career in public service. He served as County Commissioner and later as County Judge, where he was instrumental in helping found the North Texas Tollway Authority. This role allowed him to help shape the regional transportation framework essential for supporting the rapid growth of North Texas, where he continues to support strategic development along these cri2cal corridors. Transitioning to entrepreneurship after nine years in government, Kirk focused on entitlement work and special district financing. He has been pivotal in developing innovative financial mechanisms that provide essential gap funding for developers, ensuring the feasibility of complex land development projects. His comprehensive understanding of both public and private sectors enables him to guide municipalities toward sustainable growth and eJective long-term planning. A significant achievement in Kirk's career was assisting with the passage of Texas legislation enabling assessment-based financing in 2005. As a key advocate for this legislation, he helped establish the foundation for Assessment Districts statewide. His notable accomplishments include: • Supporting the passage of the 2005 legislation by the Texas Legislature that allowed for large-scale Attorney General approved capital assessment-based financing. • Petitioned for the creation of the first capital financing Public Improvement District (PID) under the new legislation. o Closing of the first Attorney General approved capital financing PID bonds was The Highlands at Trophy Club on December 20th, 2007. • Contributing to subsequent legislative amendments in following years. • Advancing the formation of Municipal Management Districts (MMDs) with Assessment Authority. • Created the Development Mortgage-Backed Securities (DMBS) financing vehicle to provide capital repaid by future project revenues. • Pioneered loans and sales against reimbursement agreements, and monetizing revenue streams including Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) revenues, impact fees, and capital recovery fees. At T. Wilson, a culture of collaboration, integrity, and innovation drives the team's success. Kirk fosters an environment where every team member is empowered to contribute their ideas and expertise, ensuring that clients receive not only exceptional service, but also creative solutions tailored to their unique needs. As the firm continues to expand, Kirk remains dedicated to enhancing relationships and services, including initiatives in private debt and equity to provide clients with comprehensive capital solutions.

T. Wilson

Founder and President

Kirk Wilson

Founder and President, T. Wilson

Moderator

Erica Santamaria

Attorney, ABHR

Why You Should Attend This Denton County State of the Market Event

What We'll Cover:

The rise of large-scale master-planned communities and why Denton County is attracting $5B–$10B mixed-use investment
How developers are planning for full ecosystems — housing, retail, medical, industrial, and civic uses — not standalone projects
Why grocery-anchored retail is acting as a first-mover signal for long-term growth corridors
Infrastructure, utilities, and municipal coordination as key drivers of project feasibility
How landowners and developers are underwriting growth on 20–30 year timelines
Denton County’s evolution into a primary industrial market along I-35
Growth in Class-A industrial, logistics campuses, and clean-energy-backed developments
The relationship between industrial job growth and multifamily demand
Why suburban Class-A multifamily is outperforming legacy product
Capital markets, ESG considerations, and infrastructure pressures shaping the next decade of development

How You'll Do More Business: Join Bisnow for a deep dive into the development, investment, and deal activity shaping Denton County. From master-planned communities and mixed-use projects to industrial growth, retail expansion, and multifamily delivery, this event connects land, capital, and execution. Hear directly from the leaders driving growth to understand where capital is flowing, which submarkets are emerging, and how to position your business for the next phase of Denton County’s expansion.

Who You'll Meet:

Developers, investors, and owners leading Denton County’s largest mixed-use, industrial, retail, and multifamily projects
Executives overseeing master-planned communities, land development, and large-scale infrastructure investments
Retailers, tenant reps, and brokerage leaders driving site selection and absorption across fast-growing submarkets
Industrial developers, logistics experts, and capital providers fueling Denton County’s employment growth
City leaders, economic development officials, and improvement districts shaping policy, infrastructure, and long-term growth

Why You Should Attend: Bisnow events convene the most influential leaders in commercial real estate and healthcare to identify opportunities, build meaningful connections, and drive business growth. With the largest audience of commercial real estate professionals in the world, Bisnow delivers unmatched access to the people, projects, and insights shaping the market. Join us for a focused look at Denton County and the strategies defining its next phase of growth.

Questions about your ticket purchase or interested in sponsoring? Reach out to customerservice@bisnow.com for customer support.

For venue/location questions or to request disability-related accommodations, please contact claire.ahrens@bisnow.com no later than 7 business days before the event.

For speaker recommendations or press inquiries please email our Texas event producer Carissa Batson at carissa.batson@bisnow.com.

Agenda

Time	Activity
8:00 AM 9:00 AM	Breakfast & Networking
9:00 AM 9:15 AM	Keynote: Growth at the Edge of DFW Denton County’s growth outlook, the forces shaping its commercial real estate market, and what current development, investment, and infrastructure activity signals for the county’s future
9:15 AM 10:00 AM	Denton County's Momentum Moment High-level growth and finance trends and why companies, developers, and investors are betting on this market
10:00 AM 10:45 AM	Designing Denton County’s Next Chapter How major projects and new construction are shaping a distinctive growth story
10:45 AM 11:30 AM	Closing & Networking

Denton County News & Projects

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