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Speakers and Panels

Breaking The Standstill

Return to Work, Major Trends and Navigating A Volatile Market

Larry Sloan

Larry Sloan

EVP, Investments and Development

Midway

Aaron Thielhorn

Aaron Thielhorn

Managing Director

Trammell Crow Company

Robert Cromwell, II

Robert Cromwell, II

Managing Director

Moody Rambin

Lesa Nickelson French

Lesa Nickelson French

Corporate Managing Director

Savills

Ami Figg

Ami Figg

Senior Leasing Agent

Hartman Income REIT

Will Carter

Will Carter

President

WC Construction

John Moody, Jr.
Moderator

John Moody, Jr.

Manager

Moody Law Group

Larry Sloan

EVP, Investments and Development

Midway

Larry Sloan serves as Midway’s Executive Vice President of Investment and Development. He is responsible for the oversight and operations of the Investment and Development Team, and executing new business initiatives across various development, value-add, and acquisition strategies. Larry is also a member of Midway’s Leadership Team and Investment Committee. Larry joined Midway in October of 2016 with more than 18 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Midway, he served as Senior Vice President of Investments for Monogram Residential (NYSE: MORE). During his tenure, he was a member of the Leadership Team and a Senior Executive Officer of the REIT, where he completed over $1.8 billion of core development and acquisition investments nationally and participated in the listing of the REIT on the NYSE in the fall of 2014. Prior to Monogram, Larry spent nine years in various roles sourcing and managing commercial investment opportunities for the Archon Group, a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs. Larry is an active Board member of NAIOP Houston, a member of ULI Multifamily Bronze Product Council, NMHC and ICSC. In addition, he holds a Texas real estate license and a CCIM designation and earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Texas A&M University.

Aaron Thielhorn

Managing Director

Trammell Crow Company

Aaron Thielhorn serves as a Managing Director for Trammell Crow Company where he oversees the firm’s office and mixed-use development and investment initiatives in the Houston region. Additionally, Aaron supports the Austin business unit by providing strategy and execution assistance for urban projects, including the Thomas C. Green Water Treatment Plant redevelopment, a 2.3 million square foot urban mixed-use development. In this role, Aaron provides leadership to the TCC team in the planning, design, finance, leasing, development, and operations of commercial properties.

Aaron specializes in the development and acquisition of Class A office buildings. During his tenure at TCC, he has been responsible for the execution of 7.1 million square feet of office and mixed use development projects with a total capitalized value of 2.4 billion.

Aaron began his career with TCC in 1999 as a Financial Analyst. From 2000-2003, he was a member of the Capital Markets Group where he participated in the marketing and disposition of 5.8 million square feet of institutional office, industrial, and retail investment properties. In 2003, he joined the Development and Investment team in his current role, and was named a Principal in the firm in 2006.

Robert Cromwell, II

Managing Director

Moody Rambin

Bob joined Moody Rambin in 1994 bringing his office agency leasing experience to the firm. Bob has leased office properties throughout the Houston metro market for numerous clients from high net worth individuals to national institutional clients. As Managing Director and over thirty years in office leasing, Bob directs the daily operations with a team of tenured agency leasing office professionals.

Prior to joining Moody Rambin, Bob started commercial real estate in 1983 with a local developer Don Mafrige Real Estate where he focused on interior construction and office property management. In 1988, Bob joined Everest Funds and worked under the late Howard Weathers where he transitioned from property management to landlord focused leased transactions.

Bob is a native Houstonian, married to his wife Leia and has two daughters, Lillian (14) and Margaret (12). He enjoys spending time with family anywhere along the Texas coast or in central Texas hill country enjoying outdoor activities.

Lesa Nickelson French

Corporate Managing Director

Savills

As Corporate Managing Director in Savills Houston office, Lesa Nickelson French

helps clients achieve their business goals through customized real estate solutions.

She draws on her expertise from both her legal training and extensive experience in

commercial real estate to serve tenants in lease transactions ranging from 2,500 to

more than 500,000 square feet. Specializing in tenant representation, leasing,

acquisitions and dispositions, she works strategically with her clients to understand

their unique needs, regardless of size. Lesa helps companies of all sizes achieve

their business goals by synthesizing her negotiation and contract skills with in-depth

market knowledge, skillfully representing clients in finding the right space to thrive.

Lesa joined Savills in 2019, after eight years as Senior Vice President with JLL,

where she was a top performer in office tenant representation. Before that, she

worked at CBRE for six years, representing mid- to large-size tenants.

Before entering commercial real estate, Lesa practiced law for ten years. She was a

commercial litigator and then spent six years at Service Corporation International,

successfully supervising the firm’s U.S. and Canadian litigation.

Lesa earned recognition as a “Heavy Hitter in Office Leasing” from the Houston

Business Journal, and several awards for achievement at JLL, including Top Gun

Designation, Gold Achiever Designation and Top Achiever Designation. She served

as a Board Member and Client Relations Chair on the JLL Houston Women’s

Network.

She is also a member of several community organizations, including the Women’s

Energy Network; the Houston Area Women’s Center, where she served as a Board

Member from 2016-2018 and as Facilities Committee Chair in 2018; and as Board

Co-Chair for the American Lung Association from 2015-2016.

Ami Figg

Senior Leasing Agent

Hartman Income REIT

Ami Figg is a senior leasing agent for Hartman Income REIT Management, Inc. and a seasoned sales professional with 19 years of experience. As a senior leasing agent, Mrs. Figg is responsible for Hartman’s Park 10 properties, Timbercreek and Copperfield portfolios in Houston where she focuses on renewing leases and increasing property occupancy with new tenants while also mentoring new leasing agents to perform at the highest level. Mrs. Figg received her bachelor’s degree from Harding University and holds her real estate license specializing in commercial real estate.

Will Carter

President

WC Construction

Will graduated from the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University with a degree in

Construction Science. Will entered the construction project management track with a leading Houston

general contracting firm, D.E. Harvey Builders, now known as Harvey Cleary. He moved on to Turner

Construction and later E.E Reed. Taking his passion and vison into his own hands he founded Will Carter

Construction (WC Construction) in 2018. Throughout his career, Will has had the opportunity to

collaborate on projects of all sizes and across multiple disciplines. Regardless of the size of the project,

the project complexity, or the experience level of the Client, Will is a true professional who excels at

what he does, even in the very competitive construction market that is Houston, Texas. Will’s

responsiveness, thoroughness, and passion for the mission in ensuring each project is a success greatly

distinguish him amongst his competitors. As direct responses from his clients, “it is very reassuring

when Will is building out one of our projects, as his solid track record provides peace of mind from both

a personal and a client perspective.” Finally, Will’s growing list of repeat clients serves as an excellent

example of his commitment to service, both during construction and after the job is completed.

John Moody, Jr.

Moderator

Moody Law Group

John S. Moody, Jr., is Board Certified in Commercial Real Estate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has extensive experience in real estate development, leasing, acquisitions, sales and financing. He represents developers, owners, families, financial institutions, investors, retailers and private equity funds in acquisitions, sales, development, leasing, financing and construction of all types of real estate.

How Is The Workplace Evolving and Adapting?

Mixed-Use and The Role It Plays in Office, Construction, Development, and Design Trends

Stephanie Burritt

Stephanie Burritt

Principal and Managing Director

Gensler

Ryan LeVasseur

Ryan LeVasseur

Founder and Managing Principal

LeVass

John Leggett

John Leggett

Founder

NewFound Partners

Meredith Wheeler

Meredith Wheeler

Founder

Sesh Coworking

Matt Ragan

Matt Ragan

Director of Retail Programming & Operations

Rebees

Grant Canning
Moderator

Grant Canning

VP

CORE Office Interiors

Stephanie Burritt

Principal and Managing Director

Gensler

Stephanie Burritt is a Principal and Managing Director of Gensler's Houston office. Stephanie's career with Gensler began in 1989 when she joined the London office. Six years later, she transferred to Houston and has since had the opportunity to manage workplace projects ranging from 1,000 to 1 million square feet in size. During her time in Houston, she has primarily focused on designing for energy and professional service firm clients, many of whom are long-term and global relationships. Stephanie has been a member and advocate of The Texas Association for Interior Design for more than 15 years. She first served as a board member for the Gulf Coast Region, and then held roles as Vice President, President, and VP of Students and Education. Stephanie also

supports the Boy Scouts of America at a local and national level, formerly acting as a Venture Crew Advisor for Troop 641. As a champion for the continued health and growth of Houston, Stephanie currently serves on the Board of Directors for Central Houston. Over the past three years, Stephanie has been recognized as a recipient for both Bisnow Houston's Power Women Award and Houston Business Journal's Women Who Mean Business Award. Most recently, she was the recipient of the International Interior Design Association award for Design Leadership.

Ryan LeVasseur

Founder and Managing Principal

LeVass

Ryan LeVasseur joined Rice Management Company in 2019 as the Managing Director of Direct Real Estate. In this role, Mr. LeVasseur is responsible for investments in strategic development opportunities in Houston. Prior to joining RMC, Mr. LeVasseur spent five years in Hines’ New York development office where he was a Managing Director. Prior to joining Hines, Mr. LeVasseur was a Director at HR&A Advisors. While at HR&A, he was responsible for urban development assignments in an array of locations including the New York City metropolitan area, Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Detroit. Mr. LeVasseur received an MS in Real Estate Development from Columbia University where he was a Kinne Fellow and a Bachelor of Architecture and a BA in Architecture from Rice University. Ryan serves as a member of the Columbia GSAPP Alumni Board and was an adjunct professor at Columbia University teaching a course on real estate market analytics.

John Leggett

Founder

NewFound Partners

John Leggett is an established investor and the founder of Leggett Ventures, a Houston-based Private

Equity firm that pursues real estate, energy, and other attractive investments with value-add and

opportunistic returns across multiple markets. With an extensive portfolio including everything from

rural land, residential construction, hotels, multi family, office/retail to oil and gas minerals across

multiple states, the Leggett Ventures portfolio has a total asset value of more than $100 million.

Additionally, John is the co-founder of multiple portfolio companies including nationally recognized On

Point Custom Homes, oil and gas investment firm Cannon Field, commercial real estate firm NewFound

Partners and is also a managing partner in a Frontier Title Company which has 9 locations across Texas.

Prior to his real estate career, John was in Investment Banking serving as an equity research associate

with Credit Lyonnais Securities and as an investment banking analyst with Deutsche Bank in Houston. He

graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he obtained his undergrad in

Business as well as a Master’s degree in Accounting. John’s accolades include being named a Houston

Business Journal 40 Under 40 winner, and his homebuilding company was named the 2017 Texas

Custom Builder of the Year named as an Inc. Magazine FAST 5000 Award winner and recognized as one

of Houston’s Fastest Growing Companies.

Meredith Wheeler

Founder

Sesh Coworking

Meredith Wheeler is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Sesh Coworking. In 2017,

after experiencing years of work-from-home loneliness, she created the Girlsesh Community,

bringing together hundreds of working women from all across Houston for connection, support

and resource-sharing. As the community grew, she listened to their cries for a supportive,

flexible workspace and in February of 2020, opened Houston’s first female-centered, LGBT-

affirming coworking space alongside her business partner, Maggie Segrich.

In October of 2021, Sesh was awarded the StartHER Grant from Texas Women’s University. In

June of 2022, the Sesh team was honored to accept the Allied Business of the Year award from

the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber. Having outgrown the first location within the first 2 years,

Meredith and Maggie opened the 20k sq ft flagship Midtown Houston location in January 2022

where Sesh is currently headquartered today.

Meredith believes that every individual deserves to work in a safe, supportive workspace where

they feel heard, respected and celebrated. When she is not at Sesh, you can find Meredith at

home sipping coffee on the back patio with her husband, Drew and three daughters, Vivian,

Faye and Juniper.

You can learn more about Sesh Coworking at seshcoworking.com.

Matt Ragan

Director of Retail Programming & Operations

Rebees

Matt Ragan is Rebees' Director of Retail Programming & Operations. After earning History and Business degrees from the University of Kansas, Matt tried his hand at acting (where he found just enough success to still be talking about it) before finding his true calling in the world of hospitality and food and beverage. Matt would go on to run and develop multiple upscale restaurants in New York, Los Angeles and Dallas, prior to joining Rebees in 2019.

Grant Canning

Moderator

CORE Office Interiors

Grant Canning comes with a plethora of experience from his background in sports broadcasting to his marketing and business experience. He is responsible for partnering with the client and the A&D firm to create and solidify a perfect solution that will enhance the user experience and the company alike. His ability to create innovative spaces that encourages productivity and employment recruitment and retention is unmatched. Grant holds a B.S. in FTDM Sports Broadcasting, Master of Sports Administration, and MBA from Ohio University. His experience includes Corporate Sales for the San Antonio Spurs and marketing for Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Hear The Latest Report on Houston Office

Take Away Key News, Challenges, Developments, Strategies & More:

  • How has the Houston "return to office" scenario actually played out in comparison to what companies and building owners anticipated? 

  • How is the economic uncertainty impacting how owners, investors and developers are thinking about office developments, leases and tenant expectations? 

  • Two examples of success in the Houston office market have been Exxon Mobil and Hewlett Packard moving their headquarters to Spring. What is the draw for big corporate relocations to Houston's suburbs? Is downtown seeing similar movement? What’s the key to attracting and retaining large corporate tenants? What lessons can be learned from this major win? 

  • How are market leaders approaching the financing of new projects? Is it still difficult to access capital at the moment? Are there challenges underwriting office assets in the current environment?

  • What role does office space play in mixed-use projects? Is it an important piece to the puzzle? 

  • How much of a role does a unique identity for office campuses play in a company’s ability to attract and retain employees? Are coworking spaces still on the up?

  • The hybrid remote + in-office work model is clearly here to stay. How is that impacting everything from development decisions, design and workspace requirements? 

  • In what big and small ways has the workplace evolved in the last 3 years? What are the current demands for space, experience, wellness and other amenities? How are traditional office towers repositioning themselves?

How You'll Do More Business with Houston Office Outlook & Insights: Like many areas, office tenants and landlords in Houston are living in an uncertain market. With vacancy rates down, leasing activity slowing, construction timeline challenges and a possible recession around the corner, there is a lot to think about and discuss when it comes to the office market. However, any unsure market presents thought leaders with a smorgasbord of opportunity - downturns can lead to revival, new development and the chance to evolve and adapt traditional models and ways of thinking. Hear from the city's top developers and landlords as they analyze the temperature of the local market, discuss the growing importance of incorporating mixed-use into the office model and share the reality of operating, investing in and building office assets in Houston today. Panelists will share information on recent transactions, upcoming projects, distressed buying opportunities and much more This event will provide critical insight into the future of the Houston workplace. 

Who You’ll Meet: Owners, developers, investors, brokers, city and government officials, business consultants, architects, engineers, lawyers, accountants, bankers, and technology companies.

Questions about your ticket purchase or interested in group tickets or sponsorship? Reach out to customerservice@bisnow.com.

Houston Office Development Projects & News

Venue

Houston Marriott West Loop by the Galleria
1750 W Loop S
Houston, TX 77027

Ballroom: Salon A-C + foyer


Event Self-Parking: $7
Event Valet Parking $19

Coming from 610 North:
1. On the freeway headed South
2. Take EXIT 9B, Post Oak Blvd.
3. Stay on the service road and pass the light at Post Oak Blvd.
4. We will be on the right hand side before the next light
5. Turn right into our main entrance and go straight, passing the front drive
6. Turn right at the stop sign going into the parking garage
7. Push the button and pull a ticket to enter the parking garage
8. In the elevator, go to the first floor and follow the signs to Hotel Registration

Coming from 610 South:
1. On the freeway headed North
2. Take EXIT 9, San Felipe/Post Oak.
3. Turn left at the light at San Felipe Street, going under the freeway
4. Turn right at the Marriott entrance, which is the 4th driveway
5. At the stop sign, turn left going into the parking garage
6. Push the button and pull a ticket to enter the parking garage
7. In the elevator, go to the first floor and follow the signs to Hotel Registration

Get Directions

Agenda

Time Activity
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
Breakfast & Networking
2:00 PM
2:55 PM
Breaking The Standstill

Return to Work, Major Trends and Navigating A Volatile Market

2:55 PM
3:50 PM
How Is The Workplace Evolving and Adapting?

Mixed-Use and The Role It Plays in Office, Construction, Development, and Design Trends

3:50 PM
4:00 PM
Closing Networking

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR SAFETY

We hosted more than 72,000 attendees live, in-person around the globe in 2021. Our commitment to safety is no different in 2022. Our events follow all local Covid-19 regulations and protocols. In the interest of the safety of all our guests, we recommend taking a rapid or PCR test for proof of negative results before attending any gathering.

We will update attendees should any regulations be updated before this event is held. We look forward to hosting you soon to do what we do best: network, connect, and engage to do more business.