Jim Panella serves as Managing Partner of RDM Companies, overseeing the firm’s investment and development platform with a focus on strategy, execution, and long-term value creation. His responsibilities span development, asset management, financing, and capital transactions, ensuring seamless integration across all phases of a project.

Jim brings deep expertise in ground-up and adaptive reuse development, financial underwriting, acquisitions and dispositions, and lease negotiations. He is known for his ability to structure complex deals, guide projects through entitlements and construction, and deliver high-performing assets across a range of property types.

Throughout his career, Jim has played a central role in the acquisition, development, financing, leasing, and disposition of real estate projects totaling more than $800 million. His thoughtful, hands-on approach has helped RDM consistently deliver impactful projects that align with both investor goals and community needs.

When others see complexity, Keith Copaken sees the pieces that need

to fit together in order to make a place. Placemaking is where Keith

excels. Whether it’s leasing, development, property management,

project management or investment, Keith is active in the entire

spectrum of real estate services.

Keith has achieved several notable career milestones, including

leading the master development of Lenexa City Center, adding

Nordstrom to Oak Park Mall, master planning and developing Lenexa

City Center, structuring the joint venture and third-party debt for the

Plaza Colonnade and a number of other landmark developments,

master planning and developing Renaissance Park, and developing

the former NCAA national headquarters building.

Most recently, Keith has led a team that has been engaged as an owner

representative/development consultant for Kiewit, Black & Veatch,

AdventHealth and the Overland Park Farmer’s Market redevelopment.

Lenexa City Center, part of the Vision 2020 plan, is Lenexa’s ‘new

downtown,’ consisting of a two million square foot mixed-use

development featuring retail, civic, office, and residential spaces.

The Overland Park Farmers Market project is a public-private

development featuring a reimagined outdoor public market area,

indoor market pavilion, site upgrades and a future private development

component. His responsibilities involve collaborating with construction

firms, architects, and city officials to ensure that the project aligns with

its $34 million budget and meets community expectations.

Keith is integrally involved in Copaken Brooks’ six million square foot

office and retail portfolio, as well as the firm’s governance and strategic

direction. Over the years, he has worked with many retailers including

Nordstrom, Target, Dillard’s, Walmart, and JCPenney.

I'm a Principal in CLA's Kansas City office. I serve clients in various industries including private equity and real estate. I have more than 18 years of public accounting and industry experience working with large domestic and multinational corporations.

In my role, I assist individual, partnership and corporate clients in various areas including income tax accounting, income tax compliance, private letter ruling requests, acquisitions, dispositions, reorganizations, earnings and profits calculations, accounting method changes and various other tax consulting services. My work also involves advising clients in areas of tax controversy.

Erik Murray is the Chairman and Managing Partner of Lafayette, CA based Oak Funds and Oak Impact Group, among California’s leading cannabis real estate developers, owners, and managers. With a keen understanding of social equity and a focus on operating at the intersection of prime commercial real estate and positive social impact, since 2016, Murray and his team at Oak have successfully acquired and developed over a dozen cannabis properties valued at nearly $200M. Every project in Oak’s portfolio has a social equity ownership and/or incubation component, and Murray is proud to be at the forefront of impact investing in cannabis by proving that outsized returns for investors and positive impacts to communities harmed by the war on drugs are not mutually exclusive. The first exits from the portfolio already delivered a 2.5x multiple and a 140% IRR to investors, and Oak is excited to continue expanding the platform in 2022. Murray volunteers on the Boards of the Last Prisoner Project and Union Square Alliance, and is a member of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR), a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), a Senior Alpine Instructor in the National Ski Patrol, and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Andrew Lack, PE is a Structural Associate and leader of Martin/Martin’s Kansas City office, he is focused on expanding the firm’s engineering services in Kansas and Missouri. With 19 years of experience, Andrew's portfolio includes ground-up design, renovation, investigation, and construction administration across a diverse range of building types. He brings a collaborative approach to every project, working closely with architects, owners, contractors, fabricators, and consultants to deliver innovative, cost-effective solutions that meet each client’s goals.

Andrew is a strategic leader in sports and entertainment facility design, contributing to projects that enhance community identity and regional growth. His notable work includes West Plaza Enhancements to Children’s Mercy Park, renovations to Busch Stadium, Coors Field, Wrigley Field, and facility upgrades to Paycom Center, Cable Dahmer Arena, Desert Diamond Arena, and Lambeau Field. He is also involved in new ground-up projects such as the Denver Broncos Training Facility, Mansfield Multi-Use Soccer Stadium and the OKC Multi-Use Soccer Stadium. Passionate about community impact, Andrew serves as the Board Chairman for the ACE Mentor Program of Greater Kansas City, guiding high school students towards careers in Architecture, Construction, and Engineering.

Sam Stahnke, MCM, LEED AP BD+C, Is a construction professional with more than 14 years of experience providing clients with turnkey design-build solutions. As the Vice President of ARCO National Construction’s Kansas City division, Sam services new and existing clients throughout the Midwest, specializing in industrial ground-up facilities, expansions, and tenant improvements. Sam is involved in projects from concept to completion, working with clients throughout the proposal, preconstruction, design, and construction phases of a job, ensuring they receive a finished facility that meets the needs of their business for years to come. Sam holds a Master of Science Degree in Construction Management and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Washington University.

As Director of Sports and Recreation, Andrew leverages his experience to expand HDR’s sports and recreation design practice and complement a team of multidisciplinary architects, interior designers, planners and engineers. Having dedicated his career exclusively to athletic facility design, Andrew understands the positive impact quality design and access to recreation can have on individuals, teams and communities. His project management and design leadership experience ranges from sports facility planning, programming, and design for university architects, planners, facility managers, and athletic administrators. His recent work includes sport-specific stadiums, arenas and playing fields at the University of Mississippi, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and The Ohio State University. An active member of design and sports communities, Elmer has contributed bylined articles to Athletic Business and regional publications and speaks at national conferences and industry events on the evolution of sports and recreation environments.

Allan Gray has been a respected arts leader and advocate for over 40 years. During this time, he has held numerous professional and civic positions that have afforded him a wealth of experiences on local, regional, state, and national art platforms. He has played varied roles in economic development in both Kansas City and Lee’s Summit.

As former Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Lee’s Summit, Mr. Gray initiated support for the arts by creating the city’s first cultural plan funding for the arts. He has led successful Municipal Bond campaigns resulting in millions of dollars for economic development, city road construction, and other significant public works improvements, including an unprecedented bond campaign that provided funding for museum construction, an amphitheater and downtown outdoor performance space. In his role as Vice President of the Black Economic Union, he served as part of the initial planning team for the 18th & Redevelopment project.

Mr. Gray is founder/Chairman Emeritus of the award-winning Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, the Second Home of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the most artistically diverse and socially impactful organizations in the nation. He has served as Chairman of the Missouri Arts Council, ArtsKC Regional Arts Council, Bi-State Cultural Amenities Tax Treasurer. He is currently Chairman of the Lee’s Summit Diversity and Inclusion Commission.