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Speakers and Panels

Gabriela Canamar

Gabriela Canamar

Partner

LandDesign

Gabriela Canamar

Partner

LandDesign

Gabriela is Partner and Professional Landscape Architect at LandDesign. With an architectural background, Gabriela approaches her work holistically with the goal of transforming the public realm into an inclusive, welcoming, and engaging environment. She leads projects from codifying the design principles of a project's vision, through entitlements and project delivery while prioritizing each project’s unique sense of place. Gabriela has led the delivery of affordable housing projects in the DMV region including Housing Alexandria’s Sansé and Naja as well as The Nexus at the West Alex campus. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors Executive Committee for the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership—a testament to her advocacy for finding ways of improving the city's growth balancing needs with the forces that shape it.

Planning for Success

Public Private Partnerships, Regulatory Hurdles And Financial Strategies

Sean Terry

Sean Terry

VP, Entitlements

Centurion American

Andre Ferrari

Andre Ferrari

COO

Tellus Group

Jocelyn Ansley

Jocelyn Ansley

Principal

Caravel Ventures

Carter Froelich

Carter Froelich

Managing Principal

Launch Development Finance Advisors

Patrick Bourne

Patrick Bourne

Principal

Sundance Analytics

Kelsey Taylor
Moderator

Kelsey Taylor

Attorney

Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP

Sean Terry

VP, Entitlements

Centurion American

Sean Terry, Vice President of Entitlements, has been deeply involved in the North Texas community since moving to the area after graduating from Texas A&M University in 1995. A former member of the Texas A&M Aggies football team, he was named a team captain during his senior year. In 2013, Terry began his tenure as mayor of Celina and was re-elected to his first full term in 2014, serving until 2023. A sixth-generation Collin County resident, Terry lives in Celina with his wife, Angie, and their children, Kylee and Kade.

Andre Ferrari

COO

Tellus Group

Andre Ferrari serves as Chief Operating Officer for Tellus Group. Andre leads acquisition and disposition efforts for Tellus Group and serves as general counsel on all legal matters. He also works alongside the rest of the team planning new communities, collaborating with municipalities, interfacing with existing and potential future homebuilder partners, capitalizing developments, structuring joint ventures, managing current developments and coordinating investor communications.

Prior to joining Tellus Group, Andre advised real estate owners and operators on capitalization of their real estate assets and projects at JLL Capital Markets (formerly HFF). Andre’s clients included pension funds, developers, investment managers, family offices, and a variety of real estate investment vehicles. He primarily focused on joint venture equity and construction financing for residential developments. During his time at JLL, Andre was involved in over $2.5 Billion of closed transactions across 20+ states.

Prior to his time at JLL, Andre was an associate attorney at the international law firm Haynes and Boone, where he advised clients on their real estate and M&A transactions. During his time at Haynes and Boone, Andre advised clients on over $3.5 Billion in closed transactions.

Andre received his undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Central Florida and his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law. He is a licensed attorney in the State of Texas. He is also an active member of The Real Estate Council (TREC) and formerly served on its Young Guns Board. Andre’s interest in residential development originated prior to obtaining his J.D. during his time with Hicks Trans American Partners, where he worked on master-planned community developments in the Patagonia region of Argentina. Andre is originally from Bogota, Colombia and is bilingual.

Jocelyn Ansley

Principal

Caravel Ventures

Jocelyn Ansley is involved in all day-to-day activities of Caravel, including sourcing and evaluating new investment opportunities, portfolio management of existing opportunities, and maintaining relationships with current and prospective sponsors. Prior to joining Caravel, Jocelyn spent over 15 years in the banking industry, focused exclusively on the single-family real estate industry. During this time, she helped launch the Specialized Residential Real Estate division at Texas Capital Bank that grew to ~$3.5B in loans, which generated strong returns and always maintained sound credit quality for the bank. Jocelyn obtained a BA from The University of Texas at Austin and MBA from Rice University

Carter Froelich

Managing Principal

Launch Development Finance Advisors

Carter is the Managing Principal of Launch Development Finance Advisors. Prior to the founding of Launch, Carter was the co-founder and Managing Principal of a national real estate consulting firm for 27 years. Preceding this, Carter was a Manager in the real estate consulting department of the national accounting firm of Kenneth Leventhal & Company in both the Phoenix, Arizona, and Newport Beach, California offices. Carter is a Certified Public Accountant in Arizona, California, and Texas, as well as a former State Certified Real Estate Appraiser in Arizona. Carter holds a master’s degree in Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Carter has over forty years of experience in the real estate consulting industry. Carter’s area of specialty is in the formulation and implementation of land-secured financings for large-scale developments and the formulation of development strategies for large-scale master-planned communities.

Carter served as a City of Phoenix’s Camelback Village Planning Committee member. Carter is a full member of the Urban Land Institute, Valley Partnership, and is a member of numerous Building Industry Associations in Arizona, California, Idaho, and Texas. Carter was the author of the 2008 and 2016 National Association of Home Builders’ Impact Fee Handbook.

Patrick Bourne

Principal

Sundance Analytics

Patrick has more than 17 years’ experience working in the real estate and financial industries. He began his career working as an auditor with KPMG, focusing on real estate, government and commercial clients.

Patrick’s expertise has involved identifying financing alternatives for the development of public infrastructure. Throughout his career he has overseen the structuring, creation and monetization of financing districts throughout the United States. These financing districts have included Public Improvement Districts (PIDs), Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ), Community Facilities Districts (CFD) and a variety of other districts as required to meet project needs. Patrick is experienced in leading training seminars and has written articles educating developers and public jurisdictions regarding the use and benefits of such districts.

Patrick graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting, and obtained his CPA license.

Kelsey Taylor

Moderator

Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP

Kelsey’s practice focuses on public finance, urban development, and

local government regulation. Kelsey serves as general counsel and bond

counsel to various special purpose districts that provide for the

financing and construction of water, sewer, drainage, road, and park

facilities and other development infrastructure.

In these capacities, Kelsey represents her clients in public law matters,

contract negotiations, and the administration of public meetings and

regulatory compliance. She also works with private developers in

negotiations with local government entities in various land and

economic development matters.

Kelsey is a graduate of Texas A&M University, and she received her law degree from the

Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law. Kelsey is a member of the State Bar

of Texas, National Association of Bond Lawyers, Texas Real Estate Council, Professional

women In Building Council, and the Urban Land Institute.

Lifestyle-Driven Development

Designing Communities, Amenities And Features Around Resident Experiences

Jennifer Johnson

Jennifer Johnson

Founder, President

Olivia Clarke Homes

Don Dykstra

Don Dykstra

Chairman

Bloomfield Homes

Seth Carpenter

Seth Carpenter

SVP, Development

Republic Property Group

Wes Whitney

Wes Whitney

Vice President, Commercial

Maverick Water Group

Katie Ward

Katie Ward

President - West Region

FirstService Residential

John Delin
Moderator

John Delin

CEO, Ladera Living, 55+ Communities

Integrity Group / Ladera Active Adult Communities

Don Dykstra

Chairman

Bloomfield Homes

Don cofounded Bloomfield Homes in 2004. Bloomfield Homes has grown rapidly since formation to

consistently over $1Billion in annual sales. Approximately 2200 homes in 50 neighborhoods will be

delivered throughout the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex this year. Builder Magazine twice named

Bloomfield Homes the “Most Productive Big Builder in the Country” and once the “Fastest Growing

Private Builder in the U.S.”.

Don, along with wife Debbie was the Greater Fort Worth Homebuilders Association Developer of the

Year in 2018 and Builder of the Year in 2021. Don was also a Finalist in 2018 for EY Entrepreneur of the

Year.

In 2013 and 2017 Sumitomo Forestry Group purchased 65% of Bloomfield Homes and the Company is

now a consolidated subsidiary of this publicly traded (Tokyo Exchange) 300 year old forestry and

homebuilding company.

Don currently serves as Chairman and spends most of his time on land acquisition and community

development. Bloomfield has accumulated a portfolio of approximately 25,000 lots to support future

expansion.

Previously, Don worked for Pulte Homes for 16 years in California and Texas, and as a CPA with EY & Co

in Southern California for 6 years. Don is a graduate of California Polytechnic University with a degree in

accounting.

Wes Whitney

Vice President, Commercial

Maverick Water Group

Wes Whitney is the Vice President of Commercial for Maverick Water Group, a revolutionary water infrastructure development and asset management company that delivers tailored, sustainable, and economic water solutions to the real estate, industrial, and energy markets. Maverick has invested millions of dollars into the Texas real estate market via alternative water systems, abating over 472 million gallons of potable water per year. Maverick solely financed and operaties assets that distribute fit-for-purpose, non-potable water to customers. The system provides guaranteed financial savings to HOAs and value to Developers in the form of infrastructure cost avoidance, reduced water expense and increased LUE Capacity. After a 10+ year career in Oil & Gas with a Fortune 100 midstream energy company, Wes joined the Maverick team to lead the commercial and business development efforts with a focus on growth, strategy, and execution. A proud and native Texan born and raised in San Antonio, Wes graduated from Texas A&M before settling in Houston with his family in 2010.

Katie Ward

President - West Region

FirstService Residential

Katie Ward, Region President for West, leads a team of experts to deliver unmatched service and support to the communities and properties we serve in these high-growth markets.

Katie has had an accomplished career in residential association management, marked by decades of progressive impact and responsibility. Most recently, Katie served as President of the Texas region, where her dynamic leadership and strategic vision were instrumental in fostering the region's expansion and reinforcing a culture dedicated to service excellence and associate empowerment.

Before her role in Texas, Katie honed her expertise in California, fulfilling pivotal positions that shaped her comprehensive understanding of the industry. As the Executive Vice President of Community Management in California, she demonstrated an unwavering commitment to client satisfaction and operational excellence. Her tenure as President of FirstService Association Consulting drove proficiency in forward planning and budget consultancy, further solidifying her status as a thought leader in the field.

Katie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Irvine, and is a longtime member of the Urban Land Institute. Katie serves as co-chair of our Women's Leadership Network and of our Master-Planned and Lifestyle Council. She also advises on development strategies as part of our FirstService Development Advisors group.

John Delin

Moderator

Integrity Group / Ladera Active Adult Communities

Managing Principal, CEO, Overseas Acquisition & Development activities for Ladera Active Adult.

Integrity was formed in 2008 to assemble both its Residential and Commercial businesses under one organization. In 2011 Integrity, under the Ladera Active Adult brand, started its first For Sale Community in DFW. The project, selling 115 homes in 26 months, demonstrated Integrity’s unique ability to identify niche marketplace demands and pursue such. Integrity has completed 4 Ladera Communities and is actively engaged in 7 other Ladera Active Adult communities across the Metroplex. Today the Ladera Active Adult brand in DFW represents the most communities and options for the single-family, active adult community market. Integrity manages every aspect of the Ladera processes from acquisition, financing, development, vertical construction, and warranty. John has spent the last 15 years transforming Integrity Group from a small, family-owned company, into a full-service real estate development and building company with an active pipeline of over $500 million dollars in projects. As a lifelong resident of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, John has over 35 years of extensive knowledge and development experience working in the DFW and surrounding markets. He and his wife reside north of Justin, TX and he serves on the boards of Sower of Seeds Ministries International and the Metroport Chamber of Commerce.

The Art of City Building Within Master Planned Communities

Growing Mixed-Use, Hospitality, BTR And More

Fred Balda

Fred Balda

President

Hillwood Communities

Phillip Huffines

Phillip Huffines

Co-Founder, Co-Owner

Huffines Communities

David Craig

David Craig

Chairman, CEO

Craig International

Will Northern

Will Northern

Owner

Crescendo Development

Kenton Miersma

Kenton Miersma

Principal

LandDesign

Mick Granlund

Mick Granlund

Principal and Director of Planning

O'Brien Architects

Glenn Silva
Moderator

Glenn Silva

COO

Lone Star Pace

Fred Balda

President

Hillwood Communities

President of Hillwood Communities since 1992, Fred Balda provides strategic leadership and oversight of operations and performance, including acquisitions, design and development. Fred has played an active role in the development of more than 100 single-family master-planned communities across 13 states and two countries.

Continually responding to everchanging homebuyer demands and market opportunities, Fred is focused on creating vibrant, innovative communities. His philosophy is simple: “Do right by the people and the planet. The rest will take care of itself.” And the result is consistent: placemaking that inspires a sense of belonging and creates enduring value for homeowners and other stakeholders.

Fred’s real estate career began at Trammell Crow. He joined Hillwood Communities after a successful stint at ClubCorp. A proud graduate of Texas A&M University, Fred holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering. He is passionate about sharing his industry insights and expertise through his role as a member of the Mays Business School Master of Real Estate Advisory Board at Texas A&M and his involvement with industry organizations such as the Urban Land Institute and Dallas Builders Association.

His leadership and accomplishments have been recognized by D Magazine, Dallas Business Journal and with a Distinguished Graduate Award from the Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Texas A&M.

Phillip Huffines

Co-Founder, Co-Owner

Huffines Communities

Creating an organization built on integrity, professionalism, and attention to detail, Phillip Huffines has worked tirelessly to create a legacy that will be spoken about for years to come.

Continuing a practice of three generations of business and community work in the Dallas area, Phillip and his twin brother, Co-Owner Donald, have developed their Land Development and Land Investing legacy by creating superior master planned communities and multifamily community living styles. The firm has developed over 15,000 single family homesites, 2,800 multifamily units in the DFW metroplex, and invested in thousands of acres of land. The Huffines name has become widely esteemed within the industry and the State of Texas. Huffines Communities has assembled over 100 limited partnerships, created hundreds of jobs in North Texas, and generated billions in asset values. In 2021 alone, Huffines Communities invested over $120 MM in land.

Phillip has established an unblemished reputation of high integrity. He brings to every project undaunted enthusiasm, a commitment to excellence, and an unwavering dedication to success for everyone involved. He has been married to Holly Hartwell for more than 36 years; they have three adult children, Haley, Hayden, and Garrett. Phillip graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin in 1981 with a BBA in Petroleum Land Management. Phillip enjoys exercising, skiing, biking, hunting, and mountain climbing. He is passionate about teaching business classes at local high schools as a volunteer with Junior Achievement, where he serves on the Board.

Kenton Miersma

Principal

LandDesign

Kenton is a Principal at LandDesign and leader in the Dallas office, playing an integral role in growing the firm’s master planned community portfolio both locally and nationally. He works with some of the nation’s leading developers to deliver resilient communities and future-oriented housing solutions that fit the vision and story of a place, while constantly striving to elevate the lifestyle and amenities associated with living in a well-planned neighborhood, town or city. Kenton helps champion the firm’s position as a leader in master planning services and leads a team that delivers high caliber community development projects.

Mick Granlund

Principal and Director of Planning

O'Brien Architects

Mick, Principal and Director of Planning at O’Brien Architects, works with our clients during the early stages of projects, lending his expertise with visioning, planning, design, and entitlement. A member of the O’Brien team since 1995, his diverse project experience includes retail, office, residential, industrial, mixed-use, visioning, and interiors.

Mick has been active in the professional community with NAIOP (Trends in Real Estate Development National Forum member), with ULI (past Retail Product Council member), and with ICSC. He has a bachelor’s degree from Ball State University in Indiana and also completed a two-year study at the prestigious Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture at Taliesin in Arizona.

Mick has been married to his wife Laurie since 1987, with whom he has four daughters. He loves to travel and the idea of a new adventure – his favorite vacation spot is someplace he hasn’t been.

Glenn Silva

Moderator

Lone Star Pace

Glenn is the COO of Lone Star PACE in charge of day-to-day operations. Lone Star PACE serves

as Program Administrator for city and county Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) programs in Texas. C-PACE provides financing for commercial, industrial and multifamily projects that support economic development and resource conservation in Texas communities. C-PACE is designed to overcome the barrier of significant upfront costs for energy efficiency and water conservation projects by offering attractive financing to commercial property owners.

Glenn has more than 35 years’ experience in the commercial real estate industry. He holds the Counselor of Real Estate (CRE) designation and is the current chair of the DFW chapter. Glenn is also an MAI Member of the Appraisal Institute and is a Certified General Real Estate Appraiser in Texas.

In addition to his role at Lone Star PACE, Glenn is president and founder of KLM Realty Advisors, where his team has underwritten more than $18.8B in loans for B-Piece investors of Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities.

Glenn is a proud graduate of Texas A&M University, where he received a master’s degree in Land Economics and Real Estate and a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics. He and his wife Lori (also an Aggie), reside in Plano and have two daughters.

Opening Remarks

Ross Martin

Ross Martin

Shareholder

Winstead

Ross Martin

Shareholder

Winstead

Ross Martin focuses his practice on public finance, special districts and public law. He serves as general counsel and bond counsel to special districts, including municipal utility districts, fresh water supply districts, special utility districts, municipal management districts, water control and improvement districts, and other improvement districts providing water, sewer, drainage, roadway and transportation infrastructure for master-planned developments, commercial developments and mixed-use developments.

He also serves as bond counsel to cities and counties in all facets of public finance, with a focus on cities in areas experiencing rapid growth. Ross has also served as counsel on PID creation and special assessments and as bond counsel on PID assessment revenue bonds, combination contract revenue and special assessment bonds, and the refunding of those obligations.

Ross has represented and created special districts before the Texas Legislature and federal, state and local agencies, and has provided municipal law and economic development counsel to counties, cities and developers. He also regularly counsels developers in land use and development issues, including the negotiation of development agreements and CCN and utility matters.

Why You Should Attend this DFW CRE Event

What You’ll Learn 

  • How are developers designing master-planned communities to cater to the evolving lifestyle preferences and desired experiences of today’s residents?

  • Given that the Dallas-Fort Worth area has some of the top rated master-planned communities in the nation, what are the most sought-after amenities in lifestyle-driven communities and how are they influencing such high resident satisfaction and retention?

  • How are master-planned communities incorporating outdoor living spaces and recreational facilities to promote community engagement and enhance resident well-being?

  • How do public-private partnerships accelerate the development of master-planned communities in DFW, and what financial strategies are proving most effective?

  • How are mixed-use developments within master-planned communities driving the integration of residential, retail, office and entertainment spaces?

  • What are the key regulatory hurdles developers face in DFW, and how are they navigating them to ensure successful project delivery?

  • How are land acquisition strategies changing in the face of increasing demand for prime development sites in the DFW region?

  • How are developers phasing large-scale master-planned communities to manage growth while meeting market demand?

  • What investment opportunities exist in DFW’s master-planned communities, and how are developers securing financing to bring these large projects to life?

  • How are lifestyle-driven communities addressing the needs of multigenerational living and fostering inclusive, age-friendly environments?

  • What are the current challenges in infrastructure and utilities when developing large-scale master-planned communities in DFW, and how can they be addressed?
     

How You'll Do More Business From Attending This Event: By attending this event, you’ll gain valuable insights into the most successful development strategies shaping DFW's master-planned communities. Discover how leading developers are incorporating lifestyle-driven amenities, phasing large-scale projects, and leveraging smart infrastructure to meet resident expectations and market demand. You’ll learn how to unlock new opportunities in land acquisition, finance and public-private partnerships to accelerate your projects. Whether you’re looking to expand your portfolio or refine your approach to community design, this event will provide you with the tools and connections to thrive in DFW’s competitive real estate market. Networking with key players in the industry will open doors to future collaborations and growth opportunities.

Who You’ll Meet During Networking: Owners, developers, investors, brokers, city and government officials, business consultants, architects, engineers, lawyers, accountants, bankers, technology companies and more commercial real estate decision-makers. 

Why You Should Attend: Bisnow events bring together the biggest power players in the industry to identify opportunities, build your network and expand your business. With the largest audience of commercial real estate professionals in the world, no one knows how to help your business more than we do. Join Bisnow as we jump into the market to analyze its strengths and strategize on its areas of opportunity. You don't want to miss this event!

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

For questions, recommendations, comments, or press inquiries please email our Texas event producer Ansley Bird at ansley.bird@bisnow.com.

To request disability-related accommodations, please contact ally.ganaway@bisnow.com no later than seven business days prior to the event.

DFW Master-Planned Community News & Projects

Venue

Omni Frisco at the Star
11 Cowboys Way
Frisco, TX 75034

Ballroom: Star Ballroom A,B,C,D
Floor: 2nd Floor

 

Self Park: $20

 
Get Directions

Agenda

Time Activity
2:00 PM
2:50 PM
Breakfast and Networking
2:50 PM
3:05 PM
Opening Remarks and Commercials
3:05 PM
3:50 PM
Planning for Success

Public Private Partnerships, Regulatory Hurdles And Financial Strategies

3:50 PM
4:00 PM
Networking Break
4:00 PM
4:45 PM
Lifestyle-Driven Development

Designing Communities, Amenities And Features Around Resident Experiences

4:50 PM
5:35 PM
The Art of City Building Within Master Planned Communities

Growing Mixed-Use, Hospitality, BTR And More

5:35 PM
6:00 PM
Closing Networking

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