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Event Host

Galleria

Galleria

Galleria is the ultimate Class “A” tech and corporate campus centrally located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale – Arizona’s premier shopping and entertainment district.

Speakers and Panels

Asset Class Performances

Exploring the performance and trends of different commercial real estate asset classes

Danny Swancey

Danny Swancey

Partner

ViaWest Group

Kimberly Choukalas

Kimberly Choukalas

Senior Vice President, Leasing

Macerich

Gretchen Cobb

Gretchen Cobb

COO

Royal Oaks

Dan Brusnahan

Dan Brusnahan

Principal

Todd & Associates

Diego Ahumada
Moderator

Diego Ahumada

Tax Manager

CLA

Danny Swancey

Partner

ViaWest Group

Danny is involved in all aspects of ViaWest Group with primary emphasis on company strategy, culture, deal-sourcing, and operational performance, as well as, cultivating strategic relationships. Danny co-chairs the company’s investment committee and serves on the senior management committee. He has over 18 years’ experience working in senior management positions for both public and private real estate investment companies.

Prior to joining ViaWest in 2011, Danny served as Vice President for two publicly-traded REITs: Parkway Properties and Pacific Office Properties. Danny has been involved with the acquisition/disposition, repositioning, and management of over $2 billion of commercial real estate transactions. As a former military officer, Danny also brings a wealth of operational and leadership experience. While in the Army, he served throughout Europe and the Americas for five years, achieving the rank of Captain.

Danny is a graduate of The United States Military Academy at West Point, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. He subsequently received an MBA from Yale University. Danny serves on the board for NAIOP (AZ Chapter) and REIAC (Southwest), is a former Board Chairman for NAIOP AZ, and actively participates in numerous civic and charity endeavors. He is also a past recipient of the Phoenix Business Journal’s Forty-Under-40 (Class of 2015).

Danny resides in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife Danielle and three children.

Kimberly Choukalas

Senior Vice President, Leasing

Macerich

BIOAs Senior Vice President of Leasing for Macerich, Kimberly Choukalas is instrumental in setting leasing and merchandising strategies for the Arizona region and other dominant assets in the portfolio. Ms. Choukalas establishes and manages the leasing strategy for eight Arizona properties, including Scottsdale Fashion Square, Chandler Fashion Center and Kierland Commons, as well as properties in Missouri and Texas. She builds strategic relationships with several key retailers throughout the portfolio, in addition to executing deals.

Ms. Choukalas has extensive experience in ground-up leasing and redevelopment leasing of key regional shopping centers, including the 2018 development of the luxury wing of Scottsdale Fashion Square and its 2023 redevelopment. In addition, she directs redevelopment leasing at Chandler Fashion Center and South Plains Mall and has led ground-up merchandising and leasing for Twenty Ninth Street in Colorado and Chandler Fashion Center and SanTan Village, both in Arizona.

Ms. Choukalas holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Arizona State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She has served as a faculty member for ICSC’s John T. Riordan Schools for Retail Real Estate Professionals and as an ICSC panelist, teacher and presenter supporting professional growth in the retail real estate industry.

Gretchen Cobb

COO

Royal Oaks

With a passion for numbers and strict attention to details, Gretchen began her career in public accounting as a CPA specializing in corporate taxes. This comprehensive experience prepared her well for her position at Royal Oaks in 1998. As an accountant, she served the residents of Royal Oaks as the Assistant Controller, Controller and Chief Financial Officer and continues to be a resource for the organization’s financial needs.

Her outgoing personality and unwillingness to stay stagnant, though, led her to attain a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix in 2009. She completed additional coursework to obtain a certified emphasis in Health Care Management which strengthened her business acumen to prepare her to play a critical role in a growing industry that hinges on forward thinking and effective leadership. She represented Royal Oaks well during her education, as she attained the honor of valedictory speaker and spoke in front of nearly 10,000 at the Arizona Cardinal Stadium. This accomplishment resulted in a promotion to Chief Operating Officer, where her dual expertise provides value to the company through a better understanding of how complex operations affect money.

During her tenure as COO, she also leads the charge for land acquisitions, business acquisitions and spearheads growth opportunities for the organization.

Dan Brusnahan

Principal

Todd & Associates

As Director of Senior Living, Dan provides leadership to further the firm’s reputation, relationships, experience, and expertise in the area of senior living communities and worship communities. While participating in establishing a vision and direction for projects, Dan builds consensus with and inspires team members to optimize performance through a positive and innovative approach to the firm’s projects. As an industry leader, Dan has presented at several senior living and religious conferences such as Arizona ALFA, LeadingAge, and the National Association of Home Builders.

Diego Ahumada

Moderator

CLA

Diego is a Tax Manager in the CLA Phoenix office. He has been with the firm since 2014. His primary focus areas are partnership taxation and working with Real Estate Developers and Private Equity clients to build and retain capital by implementing tax saving strategies. Areas of experience include tiered partnerships, closely held business entities, S-corporations, C-corporations and high-net worth individuals. Diego has a BSBA in Accounting and BA in Italian Language and Literature from the University of Arizona.

Diego is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants, and NAIOP AZ-Commercial Real Estate Development Association.

Why Arizona?

Uncovering the unique advantages that make this state a prime market

Ryan Norris

Ryan Norris

SVP

Trammell Crow Company

Leo Divinsky

Leo Divinsky

Managing Director, Asset Management

Stockdale Capital Partners

Josh Tracy

Josh Tracy

SVP

Ryan Companies

Brian Cassidy

Brian Cassidy

President

CCBG Architects

David Mettler

David Mettler

Director of Pre-Construction

Renaissance Construction

Ryan Norris

SVP

Trammell Crow Company

Ryan Norris serves as a Vice President in Trammell Crow Company’s Phoenix Business Unit. In his

role, he is responsible for sourcing and executing new development and investment opportunities

in the Greater Phoenix marketplace.

Ryan applies more than 10 years of experience developing and acquiring over 3 million square

feet of product in the market to his pursuit and execution of new and existing projects.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Trammell Crow Company – Phoenix, AZ – 2013 to Present

Senior Vice President, Development and Investment Services

US Airways – Phoenix, AZ – 2012 to 2013

Senior Revenue Analyst

Alaska Airlines – Seattle, WA – 2010 to 2012

Yield Analyst

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)

Arizona State University SDC Young Professionals Group

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

Gonzaga University, Bachelor of Science, Economics and Finance

Leo Divinsky

Managing Director, Asset Management

Stockdale Capital Partners

Mr. Divinsky joined Stockdale Capital Partners in 2019. He is responsible for asset management with an emphasis on commercial office and mixed-use developments, new acquisitions and existing assets throughout major West Coast markets. Mr. Divinsky joined Stockdale after nearly 25 years in development and asset management with Worthe Real Estate Group in Santa Monica, California, well-known for owning and managing institutional-grade high profile media and technology focused assets. Mr. Divinsky is a former Chairman of the Board of BOMA - Greater Los Angeles and has served on the Boards of BOMA-CAL, the Burbank Chamber of Commerce and the Red Cross Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness. Currently, Mr. Divinsky serves as a Board Member of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, the Horton Plaza Theatres Foundation, the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate and member of the Biocom Facilities Committee. He holds a dual Master’s Degree from the University of Southern California in Business Administration and Real Estate Development along with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Cal State University Northridge.

Josh Tracy

SVP

Ryan Companies

With his nuanced knowledge of the region and encompassing skill set, Josh provides valuable, highly strategic leadership as Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development. He is charged with pursuing local and national development opportunities, leading the pursuit of potential development sites and projects, developing and maintaining effective marketing and sales strategies, building client and brokerage relationships, and identifying and controlling potential project sites. Josh also collaborates with capital markets to sell completed and stabilized projects, and collaborates with other leaders to secure regional projects and lead all sales activity and client negotiations for those projects. A former entrepreneur with 15 years of small business and development experience, he understands the owner’s perspective and is adept at finding solutions that meet the needs of multiple stakeholders. Josh finds it rewarding to work with a diverse team of experts throughout the development and construction process and has built a reputation for his tenacious attention to detail and thoughtful planning and execution.

Brian Cassidy

President

CCBG Architects

Brian Cassidy, AIA is the President of CCBG Architects, Inc. with studios in downtown Phoenix and San Diego. He has been involved in many adaptive reuse, and mixed-use high-density housing projects in greater Phoenix, including more than 12,000 new apartment units. This work includes a diverse body of warehouse renovations that are breathing new life into our city. Brian passionately advocates to build Phoenix into a world class city in which to live, work, worship and play. He is a graduate of Arizona State University, and is the Chair of the Phoenix Warehouse District Council, which promotes and brands the District in concert with a series of creative volunteers and businesses.

David Mettler

Director of Pre-Construction

Renaissance Construction

David Mettler was born and raised in Michigan and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts at

the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit. His lifelong interest in the arts and ongoing

technical journey has framed his extensive 3D VDC (Virtual Design Construction)

background of combining the “art” of design, construction, and the “art” of fabrication

into today’s construction technology frame.

During the last 18 years, David has been on the forefront of applying his BIM (Building

Information Modeling) expertise throughout the pre-construction and construction

processes as the manager of Comfort Systems Southwest MPE Division and the

manager of VDC at Hayden Building Corporation. In 2017, he joined Renaissance

Construction and is the Director of Pre-Construction. At Renaissance, David has

been an integral part of incorporating various technologies leveraging 3D design

data to applying construction driven data using the latest Power BI dashboards.

His groundbreaking work has helped company team leaders better understand

complicated projects including Ball Corporation’s can manufacturing facility in

Goodyear and Red Bull’s first manufacturing facility outside of Austria in Glendale.

Greater Phoenix-Area Developments

Highlighting the latest and most significant beyond just Phoenix

Bob Micera

Bob Micera

Director

Silver Creek Development

Thomas Maynard

Thomas Maynard

SVP

Greater Phoenix Economic Council

Brad Miner

Brad Miner

Senior Managing Director, Capital Markets

JLL

Mike Krentz

Mike Krentz

President

DAVIS

Cade Rowley

Cade Rowley

President

Sundt Construction

April Morris

April Morris

VP, Southwest

Hotwire Communications

Rusty Kennedy
Moderator

Rusty Kennedy

Managing Director

Stream Realty

Bob Micera

Director

Silver Creek Development

Bob leads Silver Creek Development’s industrial development and construction program. He also spearheads efforts to expand the firm’s platform by identifying new capital and debt sources as well as joint venture development partners.

Thomas Maynard

SVP

Greater Phoenix Economic Council

Thomas Maynard, the GPEC Senior Vice President of Business Development, has been with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council since August 2013. Thomas co-manages the Business Development team and oversees GPEC’s international business attraction efforts. Over the years, Thomas has worked with hundreds of companies evaluating Greater Phoenix, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to startups.

Thomas is currently serving as an Honorary Commander, a unique program that pairs community members with leaders from Luke AFB. He also serves on NAIOP’s Developing Leader Steering Committee.

Thomas was named to the 2020 list of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers and was recognized a 40 under 40 Economic Developers Class of 2021. Thomas is an Arizona native, grew up in Tucson and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in journalism with a focus in public relations. He lives in Phoenix with his wife Mo and French Bulldog, Hugo.

Mike Krentz

President

DAVIS

Mike leverages over 30 years of well-rounded architectural and design experience to his role of President of DAVIS. He

is responsible for the leadership of a multi-dimensional architectural practice that is passionately committed to enriching

the human experience. Mike’s varied background allows him to provide both guidance and mentorship to staff, young and

experienced alike, in a wide variety of design milieus. Mike’s responsibilities range from writing and negotiating complex

performance contracts to promoting an unparalleled standard of excellence in the design of all of DAVIS’s architectural

endeavors, from small tenant improvements to large master planned communities. Having been a part of the evolution of

DAVIS since 1987 and having served in leadership roles in Phoenix, California and Austin, Texas offices, Mike has always

believed that seeing the ‘big-picture’ in development and architecture is critical in the genesis of every good project design.

And under the guidance of a seasoned team, excellence happens in the perfect storm that includes attention to the big

picture, attention to detail, and intense consideration of the Client’s needs.

April Morris

VP, Southwest

Hotwire Communications

April Morris is the Vice President of Hotwire Communications’ Southwest Region, covering Arizona and Nevada. With more than 15 years in the telecom industry, she brings extensive expertise in residential and multifamily properties. April is well-versed in managing business development and account management teams, having managed a multi-billion-dollar portfolio across three million homes. April develops and implements strategic sales visions to increase market penetration and drive sales initiatives throughout the region. She also supports her team of Business Development Executives through education and motivation, fostering a passion for promoting Hotwire’s services. Her efforts not only impact the Southwest Region but also contribute to company-wide initiatives through local leadership.

Rusty Kennedy

Moderator

Stream Realty

Rusty Kennedy is the Managing Director and Leader of Stream’s Phoenix Industrial division. Rusty is responsible for leading the strategic direction of Stream’s industrial business in the Phoenix market, including overseeing operations, business development, recruiting, and the execution of industrial transactions, including project leasing, tenant representation, acquisitions, dispositions, and development services.

Before joining Stream, Rusty served as an Executive Vice President at CBRE in Phoenix where he has specialized in industrial landlord and tenant representation across the Phoenix market for over 15 years. His ability to engineer and implement integrated real estate solutions to solve the unique needs of real estate owners, businesses, and corporations has established him as one of Arizona’s most respected industrial brokers.

Rusty served as the Chairman of NAIOP’s Arizona Chapter in 2022, was a Member of the Super Bowl LVII Host Committee in 2023, is a Board Member of the AZ Sports & Tourism Authority and is a Member of the Phoenix Thunderbirds.

A native of Phoenix, Rusty entered commercial real estate after two years competing as a professional golfer on the Gateway and Canadian Tours. Rusty and his wife, Alyson, live in Phoenix with their four children.

WHY YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE CONFERENCE

What You’ll Learn:

  • What factors contributed to Phoenix's ranking among the top 10 cities in the 2023 Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities Index?

  • How does the reputation of Scottsdale and the state of Arizona contribute to the desirability of this location for development? 

  • What specific industries are experiencing significant changes as a result of incorporating Ai and how that’s impacting CRE?

  • What potential impact could the failure to renew Prop 400 have on the economic growth of the region? 

  • How has the demand for data centers driven by AI impact CRE in the Phoenix market? 

  • What is the connection between talent attraction, workforce availability, and housing affordability in Arizona's rapid growth environment?

How You’ll Do More Business: Recognize the critical connection between talent attraction, workforce availability, and housing affordability in Arizona's rapid growth environment, enabling you to leverage these factors for business success. Hear from top owners, developers, tenants and investors as they talk about this market. Find out what developments are taking place and how this market is positioned with the challenges it will face and the opportunities that could present itself at the Bisnow Phoenix State of The Market event.

Key Projects From Our Panelists:

Who You'll Network With At This Event: Brokers, owners, developers, investors, construction, designers, architects, financial professionals, government officials and more CRE decision-makers. 

Why You Should Attend This Session: 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 us.

For questions, recommendations, comments, or press inquiries please email our event producer, Bora Altunay at bora.altunay@bisnow.com

Venue

Galleria
4343 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale AZ 85251


Free on-site parking is available in the North Lot and in the Parking Structure across from the East entry.

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Agenda

Time Activity
3:00 PM
3:50 PM
Breakfast & Networking
3:50 PM
4:00 PM
Opening Remarks
4:00 PM
4:45 PM
Asset Class Performances

Exploring the performance and trends of different commercial real estate asset classes

4:45 PM
5:00 PM
Networking Break
5:00 PM
5:45 PM
Why Arizona & Nowhere Else?

Uncovering the unique advantages that make this state a prime market

5:45 PM
6:30 PM
Greater Phoenix-Area Developments

Highlighting the latest and most significant beyond just Phoenix

6:30 PM
7:00 PM
Closing Networking