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Speakers and Panels

Macro Construction & Development Outlook: Building Through Headwinds

Costs, Labor, Materials & Policy—What’s Shaping Project Feasibility in Seattle

Penn DiJulio

Penn DiJulio

VP, Development & Construction

Urban Renaissance Group

Kevin Wallace

Kevin Wallace

CEO

Wallace Properties

Lori McEwuen

Lori McEwuen

VP, Development

Nitze-Stagen

Colm Nelson
Moderator

Colm Nelson

Partner, Chairman

Stoel Rives

Penn DiJulio

VP, Development & Construction

Urban Renaissance Group

Penn DiJulio is a VP, of Development and Construction at Urban Renaissance Group/Touchstone, involved in all aspects of the development process, from strategic input during acquisition and due diligence phases to project closeout and transition. His primary focus is the management of development opportunities to procure entitlements and permits and management of each project through design, pre-construction, and construction phases, including tenant improvement.

Penn began his career working in the mining, materials, and civil construction industries along the Central Coast of California but moved back to his native Seattle to pursue development and structural construction. He has spent the last 15 years in various roles working for national developers throughout the Puget Sound and Portland. His construction project management experience spans a wide variety of product types including hotel, large scale mixed-use, multi-family residential and custom homes.

Kevin Wallace

CEO

Wallace Properties

Kevin Wallace oversees all development and acquisition activity for the company. He is also responsible for all legal matters for the company’s three divisions: Brokerage, Property and Asset Management and Investment/Development. Wallace Properties builds sustainable, transit-oriented mixed-use development projects in urban centers throughout the Puget Sound region. Kevin and his team have developed several award-winning projects including Citizen, a LEED Silver, 107-unit project in the Pike/Pine Triangle of the Capitol Hill neighborhood; 507 Northgate and 525 Northgate which together contain 428 apartment units and 80,000 square feet of retail space; The Eddy, 130 units with 14,500 SF of retail leased to Bartell Drug in the Green Lake neighborhood; and most recently Prism, 134 units with 4 live/work lofts in Northgate. Kevin began his career as a Real Estate Attorney at K&L Gates in 1997, moving to Foster Pepper in 2001.

Lori McEwuen

VP, Development

Nitze-Stagen

As Vice President of Development, Lori is responsible for project management of Nitze-Stagen’s redevelopment projects, as well as supporting all phases of the acquisition process. Previous to Nitze-Stagen, Lori held the positions of Project Planner for Olson-Olson Architects and Project Manager for Bruce Olson Construction with responsibilities for entitlement and site development oversight. In her free time, Lori enjoys hiking with her yellow lab and weekend travel adventures. Lori holds a BA degree from Muhlenberg College in Political Science and a Master of Science in Real Estate and Master of Urban Planning, both from the University of Washington.

Colm Nelson

Moderator

Stoel Rives

Colm Nelson serves as the chair of Stoel Rives' Real Estate Industry Group and co-chair of the firm’s Construction and Design Group. He represents public owners, private owners and developers, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, design professionals, brokers, and lenders in a wide variety of construction transactions, construction litigation, procurement, and real estate matters. He has nearly 20 years’ experience in the construction industry and negotiates complex construction and design contracts for public and private owners. Colm represents clients in disputes over bid protests, construction defects and property damage, extra work and delay claims, errors and omissions in design documents, tenant improvements, breach of warranty, insurance coverage against insurance companies, and mechanic’s liens. He also has substantial experience handling procurement issues for public, quasi-public and private entities and related projects with respect to construction, services, and goods.

Who's Building, What's Breaking Ground: Seattle's Development Pipeline

Top Projects, Active Neighborhoods & the Market Forces Shaping What Gets Built

Chris Rossman

Chris Rossman

Managing Partner

Fourth Avenue Capital

Claudio Guincher

Claudio Guincher

President

Continental Properties

Karsen Keever

Karsen Keever

SVP, Development

Dermody Properties

Frank Stauff

Frank Stauff

President

Compass Construction

Marjorie Elliott
Moderator

Marjorie Elliott

Partner

USI

Chris Rossman

Managing Partner

Fourth Avenue Capital

Chris is a Managing Partner and Head of Development for Fourth Avenue Capital (“FAC”), focusing on investment strategy, development, and capital formation. FAC is a middle market real estate investment firm with offices in Seattle and Spokane and specializes in the acquisition and development of multifamily and student housing communities in the western US. FAC’s current portfolio consists of more than 1,000 units/beds in the Pacific Northwest.

Prior to forming FAC, Chris spent over a decade at The Wolff Company, a Scottsdale-based multifamily owner and developer, where he served as Senior Vice President of Development, managing the Pacific Northwest region and regional development production heads across the firm. At Wolff, Chris developed more than 5,600 multifamily and senior housing units totaling more than $1.4bn of investment. While at Wolff, several projects under Chris’ oversight received national design and industry awards.

Prior to joining Wolff, Chris was a Partner at Urban Evolution, a Seattle-based multifamily housing developer focused on the development of mixed-use urban housing communities.

Chris received his BA and MBA from the University of Washington. He is active in several industry organizations including NAIOP, NMHC and ULI. Chris currently serves on the NAIOP Washington Board of Directors and Executive Committee.”

Claudio Guincher

President

Continental Properties

Mr. Guincher is the president of Continental Properties LLC (“CP”), with over thirty years of

experience in the real estate industry, and has directed the development of over 3,800 multifamily

units over the past twenty-five years in the Puget Sound region. CP has developed the

highest quality apartments and condominiums in the Seattle area, setting numerous price per unit

and absorption records for the region.

Mr. Guincher holds a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Finance and Real Estate from the

University of British Columbia. He has been married for twenty-six years, with two children,

ages twenty-two and nineteen.

Karsen Keever

SVP, Development

Dermody Properties

Karsen Keever is Senior Vice President of Development for Dermody. Based in Seattle, he is responsible for providing due diligence, design, entitlement, budget and construction oversight for both investment developments for lease and build-to-suit projects.

Prior to joining Dermody in 2020, Mr. Keever held project management and director positions in fields of commercial construction and architecture for mid-rise and high rise, multi-family and hospitality development

Since joining Dermody, Mr. Keever has overseen the design and construction of 10 million square feet of industrial development.

Keever holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics and government from the University of Puget Sound and is an accredited professional in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, specializing in Interior Design and Construction (LEED AP ID+C).

Frank Stauff

President

Compass Construction

Frank Stauff is President of Compass Construction, a general contractor founded in 1998 and headquartered in Kirkland, WA. Compass employs 125 people and specializes in Multifamily Construction including apartments, affordable, student and senior housing.

Stauff is responsible for all company operations including strategic planning, business development, estimating and operations. Compass projects are primarily located in the urban core of Seattle and the Eastside, expanding along with the light rail lines and stations. The Compass client base is a mix of local and national developers, 90% of which are repeat customers.

Prior to joining Compass, Stauff served as a construction and development consultant for a variety of clients throughout the Puget Sound. Services offered included feasibility studies, estimating, constructability analysis, construction management and owner representation.

With 30 years of industry experience, Stauff began his career at McCarthy Construction, a commercial general contractor located in Bellevue, WA. While there, he experienced a broad range of project types including office, retail, resort, high rise residential, industrial and government.

A lifelong resident of the Seattle area, Frank grew up in Renton and currently resides in Greenlake with his wife Wendy and boys, Ben (19) and Blake (16). He holds a B.S. in Construction Management from the University of Washington and a certificate in Commercial Real Estate Development. He is a Boy Scouts and Little League Volunteer. Stauff is a NAIOP, ULI, WAC and 101 Club member. He currently serves as the Board Chair of the Seattle Police Foundation and is on the Board of Directors for King County Boys & Girls Clubs.

Marjorie Elliott

Moderator

USI

Marjorie has dedicated the last 8 years to designing insurance programs for construction companies. Her main desire is to redirecting profits from insurance carriers back to the bottom line for local construction companies. She does this by working together with her clients to tackle both direct and indirect costs related to risk management. By leveraging market knowledge on classifications, she skillfully negotiates both coverage and rates to ensure a positive financial impact. Her transparency and desire to proactively solve problems cements her role as a trusted business partner.

Beyond her typical workday, Marjorie is deeply involved in the construction industry. She serves on the legal affairs committee for AGC North, she has sat on the board of Professional Women in Building in the past as well as currently on the board for National Association of Women in Construction. To further the passion of getting more people into the trades she is a founding member of Camp buildHER, a free day camp focused on getting girls in grades 7-10 interested in joining the construction industry.

From Blueprint to Skyline: How Builders Are Delivering Projects in a Complex Market

How Teams Are Navigating Permitting Challenges, Conversion Complexities, Code Changes and Evolving Building Methods

Grant Howard

Grant Howard

Director, Construction

Unico Properties

Brenda Baxter

Brenda Baxter

Project Development Manager

JLL

Chris Carter

Chris Carter

Managing Principal

SoundEarth Strategies

Erin Parker

Erin Parker

Sr Associate

Board & Vellum

Ashley Sherwood
Moderator

Ashley Sherwood

Partner

Seyfarth Shaw

Grant Howard

Director, Construction

Unico Properties

Grant is responsible for the construction execution across Unico’s varied construction types and building products from Due Diligence through project completion and lease up. He oversees preconstruction planning and budgeting, constructability reviews, contractor selection and negotiations and project execution and closeout for Unico. Grant most recently completed the Office to Residential conversion of the historic Washington Building in Tacoma Washington.

Prior to joining Unico Grant spent over 25 years in the construction industry working as an Owner’s Representative, Project Manager and Leading Preconstruction efforts for a national general contractor.

Brenda Baxter

Project Development Manager

JLL

Brenda Baxter is a Development Manager with JLL's Project and Development Services team in Seattle, bringing over 17 years of experience in architecture and construction management. She currently leads the City of SeaTac Civic Campus Project and oversees the Vashon Island Community Food Bank redevelopment. Her extensive expertise includes managing complex tenant improvement projects throughout the Seattle commercial market, totaling nearly 3.5 million square feet. Prior to JLL, Baxter managed the iconic 1.5 million square foot Seattle Convention Center Addition, achieving LEED Platinum certification, and has delivered major projects for ZoomInfo Technologies, Google, and Nordstrom. She holds dual degrees from the University of Washington in Construction Management and Architecture, currently chairs the City of Seattle Design Review Board, and specializes in strategic advisory, master planning, project feasibility, asset repositioning, and design and construction management of real estate projects across public and private sectors.

Erin Parker

Sr Associate

Board & Vellum

Erin is an architect who believes great design is the result of identifying efficient

solutions, responsive communication, and always maintaining a sense of humor.

With nearly two decades of experience, Erin’s career has spanned multifamily,

large adaptive reuse, commercial, and single-family architecture, with a heavy

focus on large, urban, multifamily complexes exceeding 150 units.

Erin is uniquely knowledgeable about multifamily conversion projects,

transforming underutilized commercial buildings into functional apartment

buildings, breathing new life into existing city spaces. Her work includes the

Washington Building in Tacoma (now The Astor) and the conversion of a 1980s,

ribbon-window, low-rise office building in Seattle’s Lower Queen Anne

neighborhood, Seattle’s first post-pandemic office-to-residential conversion,

currently underway.

Ashley Sherwood

Moderator

Seyfarth Shaw

Ashley Sherwood is a partner at Seyfarth Shaw in Seattle and represents general contractors, subcontractors, and developers of all sizes on various sizes and types of projects. She helps clients navigate projects from start to finish and has a keen focus on commercial and residential building construction, heavy civil infrastructure, fabrication, and government contracts.

Opening Remarks

Dominic DePizzol

Dominic DePizzol

Creative Solutions Specialist

PhoxOne

Dominic DePizzol

Creative Solutions Specialist

PhoxOne

Dominic DePizzol is a seasoned façade industry professional currently leading sales and sustainability efforts at PhoxOne, one of the largest and most innovative curtain wall manufacturers in the United States. In this role, Dominic works closely with real estate owners, developers, and design teams to navigate the evolving landscape of sustainability regulations and performance standards for high-performance building envelopes.

With a deep understanding of both technical systems and market demands, Dominic plays a key role in shaping forward-thinking strategies that align environmental goals with practical construction solutions. He is passionate about helping clients future-proof their assets by integrating sustainable design practices into every stage of façade development—from concept to installation.

A trusted advisor and engaging speaker, Dominic brings a unique perspective at the intersection of business development, building technology, and environmental stewardship.

What You'll Learn:

What You’ll Learn:

  • Gain a macro-level understanding of the key economic, regulatory, tariff and labor forces shaping construction and development feasibility in Seattle, and how developers and GCs are adapting their strategies in 2025.

  • Hear from the teams behind Seattle’s most active projects as they share where development is still viable, which neighborhoods are attracting investment, and how zoning and policy shifts are influencing the pipeline.

  • Explore how project teams are managing delays, cost pressures, and code changes by rethinking preconstruction, embracing evolving delivery methods like prefab and mass timber, and reworking timelines to meet today’s construction realities.

  • Understand how shifting capital dynamics, escalating hard costs, and city permitting challenges are reshaping what gets built, when, and by whom.

  • Learn how developers, contractors, and consultants are collaborating to de-risk construction, implement more resilient delivery models, and respond to the increasingly complex Seattle development landscape.

How You’ll Do More Business: Amid market uncertainty, shifting policies, tariffs and rising costs, project stakeholders are rethinking how to get deals done and buildings delivered. From new zoning opportunities and pipeline activity to evolving construction methods and risk-sharing strategies, this summit brings together top developers, GCs, architects, and city leaders to unpack what’s working—and what’s next.

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

Why You Should Attend This Session: Bisnow events bring together the biggest power players in the industry to help you 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.

For questions, recommendations, comments, or press inquiries, please email our event producer, Bora Altunay, at bora.altunay@bisnow.com. To request disability-related accommodations, please contact janet.fernandez@bisnow.com no later than seven business days prior to the event.

Agenda

Time Activity
3:00 PM
4:00 PM
Breakfast & Networking
4:00 PM
4:05 PM
Opening Remarks
4:05 PM
4:50 PM
From Blueprint to Skyline: How Builders Are Delivering Projects in a Complex Market

How Teams Are Navigating Permitting Challenges, Conversion Complexities, Code Changes and Evolving Building Methods

4:50 PM
5:10 PM
Networking Break
5:10 PM
5:55 PM
Macro Construction & Development Outlook: Building Through Headwinds

Costs, Labor, Materials & Policy—What’s Shaping Project Feasibility in Seattle

5:55 PM
6:40 PM
Who's Building, What's Breaking Ground: Seattle's Development Pipeline

Top Projects, Active Neighborhoods & the Market Forces Shaping What Gets Built

6:40 PM
7:15 PM
Closing Networking

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