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Speakers and Panels

Mayoral Roundtable: Vision for Broward’s Growth and Livability

Dean Trantalis
Keynote

Dean Trantalis

Mayor

Fort Lauderdale

Rex Hardin
Keynote

Rex Hardin

Mayor

Pompano Beach

Tim Lonergan
Keynote

Tim Lonergan

Mayor

Oakland Park

Josh Levy
Keynote

Josh Levy

Mayor

City of Hollywood

Michael Udine
Moderator

Michael Udine

County Commissioner

Broward County

Dean Trantalis

Mayor

Fort Lauderdale

Dean Trantalis was first elected mayor of Fort Lauderdale in 2018 and was re-elected in

Novembe 2020. His 2018 election represented the largest victory in city history for a candidate

running for a first term as mayor. The 2020 election was also by landslide proportions and

featured the largest turnout ever in a city race.

Mayor Trantalis previously served on the City Commission representing District 2 for eight

years. As mayor, he represents Fort Lauderdale on the Florida League of Cities, the Broward

County Tourism Development Council, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Greater Fort

Lauderdale Alliance and the Broward Workforce Development Board. He also served as a

member of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Re-Open Florida Task Force in 2020.

Born and raised in Norwich, Connecticut, he attended high school at Norwich Free Academy. At

Boston University, he majored in political science and graduated cum laude and with distinction

in 1975. He received a Juris Doctorate in 1979 from Stetson University School of Law.

Mayor Trantalis was admitted to the Connecticut and Florida Bar Associations in 1980 and has

practiced law in Broward County since 1982. He maintains a successful general law practice in

Broward County with some emphasis in the areas of real estate, probate, estate planning,

bankruptcy, and corporate matters.

His long track record of public service in our community began with his involvement in the fight

for civil rights. As mayor, he is committed to improvements to the city’s infrastructure,

responsible growth, community involvement in development decisions, increased fiscal

responsibility in city government and the maintenance of the great quality of life in our

neighborhoods.

Recognized for his leadership in our community, Mayor Trantalis has received multiple awards

and honors.

He was an inaugural honoree of the Diversity Honors awards presented by the Harvey Milk

Foundation in 2015 and was presented with their lifetime achievement award in spring 2018. He

also has been honored as a Community Champion by the Broward County Commission and the

Broward County Human Rights Board for his work on behalf of equal rights. In October 2019, he

received the Visionary Award from the Gay and Lesbian Business Exchange of the Greater Fort

Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce.

Josh Levy

Mayor

City of Hollywood

Mayor Josh Levy is honored to be serving in his second term as our city’s mayor.

Josh grew up in Hollywood. He graduated from Hollywood Hills High School. He attended

the University of Florida, where in 1996, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

Josh went on to earn a Law Degree from Nova Southeastern University where he

graduated with Pro Bono Honors and a Certificate of Concentration in International Legal

Practice.

Mayor Levy began his volunteerism with the city 24 years ago, when he served as a law

clerk in the City of Hollywood City Attorney’s Office.

Years later, he was appointed to serve as a member of the city’s Planning & Development

Board, a position which Mayor Levy held for twelve years.

Mayor Levy is a graduate of the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Leadership

Hollywood program (Class 29)

- the Hollywood Police Department’s Citizen’s Police Academy

- and is a recipient of the City of Hollywood’s Great Neighborhoods Challenge

Community Spirit Award.

Today, while serving as mayor, he also serves as a member of:

- the Broward County Planning Council,

- the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB’s Tourist Development Council,

- CareerSource Broward’s Council of Elected Officials

- and also now as an Executive Committee member of the Greater Fort Lauderdale

Alliance, Broward County's public-private partnership for regional economic

development.

Mayor Levy enjoys working together with his colleagues on the Hollywood City Commission

as they endeavor to make the City of Hollywood: South Florida’s TOP city to live, learn,

work, invest, and play.

Mayor Levy thanks his family and the entire community for entrusting him with the privilege

of serving as our city’s chief elected official.

Building Broward: Construction, Development, and the Challenges Ahead

Bromley Kelley

Bromley Kelley

SVP, Construction

Newgard Development Group

Hector Delatorres

Hector Delatorres

CEO

Cymbal DLT

Jeffrey Ardizon

Jeffrey Ardizon

Principal

The Estate Companies

Matthew Maffai

Matthew Maffai

Managing Director

Marsh

Shawn Oden
Moderator

Shawn Oden

Managing Director

BMO Commercial Bank

Jeffrey Ardizon

Principal

The Estate Companies

Jeffrey Ardizon is Principal at The Estate Companies, a Miami-based full-service, vertically integrated developer, owner and operator of residential communities throughout the tri-county region, and one of the largest and most active multifamily developers in Florida. The firm is best known for its institutionally recognized Soleste brand which features Class A multi-family communities throughout South Florida’s urban core and submarket locations.

Mr. Ardizon has been credited for identifying and evaluating off-market opportunities, temporary market dislocations, special workouts, overall capitalization and general overall direction of the firm. The Estate Companies has implemented its strategic plan is to increase its focus on development in Broward and Palm Beach counties, and has many luxury projects in various stages of development including Pompano Beach, Dania Beach, Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach, three projects in Hollywood, two in North Miami Beach, and Spring Gardens, among others. Mr. Ardizon was instrumental in structuring and executing one of South Florida's first opportunity zone transactions, Soleste Grand Central, a 360-unit Class A multifamily project in Downtown Miami.

Prior to joining The Estate Companies, Mr. Ardizon was the co-founder and principal of ECI, a real estate investment, management and development firm based in South Florida. The firm focused on providing GP/LP equity and debt for multi-family real estate developments and value-add opportunities across a diverse portfolio of asset classes. During that time, Mr. Ardizon was credited for strategically structuring and creating one of the more notable single-family offices in South Florida. Mr. Ardizon began his real estate career with one of the largest nationally ranked advisory firms in the country, where he led the firm's real estate practice for nearly a decade. He represented some of the largest real estate developers, REIT’s, operators and sponsors in the region. Under his leadership, the firm was awarded the top real estate tax firm by various publications. Mr. Ardizon was a top revenue producer for the firm and quickly gained industry recognition as a leading go-to advisor, advising clients on over $3 billion in transactional value.

Matthew Maffai

Managing Director

Marsh

Matthew leads Marsh’s Southeast Construction Practice. An expert in project specific construction risk, Matthew spend the majority of his time working directly with clients on project strategy, planning and building resources and bespoke market solutions. Highly focused on delivering service excellence, Matthew and his team can provide construction

expertise nationally and have extensive experience in high-risk projects as well as a deep understanding of solutions and markets designed for unique geographically challenged exposures across varied project types: multi-family, condominium, master plan communities, SFR/BTR, mixed-use, office, adaptive reuse/renovation, rail/civil infrastructure,

airports/seaports, manufacturing, and entertainment venues.

Prior to joining Marsh in June of 2021, Matthew led Aon’s Construction Service Group for the state of Florida.

A two-time University of Miami graduate, Matthew has called Miami home for the past 24 years.

Capital Markets Spotlight: Unlocking Opportunities in Broward’s CRE Landscape

Nicole Shiman

Nicole Shiman

Managing Director

EDENS

Rocco Ferrera

Rocco Ferrera

CIO and Board Director

Stiles

Alfonso Costa Jr.

Alfonso Costa Jr.

COO

Falcone Group

Camilo Niño

Camilo Niño

CEO and Founder

Linkvest Capital

Jonathan Gelman
Moderator

Jonathan Gelman

Shareholder

Greenberg Traurig

Nicole Shiman

Managing Director

EDENS

Nicole Shiman is a Managing Director and the Regional Head of EDENS Florida Business.

Nicole is responsible for overseeing the EDENS Florida portfolio and team and leading all

new acquisition and development activity in the state. Nicole joined EDENS in 2016 and has

been focused on Florida based real estate for over 10 years.

Prior to EDENS Nicole served as Vice President at Miami-based 13th Floor Investments,

and worked at The Boston Consulting Group in their Toronto, New York and Miami offices.

Nicole is an active member of the South Florida real estate community and sits as an

advisory board member for ULI Southeast Florida/ Caribbean and is a Board Member for

The University of Miami School of Law LLM program.

Nicole received her Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business

School.and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from The Richard Ivey

School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.

Nicole is natively Canadian and grew up in Toronto. She is married with three children, a 6-

year old daughter a 4-year old son, and a 2-year old daughter and resides with her family in

Boca Raton.

Rocco Ferrera

CIO and Board Director

Stiles

As Chief Investment Officer, Mr. Rocco Ferrera is

responsible for the strategic planning, direction

and oversight of all properties owned or controlled

by Stiles or its related partnerships. Under his

direction, highly specialized professionals handle

the acquisition, JV structure, financing, asset

management, property management, and disposition

of real estate. Stiles’ Financial Services arranges

all development and investment capital as well as

negotiates all purchase and sale contracts, due

diligence, and other legal documents related to any

transaction.

Mr. Ferrera joined Stiles in 1997 as a Senior Asset

Manager and was promoted to Director of Stiles

Capital Group in 1998. He spent the previous five

years as an asset manager with Lennar Partners in

Miami Beach, handling numerous types of commercial

real estate assets, underwriting CMBS investments,

and coordinating various loan workouts.

With Stiles, Mr. Ferrera has successfully directed

the financing, sale, and financial analysis/reporting

of real estate portfolio, earning him his most recent

promotion to CIO.

Alfonso Costa Jr.

COO

Falcone Group

As Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Falcone Group, Alfonso Costa Jr. oversees the development of multifamily apartment communities and condominium projects, leading public-private partnership opportunities as well as the company’s operational and strategic initiatives.

His current pipeline of mixed-use development projects includes more than 2,000 residential units and 200,000 square feet of retail & self-storage, with a total value exceeding $1 billion. Such projects include “Block C-East” at Miami WorldCenter, and the “Horizon of Oakland Park,” a mixed-use public-private-partnership with the City of Oakland Park.

Prior to joining the Falcone Group, Alfonso served as Deputy Chief of Staff & Opportunity Zones lead for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), where he oversaw policy for the $50 billion annually-budgeted Cabinet agency, which maintains a wide range of housing and community development programs, a $1.3 trillion mortgage insurance portfolio, and approximately 7,000 employees across 57 offices nationwide.

As an expert on the bi-partisan Opportunity Zones program, he held the title of Chairman’s delegate and HUD’s lead representative on the Federal Government’s inter-agency Opportunity and Revitalization Council, and for his efforts he was recognized in the Opportunity Zone Magazine’s “Top 25 OZ Influencers” list for both 2020 and 2021.

A former 5th-grade teacher as a Teach for America corps member, Alfonso is now an active social advocate through philanthropic & academic volunteer efforts on both the local and national levels.

In his home State of Florida, he is the Program Chair of ULI Florida’s Affordable & Workforce Housing Council (AWHC), Advisory Board Member & recent Chair of the Nova Southeastern University Master’s in Real Estate Development (MSRED) Program, recent Member of the City of West Palm Beach Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, Heart & Spirit Society member for the Boca Helping Hands food-giving non-profit organization, and an In Jacob’s Shoes of Hope Hero member for the shoes/socks/school supplies non-profit organization.

Nationally, he serves as a Member of the Harvard Alumni Real Estate Board, National Housing Taskforce, Housing Advisory Council Member of the Bipartisan Policy Center, Board Member of the Home Builders Institute, and Full Member of the Urban Land Institute.

He earned his law degree from Harvard University, master’s degree from the University of Oxford, and bachelor’s degree from Yale University, where he played both Division-I basketball and Division-I lacrosse while serving as Chair of the Yale Athletic Department’s Thomas W. Ford Community Outreach Committee.

Jonathan Gelman

Moderator

Greenberg Traurig

Jonathan S. Gelman is a shareholder in the Fort Lauderdale office of Greenberg Traurig and a member of the firm’s Global Real Estate Practice. Jon focuses his practice on the sophisticated structuring, financing, acquisition, and disposition of all real estate asset classes, including shopping centers, office buildings, apartments, hotels, and mixed-use projects. With more than 30 years of experience, he counsels leading owners, investors, developers, lenders, and operators in major transactions throughout Florida and nationwide. Jon has a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, where he also earned a B.S. in economics from The Wharton School.

Transforming Broward: Major Developments That Are Shaping the Future

Joseph Kavana

Joseph Kavana

CEO

K Group Holdings

Patrick Campbell

Patrick Campbell

EVP

Related Group

Doron Broman

Doron Broman

Founder & Managing Partner

Moderno Development

Greg Cellamare
Moderator

Greg Cellamare

Assistant VP

H2M Architects & Engineers

Joseph Kavana

CEO

K Group Holdings

Joseph Kavana is the Founder and CEO of K Group Holdings, Inc. As an active developer and investor in

the real estate industry for more than 20 years, Mr. Kavana’s experience spans across different asset

classes including land development, commercial/retail, multi-family and industrial. As the driving force

and vision of what today has come to be known as Metropica – a premier mixed-use development in the

heart of Sunrise – Mr. Kavana has from inception been fully involved with the project. Mr. Kavana is also

involved in several other international real estate development projects including YOO Punta del Este,

Uruguay and YOO Nordelta in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In the early 1990s, Mr. Kavana was one of the managing partners of Equinvest Marymont Ltd., a multi-

family entity that, together with the Ibex Group – representing interests of the Bacardi family, acquired

over 2,500 multifamily units in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Kavana also bought and sold several industrial

buildings.

In 1980 Mr. Kavana founded Sagaz Industries, Inc., a manufacturing company with operations

throughout the United States, Canada, Argentina, Mexico, the Far East and Italy. Sagaz was sold to

Pennzoil in March 2000.

Mr. Kavana was born in Uruguay in 1949 and has permanently lived in Miami, Florida since 1980. He

studied Medicine in Montevideo’s School of Medicine. He has served as a member of the Board of

Directors of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and its Executive Committee. As the previous

Chairman for AIPAC in Dade County, Florida, Mr. Kavana actively recruited members for this prestigious

organization based in Washington, DC. He is also a member of the AIPAC’s Executive National Council

in Washington D.C.

Patrick Campbell

EVP

Related Group

Patrick Campbell serves as a Vice President for Related Group. He is responsible for all phases of development on the projects in which he is involved. With 20 years of experience in development and construction, his responsibilities have focused on projects in northern Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Projects he has overseen include Aquazul, Aventura Marina Towers One and Two, Trump Hollywood, and New River Yacht Club in Fort Lauderdale.

A Registered Architect in the State of Florida, Mr. Campbell holds a Professional Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from the University of Miami and is active in South Florida’s architectural community. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Miami Chapter.

Doron Broman

Founder & Managing Partner

Moderno Development

Moderno is a real estate company focused mainly on the development of residential urban projects and creative commercial spaces in Fort Lauderdale & Miami. Moderno manages over $250 million in development projects, totaling over 1,000 apartment units, 50,000SF of commercial spaces which are under construction or planning stages.

Greg Cellamare

Moderator

H2M Architects & Engineers

Mr. Cellamare has over 25 years of experience in environmental engineering and is the Office Director

for the Boca Raton, Florida office. His focus is growing the office and providing the necessary vision, planning,

project execution, and technical direction for success in the Florida region. His responsibilities include

collaborating with discipline, office, and market directors across H2M, to further develop H2M’s presence

in the local community, to lead and develop a strong discipline team, and to evaluate opportunities in the

Florida region and prepare proposals.

Environmental engineering experience includes Engineer of Record (PE) responsibilities for several vapor

barrier/sub-slab depressurization system designs, and multiple construction dewatering designs. He has

particularly extensive experience implementing innovative remedial technologies to facilitate mitigation

and remediation. Throughout his years in the industry, he has become extremely well versed in laws and

regulations from various states and the Federal government. His experience also includes managing multi-

year term contracts for public agencies. Mr. Cellamare’s specific due diligence experience includes the

completion of numerous soil, soil-vapor, and groundwater contamination investigations for sites governed

by various states’ laws, the USEPA, Federal Superfund, and RCRA. These investigations include delineation

and remediation of soil and groundwater impacted by petroleum, chlorinated solvents, and metals. He

has supervised underground storage tank removal/closure projects, and the installation, operation

and maintenance of various types of remedial systems. He has provided environmental construction

management services for numerous “mega-projects.” Construction management experience includes

management of spoils classification and disposal, noise and air quality impacts, groundwater treatment

and disposal, permitting, and erosion and sediment control.

Why You Should Attend The Broward County State of the Market

Why This Matters:

Broward County is no longer in the shadow of Miami-Dade—it has become one of the nation’s most dynamic real estate markets, with billions of dollars in investment reshaping its cities. Population growth, corporate relocations, and infrastructure improvements are driving unprecedented demand across all asset classes. However, rising construction costs, land scarcity, and evolving zoning policies create new challenges that developers and investors must navigate.

This event will provide direct insights from the decision-makers shaping Broward’s future, including mayors, top developers, and leading investors who are actively involved in the county’s transformation. Whether you’re a developer looking to break into the market, an investor assessing opportunities, or a stakeholder interested in urban growth strategies, this event will equip you with the knowledge, data, and connections needed to capitalize on Broward’s evolution.

What You Will Learn:

  • Broward’s Growth and Investment Trends: Broward County is projected to reach 2 million residents by 2030, making it one of Florida’s fastest-growing regions. Learn how cities are adapting to rapid growth and which submarkets are seeing the highest demand for development.

  • Key Infrastructure Investments Shaping Development: Major projects like Brightline’s expansion, Port Everglades improvements, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport upgrades are driving new real estate opportunities. Find out how these projects will impact different asset classes.

  • How Local Governments Are Supporting Real Estate Development: Mayors and city leaders will discuss zoning reforms, streamlined permitting, and incentives designed to make development easier while ensuring smart growth.

  • The Future of Construction in Broward: Rising construction costs (up 20% in the last three years), labor shortages, and supply chain delays are making new development more challenging. Learn what strategies top developers are using to manage these risks.

  • Major Developments Redefining Broward’s Urban Landscape: From Metropica in Sunrise to the next wave of mixed-use megaprojects in Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, get an inside look at how these projects will reshape Broward’s future.

  • Navigating Capital Markets and Investment Strategies: With interest rates remaining high, how are institutional investors, family offices, and foreign capital approaching Broward County compared to Miami-Dade and Palm Beach?

  • Public-Private Partnerships Driving Growth: Learn how collaborations between cities, developers, and infrastructure agencies are fueling mixed-use, affordable housing, and transit-oriented projects.

  • Resilience and Sustainability in Development: With South Florida’s climate concerns, developers are integrating flood mitigation, green building materials, and energy efficiency into their projects. Understand what’s becoming standard in Broward’s future developments.

  • Where the Best Investment Opportunities Are Right Now: Which submarkets are poised for the most significant rental growth, commercial leasing demand, and land appreciation in the next five years?

For questions regarding content, speaking and sponsorship opportunities please email our Senior Event Producer, Virginia Baker, at virginia.baker@bisnow.com. To request disability-related accommodations, please contact ariel.fromm@bisnow.com no later than seven business days prior to the event.

Who Attends This Event:

Greystar Real Estate Partners, CB2 DEV, FSMY Architects & Planners, Gensler, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Universal Engineering Sciences, Arquitectonica, KAST Construction, Suffolk Construction, Hoar Construction, Balfour Beatty Construction, ANF Group, Northmarq, ECS Florida LLC, Double C by Conconcreto, KEITH, Miller Construction Company, Ardaman and Associates, Ortus Engineering, Austin Fox Architecture, Witkin Hults + Partners, Swedroe Architecture, ODP Architecture and Design, Procacci Development Corp, Coastal Construction, CBRE, Craft Construction Co., El-Ad National Properties, FMS Engineers, and many more!

Venue

Downtown Event Center
416 NE 1st St
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Please enter through Main B entrance.

Ballroom: Second Floor Event Center


Parking lot at $4.50/hour

Get Directions

Agenda

Time Activity
12:00 PM
1:00 PM
Registration, Networking, & Breakfast
1:00 PM
1:45 PM
Mayoral Roundtable: Vision for Broward’s Growth and Livability

Broward’s mayors are at the forefront of the county’s transformation, balancing the demands of population growth, economic development, infrastructure improvements, and quality of life. Hear from the leaders across Broward as they discuss their visions, priorities, and how they are collaborating to ensure a prosperous and livable future for residents and businesses.

1:50 PM
2:35 PM
Building Broward: Construction, Development, and the Challenges Ahead

Broward County is undergoing rapid transformation, but rising construction costs, labor shortages, and limited land availability are testing the ability to meet demand. Focus on the latest trends in construction and development, including innovative strategies, resilience planning, and how developers are overcoming obstacles to shape Broward’s future.

2:35 PM
2:45 PM
Networking Break
2:45 PM
3:30 PM
Capital Markets Spotlight: Unlocking Opportunities in Broward’s CRE Landscape

In today’s dynamic economy, Broward County remains a magnet for capital across asset classes. Explore current financing conditions, investor strategies, and how Broward is positioned to attract local, national, and international capital. Topics include navigating rising interest rates, the role of foreign capital, and innovative deal structures in today’s market.

3:35 PM
4:20 PM
Transforming Broward: Major Developments That Are Shaping the Future

Broward County’s skyline is changing as major developments redefine its urban centers and suburban communities. Showcase some of the county’s most ambitious and impactful projects, with top developers sharing their visions, challenges, and what these developments mean for Broward’s future.

4:20 PM
4:45 PM
Post-Panel Networking

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