Navigating Market Shifts

Strategies for success amid economic uncertainties, supply-demand fluctuations and development trends

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  Celeste Tanner

  Celeste Tanner is the co-founder and chief development officer of Confluent Development. Bringing nearly 20 years of industry experience, she established the full-service real estate investment and development firm to bring a new vision of development within the industry to life. In her role, she steers the firm’s execution across all phases of real estate development, successfully delivering custom and complex projects that create significant value in their respective communities. Since the company’s inception in 2014, Celeste has overseen more than $1.5 billion in development projects across the organization’s diverse portfolio, consisting of more than 100 industrial, office, retail, mixed-use and senior housing development projects. Under Celeste’s guidance, Confluent has delivered award-winning projects and works with some of the country’s most sophisticated clients including Target, FedEx, Starbucks, Mikron Corporation, Vectra Bank, and Charter Communications, among others. In her previous role as director of real estate development at Opus Development Company, Celeste led the real estate project team for its Denver office and played a key role in the ground-up development of more than 5 million square feet of commercial and multi-family space. Celeste holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado at Denver, is an alumnus of the Downtown Denver Partnership Leadership Program, and has been awarded for her outstanding achievements from organizations such as The Denver Business Journal, CREW, NAIOP Colorado and Bisnow. Giving Back in Business and Community Celeste has represented the development industry both locally and nationally through her leadership in NAIOP, where she previously served as the chapter president for Colorado. Currently an executive committee member on NAIOP’s national board, she provides a voice for Colorado’s development industry at the national table. Celeste also contributes her leadership well beyond the industry and into the community. She serves on the board of Wheat Ridge Localworks, where she contributes her industry expertise to help implement the organization’s business and home improvement loan programs, among others, focused on enhancing the city’s economic vitality and neighborhood revitalization. Celeste also represents District I as a member in Renewal Wheat Ridge (RWR), an Urban Renewal Authority committed to improving the visual aesthetics and environmental aspects of Wheat Ridge, meanwhile adhering to the wants and needs of the community.

  Confluent Development

  President & CDO

  Celeste Tanner

  President & CDO

  Confluent Development

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  John Comunale

  John Comunale is the President, Founder, and Managing Partner of Comunale Properties and its affiliates, Rectangle Investment Management and Sprink Construction, which together make up a vertically integrated real estate investment, development, and construction platform with more than forty assets across six states. John oversees all strategic planning, capital raising and deployment, and asset management functions. Prior to founding the firm, he began his career in investment banking, focusing on the hospitality industry. John holds a BSBA degree in Real Estate from the University of Denver. He is the founder and president of the Comunale Cancer Foundation, a director of NAIOP Colorado, and a member of the Advisory Board for the University of Denver School of Real Estate and Construction Management. Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with his wife and two kids, and is an avid skier and mountain biker.

  Comunale Properties

  President, Founder, & Managing Partner

  John Comunale

  President, Founder, & Managing Partner

  Comunale Properties

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  Liz Chester

  As Executive Vice President of Speculative Industrial Development, Liz is charged with collaborating with regional development teams on Ryan’s industrial portfolio and national strategy execution for the sector. Her role encompasses managing programmatic capital partnerships and ensuring that Ryan's projects are built to Class A standards, from initial site selection to design, permitting, construction, lease-up, and sale. Drawing on her leadership experience, Liz brings a wealth of knowledge and interdisciplinary expertise to her position, including financial analytics, market research, development management, and operations. During her tenure, Liz established and expanded a national industrial development department, implementing best practices and collaborating with cross-functional teams to execute billions of dollars' worth of industrial developments across dozens of markets. Recognized as a true leader and team player, Liz views challenges as opportunities and thrives on working across markets and disciplines to produce measurable results. Liz is dedicated to leveraging her expertise to foster successful partnerships, drive innovation, and create value for all stakeholders.

  Ryan Companies

  EVP

  Liz Chester

  EVP

  Ryan Companies

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  Lucas Rottler

  Lucas Rottler is vice president of preconstruction at Brinkmann Constructors, where he is responsible for the day-to-day management of the earliest stages of a project. From scheduling to estimating, value engineering analysis, constructability review studies, subcontractor bid engagement, and more, Lucas and his staff consider important details before construction begins. With a focused mindset and an engineering background, he first joined Brinkmann in 2008 working in operations roles as a project engineer and then as a project manager prior to his current director position. Lucas received a dual degree in civil and architectural engineering from the Missouri University of Science & Technology. He became a LEED Accredited Professional one year later. Lucas is based in Brinkmann’s Denver office and has completed projects across a wide range of markets, including industrial, retail, senior living, multifamily, and healthcare.

  Brinkmann Constructors

  VP, Preconstruction

  Lucas Rottler

  VP, Preconstruction

  Brinkmann Constructors

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  Matt Bruns

  Matthew Bruns is Director for the Rocky Mountain Region. In this role, Matthew supports the development team on formulating asset strategies and evaluating projects from both financial and non-financial perspectives. This includes conducting due diligence on prospective projects throughout the growing region. Matthew joined Rockefeller Group with more than six years of real estate experience, both on the development side and mortgage financing side. Prior to joining the company, he worked for Brookfield Properties in Washington, D.C. as Associate, Office Development, Asset Management and Leasing. At Brookfield, he oversaw more than 900,000 square feet of development projects in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, creating development strategies through market analysis. He also managed a 1.7 million-square-foot portfolio and coordinated more than $5MM of construction projects. Matthew has also worked for Rialto Mortgage Finance in New York City as a Senior Analyst for Fixed and Floating Rate Debt Financing. In this role, he underwrote more than $1 billon of permanent and floating rate loans across multiple asset classes including retail, multifamily, hotel and industrial. Mr. Bruns earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University.

  Rockefeller Group

  Director

  Matt Bruns

  Director

  Rockefeller Group

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  Jason Weimer

  Jason has been part of the Denver real estate and finance communities since 2011. He brings a seasoned perspective to the market, specializing in lending and credit management for multifamily, industrial, retail, office, and medical office projects nationwide. As a senior lender with Wintrust Bank, he has originated industrial construction (spec, partially leased and STNL), value add, and term loans across the country, with a focus on logistics buildings supporting primary costal ports and urban infill development across the Mountain West.

  Wintrust

  Sr Relationship Manager

  Jason Weimer

  Sr Relationship Manager

  Wintrust

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  Mike Wafer, Jr.

  Mike Wafer, Jr. specializes in providing landlord, tenant, and investment representation services focusing on the industrial/flex market throughout the Denver metropolitan area. He has expertise in complex build-to-suits, business park development and re-development assets. In a short amount of time, Wafer, Jr.has earned the trust and respect of some of Denver’s most prolific developers including United Properties, Hyde Development, Trammell Crow, Brookfield Properties, The Opus Group, LBA Realty and Prologis, and has become a perennial top producer. A Colorado native and third-generation real estate professional, Wafer, Jr.is a strong negotiator, creative dealmaker and known for his hands-on client-focused delivery. He joined Newmark in 2013. He launched his industry career in financial analysis and tenant representation at JLL and HFF.

  Newmark

  Managing Director

  Moderator

  Mike Wafer, Jr.

  Managing Director

  Newmark

Developing, Managing and Building to Compete for Today's Tenants

How owners are making decisions on where to invest and building efficiencies in the market today

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  Brandon Jenkins

  Brandon Jenkins serves as the Regional Partner, Colorado for St. John Properties, Inc., a national commercial real estate development and investment firm. Jenkins leads a team responsible for over 1 million square feet of flex and office space across the Denver metro area. In his role, Jenkins manages all aspects of St. John Properties’ Colorado office and portfolio, ensuring operational excellence and profitability. He is responsible for hiring and supervising a multidisciplinary team of professionals in acquisitions, development, architectural design, construction, leasing, property management, and maintenance. Jenkins participates in professional real estate, development, and related organizations to enhance networking and visibility for St. John Properties. He has frequently been featured as an expert panelist at Bisnow Denver events. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Planning from the University of Utah and a Master of Science in Real Estate from the Edward St. John Real Estate Program at Johns Hopkins University's Carey Business School. Under Jenkins' leadership, St. John Properties continues to expand its Colorado footprint, delivering high-quality commercial properties through meticulous execution, strategic vision, and collaborative partnerships.

  St. John Properties

  Regional Partner

  Brandon Jenkins

  Regional Partner

  St. John Properties

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  James Carolan

  Prior to founding OCC, James was the Director of Analytics and Research at McWhinney, where he implemented best use practices in financial modeling and vetted the financial performance of company investments to stakeholders for over $1 billion. In addition, James garnered recognition at McWhinney for his knowledge in investments, steering the company to found a non-voting investment committee position where he could provide insight and guidance on cohesive investment strategies. Previously James worked at Real Capital Solutions, where he provided financial management and analytics for value-add commercial investments. James started his career with CBRE as the head analyst for the investment sales team. He built financial models, generated market analytics, analyzed leases, and guided the due diligence for commercial disposition/acquisitions. With over 10 years of experience in commercial real estate, James brings significant experience in developing financial strategies with long-term investment outlooks, superior analytical skills, and outstanding leadership abilities. James holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin.

  OCC Industrial

  CFO

  James Carolan

  CFO

  OCC Industrial

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  Tommy Dirks

  As the Managing Director of Industrial for Baron Properties, Tommy is responsible for industrial acquisitions, dispositions, and developments across the Mountain West region. Since joining Baron in 2024, Tommy has leveraged his extensive experience executing industrial real estate transactions across the western half of the United States, honed during his significant tenures at Trammell Crow Company and Prologis. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and holds an MBA from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business.

  Baron Properties

  Managing Director

  Tommy Dirks

  Managing Director

  Baron Properties

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  Brad Cushard

  Brad Cushard is based in Denver, CO where he is responsible for the Mountain Region at Logistics Property Company. He brings over 15 years of development experience and a passion for all aspects of real estate. Prior to Logistics Property Company, Brad worked on industrial development and commercial acquisitions with an end-value of 175 million dollars. He was Co-Founder at Silver Point Development, and served as Partner and Principal at Central Development in Denver, CO. Brad also worked on retail leasing and land sales, while simultaneously building a residential real estate portfolio at a real estate firm in Sacramento, CA. In addition, Brad also practiced law in the areas of insurance defense litigation, commercial litigation and various real estate transaction matters.

  Logistics Property Company

  SVP

  Brad Cushard

  SVP

  Logistics Property Company

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  Francis Walker

  Commercial Solar Project Developer

  Namaste Solar

• Moderator

  Jeff Heine

  Principal

  Lee & Associates