Charting Trends and Preferences

Navigating the Evolution of Consumer Desires

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  Steve Graham

  Steve Graham brings together a rare combination of expertise in architecture, construction, development and leasing. His career has embraced all of these talents and interests resulting in development experience focused on the largest and most-complicated commercial development challenges. Before launching Stellar Development Steve spent the previous 10 years as the Vice President for Destination Development for RED Development. Steve contributed greatly to the leasing, development and strategy behind some of RED’s biggest shopping centers, including The Legends Outlets of Kansas City, The Promenade at Chenal and The Legends at Sparks Marina. Steve’s success lies in forging strong relationships with everyone from anchor tenants to community leaders, and from his wealth of knowledge of public financing structures and how to create successful public/private partnerships. Steve received a BS in engineering and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin and his Masters in Architecture from the University of Kansas. Steve is well known in the destination attraction industry and is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars related to tourism-driven retail development.

  Stellar Development

  Founder

  Steve Graham

  Founder

  Stellar Development

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  Jim Dillavou

  Jim is the National Head of Retail Investments and Retail Capital Markets for Lincoln Property Company, and co-founder of the retail investment firm, Paragon Commercial Group, Lincoln’s west coast retail investment partner. Jim began his career as a real estate and finance attorney with Latham & Watkins LLP where he represented developers, equity investors and lenders in capital structuring, acquisitions, dispositions, leasing and entitlements throughout the United States. Jim co-founded Paragon in 2009 to capitalize on retail real estate investment opportunities resulting from the GFC market dislocation. Since that time, Jim has been honored by the Urban Land Institute as one of the “Top 40 Under 40” land use and real estate professionals in the United States, by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the top 5 retail real estate professionals in Los Angeles, and twice recognized by the Los Angeles Times as a Commercial Real Estate Visionary. Jim currently serves in various industry leadership capacities including the Executive Committee of the Southern Methodist University Folsom Institute for Real Estate, Policy Advisory Board for the Fisher Center for Real Estate & Urban Economics at UC Berkeley, Executive Committee Board of the USC Gould School of Law Real Estate Law and Business Forum, immediate past Chairman of the Urban Land Institute's Small Scale Development Council, and lecturer at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and the UC Berkeley Masters of Real Estate programs. Jim’s civic involvements include his current service as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Manhattan Beach, California, as well as a founding donor and advisor to the SMU Real Estate Impact Fund, a student-driven investment vehicle focused on impact investing in underserved communities.

  Paragon Commercial Group

  Principal

  Jim Dillavou

  Principal

  Paragon Commercial Group

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  Stephany Ruiz

  As Trademark’s VP of Experience, Stephany is involved in every facet of the customer experience when they step onto a Trademark property. Stephany effectively activates the common areas across the company’s national portfolio and creates hospitality-driven guest experiences that attract experiential retailers to Trademark’s properties. These retailers are seeking brand alignment and opening in locations that create exceptional guest experiences beyond the lease lines. From elevating the valet to integrating technology-centric solutions for brick and mortar retailers, Stephany has a unique perspective on the topic and would be a great addition to the Experiential Retail and Retailtainment panel.

  Trademark Property Company

  VP, Experience

  Stephany Ruiz

  VP, Experience

  Trademark Property Company

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  Stenn Parton

  Stenn Parton brings over 15 years of experience in real estate development, acquisitions, leasing, and brand building. Combining a long-dated approach and understanding of real estate fundamentals with creative placemaking, Stenn’s instinct for creating generational value with a focus on day-to-day operations shapes a different point-of-view to owning and operating real estate. Stenn graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Urban Planning & Real Estate Development, and serves on the Board of Directors for SEAL Future Foundation.

  Prism Places

  Founder & CEO

  Stenn Parton

  Founder & CEO

  Prism Places

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  Bob Young

  Professional Background Robert E. Young, Jr., is Executive Managing Director for Weitzman. Young utilizes his extensive brokerage and management experience on Weitzman business development and brand promotion. Young also directs the statewide initiative to grow all of the business lines of the Weitzman platform. Additionally, through active International Council of Shopping Centers involvement and national leadership in the Retail Brokers Network, Young works to extend the firm's reach and presence with clients, prospects and the overall industry at large. Prior to joining Weitzman, Young was senior managing director for Kennedy‐Wilson. His extensive commercial real estate career also includes service as executive vice president and managing director in charge of the Dallas operation for Grubb & Ellis and as executive vice president for BEI Management, Inc Professional Organizations Young serves on the Board of Directors and was the 2009 President of the Retail Brokers Network, a nationwide retail networking group whose member companies specialize in retail real estate brokerage. RBN’s independent firms work together on a regional and national level in tenant representation, project leasing and investment sales. Young also is a member of the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors (NTCAR) and is past president of its board of directors. In addition, he is a member of the Realtors Commercial Alliance national board of directors and is active in The Real Estate Council, the International Council of Shopping Centers, the Urban Land Institute and the International Development Research Council. Young co‐authored a chapter in “Leasing for Non‐leasing Professionals,” a book published by the International Council of Shopping Centers. He is a regular instructor for ICSC nationwide educational programs and was dean for the ICSC University at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and is now a faculty member of ICSC's John T. Riordan School for Retail Real Estate Professionals. Education Young received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.

  Weitzman

  Executive Managing Director

  Bob Young

  Executive Managing Director

  Weitzman

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  Tyler Alley

  Tyler Alley is the CEO of Rose City Partners, a family office DFW based development company focused on building neighborhood strip centers. Rose City Partners’ primary competitive advantage is its ability to self-perform construction, leading to significant cost savings that result in lower rents for its tenants.

  Rose City Partners

  CEO

  Tyler Alley

  CEO

  Rose City Partners

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  Kim Buttram

  Kim Buttram is a native of Dallas, Texas, working to help build community through economic development on the east side of the metroplex since 2007. As the Director of Economic Development for the City of Mesquite, she represents the city in commercial land development, retail and business attraction, strategic relationships, redevelopment, and tourism initiatives. Kim is a graduate of Texas A&M University and a Certified Economic Developer, a credential held by about 25% of members of the International Economic Development Council. She has served on the editorial board of the North Texas Commission (NTX), is a Leadership North Texas alumnus, and has led several North Texas cities in award-winning development efforts recognized by organizations such as the Texas Downtown Association, National Main Street, the Texas Economic Development Council, and most recently the Dallas Business Journal BRED 2024 Industrial User of the year award. Kim and team are having fun ushering new businesses into the North Texas region by working with partners to maximize Mesquite’s renaissance. She loves representing Mesquite as a long-standing, tried-and-true Texas hotspot for can-do spirited business and innovation (Mesquite built the first ever air-conditioned indoor mall in the U.S., established the first to be globally broadcast rodeo, has its own high school student-run radio station, and more she’ll gladly tell you about). The most enjoyable and impactful aspect of her job is finding the “why” for each person on a project and then blazing the trail to the collaborative finish line. She and her husband have four grown children and ten grandchildren, raise chickens and bees, and have a new puppy because they just weren’t busy enough already.

  City of Mesquite

  Director of Economic Development

  Moderator

  Kim Buttram

  Director of Economic Development

  City of Mesquite

Mastering Mixed-Use

Trends and Strategies for Success

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  Robert Franks

  Rob is a Managing Director specializing in retail tenant representation in the Dallas/Southwest market. In his role, he manages both high growth new store rollouts and existing store portfolio management. He performs market analysis for new stores and relocations, conducts corporate site tours, negotiates letters of intent and works to ensure that store openings are timely and within budget. As an extension of clients’ internal real estate departments, Mr. Franks is responsible for efficiently managing their real estate portfolio needs and ensuring strategies are aligned with their business objectives. Representative clients include Walgreens, Bank of America, T-Mobile, Guitar Center, Texas Health Resources, 24Hr Fitness, Tempur-Pedic, Legacy Bank & Trust, American Feight, EyeMart Express, Big Blue Swim School, Filson, Shinola, Kohler, EZ Corp, Carvana, Urgent Vet, Music & Arts, BioLife, Hopdoddy Burger Bar, Blue Goose Cantina and Café Zupas.

  JLL

  Managing Director

  Robert Franks

  Managing Director

  JLL

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  Artemio De La Vega

  Artemio De La Vega is the founder and CEO of De La Vega Development, a commercial real estate firm specializing in dynamic mixed-use developments. Mr. De La Vega has more than 25 years of experience in the entrepreneurial and real estate industry, with a focus on single-tenant, multi-tenant retail centers and mixed-use developments. He brings a versatile and deep knowledge of development, master planning, entitlements, construction and capital markets to every project. Mr. De La Vega has successfully invested, acquired, developed or redeveloped more than 100 commercial real estate projects throughout the world. Some of his more notable projects include the 900,000 square-foot Las Palmas Marketplace in El Paso, TX; the 900,000-square-foot Canyon West in Lubbock, TX; the 400,000-square-foot Kings Crossing in Shreveport, LA; as well as multiple industrial distribution and manufacturing facilities for clients such as Chrysler, General Motors, Alcoa, Yazaki, Bergamasca and more. As a recognized leader in the commercial real estate industry, Mr. De La Vega frequently serves as a panelist for many leadership and future vision summits. He is also a guest columnist for a variety of publications and active with several professional organizations, including the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and The Real Estate Council (TREC). In addition, he serves on the Executive Committee of the Chancellor’s Council of the University of Texas System, is a board member and donor to the FEMAP Foundation, and a proud donor and supporter of the Artemio De La Vega Scholarship Fund for the benefit of Hispanic students at the University of Texas, El Paso. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas, is a graduate of Culver Military Academy, Jr. Reserve Officers Training Corps and holds an FAA private aircraft license. Mr. De La Vega enjoys spending time with his wife and four children.

  De La Vega Development

  CEO

  Artemio De La Vega

  CEO

  De La Vega Development

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  Aaron Stephenson

  Partner

  Retail Street Advisors

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  Jeanne Katz

  Practices: Real Estate Development & Investments; Planned Community, Mixed-Use & Condominium Industries: Higher Education; P3, Infrastructure & Project Finance; Real Estate Jeanne Katz is a shareholder in Winstead's Real Estate Development & Investments Practice Group. Representative Experience ▪ Condominium Transactions: Representation of condominium developers in the development of residential and mixed-use condominium projects and the conversion of existing multifamily housing into residential condominiums; Representation of property owner and condominium associations in governance and administrative matters ▪ Development: Representation of property developers in the structuring and documentation of mixed use projects and the acquisition, disposition and development of improved and unimproved property ▪ Finance: Representation of institutional lenders in connection with debt and equity financing, including construction, acquisition and refinancing loans Professional & Community Service ▪ State Bar of Texas ▪ Dallas Bar Association, Real Property Section (Board of Directors; Chair) ▪ CREW ▪ Urban Land Institute, North Texas Chapter ▪ American College of Real Estate Lawyers Awards & Recognition ▪ The Best Lawyers in America, (BL Rankings, LLC), 2016-2024 ▪ Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2019

  Winstead PC

  Shareholder Co-Chair

  Moderator

  Jeanne Katz

  Shareholder Co-Chair

  Winstead PC

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  Andy Fast

  Associate Principal

  Omniplan

DFW Retail

Experiential Insights, Growth & Equity

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  Larry Leon

  Larry Leon is a Partner at Retail Union. Larry started the first retail tenant representation firm in Dallas/Fort Worth. For the past several years, he has specialized in Location Based Entertainment and hospitality tenant representation, specializing in strategic market planning and site selection for firms in the entertainment and restaurant industry. He and his team have an exceptional track record of picking winning locations for the best in the business. He has represented Merlin Entertainments (Legoland Discovery Centers, Sea Life Aquarium, Peppa Pig), Pinstripes, Andretti Karting, Electric Playhouse, Whole Foods and Dave & Buster's. Larry has worked with many top restaurant operators such as Wagamama, Eureka and Darden restaurants including their specialty restaurant group including Capital Grille and Seasons 52. Bringing Nebraska Furniture Mart to North Texas is one of the high points of Larry's career. The Berkshire Hathaway-owned retailer purchased 433 acres in The Colony for their fourth and largest store (1.85 million square feet) along with the Grandscape retail, restaurant and entertainment complex. This required a huge team effort to do the assemblage and entice Nebraska Furniture Mart to DFW. With over 40 years of experience in commercial real estate, Larry has been a trusted advisor to many of the best in the industry

  Retail Union

  Partner

  Larry Leon

  Partner

  Retail Union

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  Bernard Shaw

  Bernard Shaw is a Senior Vice President of Asset Management with the Dallas-Fort Worth office of Weitzman. In this position, Shaw is responsible for overseeing the asset management of a portfolio of retail centers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and special development and redevelopment projects. In this capacity, Shaw serves as fiduciary and owners’ representative for projects where he directs and stewards the strategic and tactical performance and operations of shopping centers containing over 1.5 million square feet and where specific duties include directing leasing, management. construction and developing and executing tenant mix and development/redevelopment related efforts of the shopping centers and available land to maximize cashflow and value. At Weitzman, Shaw has successfully negotiated transactions totaling over 2.5 million square feet Prior to joining Weitzman, Shaw was a partner with GMS Emerging Ventures, LLC, where he identified, arranged and consulted on transactions, primarily for retail, residential and mixed-use development. While at GMS, Shaw helped grow the property portfolio to 4.5 million square feet through acquisitions and strategic alliances. Shaw’s experience also includes professional positions with Merrill Lynch, Bank of America Securities, LLC, and ExxonMobil, where he was responsible for financings/restructurings of more than $7 billion, asset dispositions of more than $1 billion and portfolio management/stewardship of more than $4 billion. Shaw is a member of The Real Estate Council, the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Urban Land Institute. He serves on task force for DISD and the City of Dallas relating to housing and economic development, is on the advisory team for St. Philip’s Community School and served on the Dallas Bethlehem Center board of directors and the St. Anthony’s School development board. Shaw is a faithful member of Concord Church, where he sings in the choir.

  Weitzman

  SVP, Asset Management

  Bernard Shaw

  SVP, Asset Management

  Weitzman

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  Vyctoria Cray

  Vyctoria Cray's illustrious career in the hospitality industry has been marked by a remarkable commitment to excellence and a relentless pursuit of success. Born and raised in Las Vegas, Cray was exposed to the ins and outs of the hospitality industry from a young age. After graduating from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a degree in Hospitality & Hotel Management, she continued her professional journey with positions at some of the world's most celebrated hotels, including The Wynn Resort, MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, and The Palms. Cray's passion for event planning and management led her to work with some of the most significant conventions and festivals in the world, such as The Electric Daisy Carnival, CES, MAGIC, Intel Summit, and many more. As the Director of Nightlife and VIP Services for Jeff Beacher of Beacher's Madhouse in Las Vegas and Hollywood, Cray's career took a significant turn as she launched her nightlife management career in grand style. After relocating to Dallas, Cray continued to climb the ranks, first as the Food and Beverage Director at the Statler Hotel in Downtown, and later as the operating partner in her first restaurant, Bitter End. Her impressive track record and vast experience led her to assume the position of Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Strategic Partnerships for Refined Hospitality Concepts, which includes The Statler Hotel, Refined Hospitality Concepts Catering, and Primo's MX Kitchen & Lounge. In this role, Cray was responsible for the success of the Beverage Department, forging long-term community partnerships, overseeing the marketing department, and spearheading overall branding for each concept and the company. Cray's unparalleled expertise has also led her to serve as a consultant on music venues, bars, restaurants, and large-scale events in Dallas for the past five years. She has most recently teamed up with Adrian Verdin, a well-known Dallas restauranteur, to establish On Brand Hospitality, a venture that promises to be a game-changer in the hospitality industry. With her vast experience, impressive achievements, and a passion for excellence, Vyctoria Cray continues to make her mark as one of the leading hospitality professionals of her generation.

  On Brand Hospitality

  COO

  Vyctoria Cray

  COO

  On Brand Hospitality

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  Chad Hagle

  CEO & Founder

  Aventine Development Corporation

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  Matt Tillman

  Matt Tillman is a licensed Architect supporting the Hospitality & Entertainment team at HFA. Matt shares the responsibility for concepting, programming, designing, document production, contract writing, and code analysis. He brings 13 years of industry experience, including construction administration, to his role at HFA and has been essential to designing the concepts for well-known companies in sports entertainment, fast casual dining, and arcade/sports bar industries.

  HFA Architecture + Engineering

  Architect

  Matt Tillman

  Architect

  HFA Architecture + Engineering

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  Zach Sams

  Zach Sams joined Kensington Vanguard in November of 2016 after serving as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Fidelity National Title’s Dallas/Fort Worth division from 2012-2016. Zach is focused on expanding KV’s footprint in the D/FW, Texas, Arizona and National markets. From selling real estate for to business development roles at prominent local and national title insurance companies, Zach has been active in the in the real estate market since 2005. Prior to the title industry, Zach attended The Golf Academy of America in San Diego, then spent two years playing professional golf on various mini tours in Southern California. Zach is a Veteran of the US Army. Zach lives in Argyle, TX with his wife Amber and their two boys 11&13. In his free time Zach enjoys playing competitive amateur golf and traveling with his wife and kids.

  Kensington Vanguard National Title

  EVP

  Moderator

  Zach Sams

  EVP

  Kensington Vanguard National Title