Capital, Acquisitions & Leasing: A Look At What’s Driving Deals

Pricing Reality, Underwriting Strategies, and Where Demand Is Heading

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  Zach Zaborowski

  Zach leads the Pacific Northwest for Perform Properties (formerly EQ Office). He is responsible for driving strategy through new acquisitions, leasing, operations & reposition/development efforts in the region.

  Perform Properties

  SVP, Pacific Northwest

  Zach Zaborowski

  SVP, Pacific Northwest

  Perform Properties

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  William Leedom

  As Managing Director, William is responsible for investment activities throughout the Pacific Northwest. He currently oversees new acquisitions, recapitalizations, and dispositions. Additionally, he manages a portfolio of assets in the firm’s development division, including land acquisition, feasibility, entitlement, construction, leasing, and eventual disposition. Before joining URG, William spent over a decade at Talon Private Capital, where he was involved in several million square feet of acquisitions and dispositions. He managed a 2.7 million square foot portfolio of 13 Seattle-area properties, led the largest receivership in Washington state history, and successfully developed Kirkland Urban—a 750,000-square-foot mixed-use project later sold to Google. Prior to Talon, he spent five years at Metzler Real Estate, managing assets across the U.S. He also held an internship at Schnitzer West and worked in investment banking for four years before pursuing his MBA. William earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Accounting from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA with a concentration in Real Estate from Columbia Business School. He is an active Urban Land Institute (ULI) member, serving on the Urban Development Mixed Use Council and the National Suburban Development/Redevelopment Council. He also serves on the Academy of Precision Learning Board of Directors.

  Urban Renaissance Group

  Managing Director, Investments

  William Leedom

  Managing Director, Investments

  Urban Renaissance Group

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  Wende Miller

  Wende Miller is a Principal for Talon Private Capital (TPC). Wende joined TPC in 2012. During her time at TPC, Wende has overseen asset management and leasing for TPC’s portfolio, including partner properties. She has completed over 4.5 million square feet of new, pre-leased, and renewal leases while overseeing property management, project management and brokerage teams in multiple markets. Wende has spent the majority of her 27 year real estate career as a broker specializing is significant transactions for owners, major law firms, corporations, financial institutions and professional and technical firms in the Puget Sound Region. She has implemented much of what she learned as a broker into her daily interactions now as an owner, while leaning on her vast industry relationships to ensure the most advantageous results for TPC properties, their investors and partners. Wende attended Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina where she was a member of the cross country and track teams. Wende is a member and has been actively involved in several industry related organizations such as Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), CoreNet, National Association for Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) and was recently recognized as a Power Woman in Commercial Real Estate by Bisnow. She is also committed to giving back to her community having served as a board member for the Hope Heart Institute, Bishop Blanchet Boosters, Camp Fire USA and a member of the Jubilee Women’s Center Steering Committee where they were successful in raising $5 million in a capital campaign. Additionally, Wende has enjoyed coaching track & field, basketball and soccer for her children’s teams over the years but is now adjusting to the empty nest life since the last of her five children has gone to college.

  Talon Private Capital

  Principal

  Wende Miller

  Principal

  Talon Private Capital

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  Aaron Laing

  Team Responsibility | Aaron is an Account Executive in our Commercial Department, serving a broad range of clients in the real estate, development, construction, restaurant, and hospitality industries. As an account executive, he leads a multifaceted team of talented, experienced colleagues who collaborate to tailor insurance programs to meet each client’s unique risk management needs. Background | Aaron joined Parker, Smith & Feek in 2022 after a 20-year career as a land use/real estate attorney, during which he served a broad client base of owners, developers, and property managers. His decades-long experience as a trusted advisor on all aspects of real property development, management, leasing, and litigation have provided him a unique and deep understanding of his clients’ challenges and needs. Aaron has extensive knowledge of real estate transactions, the development lifecycle, business considerations, litigation, and the risks associated with those activities. Experience & Approach | Relying on his experiences as an attorney, Aaron works to understand the nuances of his clients’ businesses in order to best guide them through their risk management efforts. He uses a proactive approach to risk control, claims management, underwriter negotiations, emphasizing mitigation of risks present in construction and development operations through risk assessment and clear contracts. Professional and Community Involvement | Aaron’s deeply held beliefs in serving others and teamwork led to his successful legal career and are the cornerstones of his approach to risk management. He also believes strongly in community involvement. He has served as board member and president of Bellevue United FC, and he volunteered on the City of Bellevue’s Planning Commission for over eight years. He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and serves on the state committee as the private sector public-private partnership co-chair. Aaron is also a member of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Land Use, Sustainability & Housing (PLUSH) committee and the Building Industry Association of Washington’s (BIAW) Legal Committee. Aaron enjoys playing, coaching, and cheering for his kids in soccer.

  IMA Financial Group

  VP, Real Estate

  Moderator

  Aaron Laing

  VP, Real Estate

  IMA Financial Group

Workplace Strategy: Repositioning & Enhancing the Office Experience

Aligning Design, Amenities and Operations to Drive Leasing, Retention and Engagement

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  Kathy O’Kelley

  SVP, Portfolio Operations

  Clise Properties

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  Josh Khanna

  Josh Khanna joined the Expedia Global Real Estate team in 2014. She is currently Director Global Operations for Real Estate. Her prior responsibilities have included the site development and construction for the EG Seattle Campus, from campus master plan to management of the site and planned amenities. Previously, Josh was the Regional Lead for the Asia Pacific region for Expedia, Inc. She has 15+ years’ experience in domestic and international corporate real estate including planning, strategy, design, construction, and facilities coordination. Josh has participated in panels at Green Build Summit 2020, CoreNet Tech Symposium 2019, CoreNet Global2017 and 2021, CoreNet/CREW event 2017and Future Offices 2017, among others. She is incoming President, CoreNet WA Chapter Board for 2023 and is the Secretary for Spark Northwest, a regional non-profit. Josh holds a BFA in Applied Arts (College of Art, New Delhi), BTech in Interior Design (Chelsea School of Design, London) and a Professional Designation in Interior Design (UCLA). Expedia, Inc., operates more than 200 travel booking sites in more than 75 countries worldwide across its portfolio of online travel brands including Expedia, Hotels.com, Orbitz Worldwide, Hotwire, Travelocity, Egencia, HomeAway, Inc., trivago, and Wotif Group.

  Expedia

  Director, Global Real Estate

  Josh Khanna

  Director, Global Real Estate

  Expedia

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  Jordan Lott

  Jordan Lott is President and CEO of Lake Washington Partners, a real estate development company he co-founded in 2006. The company was founded on the vision to build one of the US’s great real estate portfolios. In his role, Jordan oversees all aspects of the business including capital deployment, leasing and property management operations. Jordan takes a hands-on approach and fosters long-term relationships with LKWP’s staff, tenants, vendors, and the community at large. His passion for real estate was ignited by his grandfather, Manny Lott, a pioneer in Seattle’s real estate scene in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Jordan’s dedication to mentorship and advancing industry standards is evident through his active roles in the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, as a lifetime Research Foundation Governor for NAIOP, and as a Board Member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). His educational background in Real Estate Development from University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business complements his practical experience, making him a versatile thought leader in the industry.

  Lake Washington Partners

  President, CEO

  Jordan Lott

  President, CEO

  Lake Washington Partners

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  Nicole Brittenham

  Nicole Brittenham is a Senior Interior Designer at JPC Architects in Bellevue, where she has been involved in workplace and asset repositioning projects since joining the firm in 2018 and now leads projects with a collaborative, client-focused approach. With 27 years of professional experience spanning interior design, product strategy, and business operations, she brings a uniquely strategic perspective to creative problem solving and project leadership. As an NCIDQ-certified designer, Nicole is passionate about translating vision into thoughtful environments that support business goals, culture, and human experience. She is equally committed to exceptional client service, creating not only impactful spaces, but also a positive and seamless experience for clients throughout the design process. Nicole is also a member of CREW and an active participant in the commercial real estate community.

  JPC Architects

  Sr Interior Designer

  Nicole Brittenham

  Sr Interior Designer

  JPC Architects

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  JP Veillet

  Jean-Pierre "JP" Veillet brings over 30 years of experience in designing, developing, and building projects. A Northwest native, he has a personal stake in shaping the region’s future. From tiny but mighty retail concepts to expansive ground-up projects, JP is dedicated to creating environments that enhance the experience from the inside out.

  Swinerton

  Director of Development, NW Region

  Moderator

  JP Veillet

  Director of Development, NW Region

  Swinerton