CEO Roundtable: The Big Picture in Seattle CRE

Strategies for Navigating Market Volatility, Deploying Capital & Driving Growth

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  Greg Smith

  As the founder and CEO of Urban Visions, Greg governs the strategy, direction, and value creation for the firm’s development portfolio. A fifth-generation Seattleite, Greg has over 30 years of industry experience and has formed more than 30 ventures with value in excess of $1.5 Billion. Notable past projects include Millennium Tower, 4th & Madison, 5th & Madison, 901 5th Avenue, and the Reedo Building. Current projects under design and construction include 200 Occidental, Second and Pike, Stadium East, and 888 2nd Ave. Prior to forming Urban Visions, Smith was a Principal of his father’s real estate property management firm, Martin Smith Inc., and the Founder/President of MSI’s development subsidiary, Martin Smith Development Corporation. A respected leader and frequent speaker in the community, Greg is embedded in the fabric of Seattle real estate. He is known for his strong engagement with key stakeholders as well as leadership roles in shaping land use and development patterns throughout key neighborhoods in Seattle. Greg currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Pacific North West chapter of the World Presidents Organization (Chapter Chair), and the University of Washington Foundation.

  Urban Visions

  CEO

  Greg Smith

  CEO

  Urban Visions

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  Craig Wrench

  CEO

  Washington Real Estate Holdings

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  Matthew Simo

  Matthew Simo is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Urban Renaissance Group (URG) where he drives the company’s vision and long-term strategy and provides operational oversight. Matthew has been with URG since its inception in 2006. Prior to becoming CEO, Matthew served as President and Chief Investment Officer where he led the company’s investment strategy, guided acquisition and development activities, and fostered partnerships with strategic institutional and private investors. Under his leadership, URG invested in and managed a portfolio exceeding 20 million square feet and $7 billion, which included office, retail, multifamily and hotel properties. Before joining URG, Matthew worked at Trizec Properties in Chicago. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Development Program in Real Estate at Harvard University. Matthew is also a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional. Matthew is an active member of the Urban Land Institute (Placemaking National Product Council, Center for Sustainable Leadership, Leadership for Change) and the Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association. He also serves on the Runstad Department for Real Estate Advisory Board at the University of Washington and has been a lecturer on Equity Ventures for the University of Washington Commercial Real Estate Certificate Program since 2014.o

  Urban Renaissance Group

  CEO

  Matthew Simo

  CEO

  Urban Renaissance Group

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  Bill Frame

  Bill Frame, SIOR, CCIM is chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Kidder Mathews – the largest fully independent commercial real estate firm in the Western U.S., with over 900 professionals in 20 offices across Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Arizona. The firm offers a complete range of brokerage, appraisal, asset services, consulting, and debt & equity finance services for all property types. As CEO, Bill directs the firm’s strategic vision, growth initiatives, and financial oversight, leveraging his extensive 30-year career in commercial real estate. Throughout his tenure, he has served on Kidder Mathews’ Board of Directors, strategic planning committee, and various executive committees, playing a key role in shaping the firm's direction and success. In addition to his executive leadership, Bill has a distinguished brokerage background, specializing in corporate real estate, healthcare, office, and investment properties. His achievements include being named SIOR Office Broker of the Year and consistently recognized on the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Power 100 Leader list. He was also recognized as one of the Middle Market Fast 50 honorees by PSBJ in 2022 and received the CEO USA Award from CEO Today Magazine in 2023. Bill holds a B.A. in Accounting from the University of Washington and has earned the prestigious Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) and Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) designations. He is a member of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and Commercial Brokers Association (CBA). Beyond his professional role, Bill is a dedicated advocate for cancer research and awareness. He serves on the advisory board of the South Sound Care Foundation and founded the Frame Family Foundation, which has raised nearly $2 million for cancer research. His philanthropic efforts contributed to organizations such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the Care Foundation for Cancer Research in Washington.

  Kidder Mathews

  CEO & Chairman

  Bill Frame

  CEO & Chairman

  Kidder Mathews

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  Chris Wright

  Chris Wright is the Chair of Carney Badley Spellman’s Litigation Group and a nationally recognized construction lawyer with extensive experience handling complex, high-stakes construction and commercial disputes. With decades of success across federal, state, and private projects, Chris is known for his strategic approach, legal expertise, and consistent ability to deliver results in challenging environments. He advises clients on a wide range of issues—from contract negotiation and payment disputes to lien claims and project delivery strategies—and is a regular speaker and published authority on construction law and broader industry topics.

  Carney Badley Spellman

  Chair

  Moderator

  Chris Wright

  Chair

  Carney Badley Spellman

Seattle Development Snapshot: Projects, Priorities & Plays

What, Where, and How Projects Are Moving Forward in Seattle’s Evolving Market

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  Jackie Hizzey

  Jackie has been with MainStreet since the beginning – Employee #1. As Co-President and Chief Financial Officer, Jackie is responsible for leading our organization’s financial strategy, including project capitalization, treasury management, tax planning, business operations, risk management, accounting and reporting, and investor relations. Through her tenure with the organization, Jackie and her team have been instrumental in implementing the systems and processes that have helped make our organization truly “Best in Class.” After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University, Jackie started her career in public accounting as an assurance services auditor at Moss Adams in Seattle. Jackie then moved on to serve as Controller for the West Coast homebuilder, Geonerco Management LLC, where she was in charge of all financial reporting, internal audit, and accounting functions for several decentralized homebuilding offices. Jackie is the Treasurer of the Cascadia College Foundation Board as well as a member of the Gonzaga Accounting Advisory Board. Jackie lives in Woodinville with her husband and daughter and, when not working, can be found running, riding bikes, or walking on the Tolt Pipeline Trail. Recently, Jackie has resigned to the fact that she is a “Swim Mom” of her daughter.

  MainStreet Property Group

  Co-President & CFO

  Jackie Hizzey

  Co-President & CFO

  MainStreet Property Group

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  Bret Jordan

  Bret brings over 27 years of commercial real estate experience to Ryan, with a strong background in brokerage, development and investment, and experience with diverse product types such as office, build-to-suit, industrial, retail, healthcare, multifamily and senior living. As President of Northwest Region, he is responsible for sourcing new opportunities, supporting the region’s current work, coaching current and future staff, and developing and executing a plan to continue building Ryan’s success throughout the Seattle area. Aside from his many years of experience and community involvement, Bret is regarded for his genuine sense of empathy toward customers and their concerns and enjoys the challenge of navigating through conflict to a solution that works.

  Ryan Companies

  President, NW Region

  Bret Jordan

  President, NW Region

  Ryan Companies

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  Cori Palmer

  Cori Palmer joined Mortenson in 2009 after graduating from the University of Puget Sound. As Market Executive, Cori is responsible for fostering and maintaining relationships with clients to partner on their business objectives and growth plans. She has expertise in a wide range of markets, including healthcare, commercial, hospitality, industrial, and water infrastructure. Through her exceptional use of listening, communication, problem-solving, and awareness of market trends, Cori collaborates with teams and partners to develop pristine solutions that benefit every party involved. She makes it her mission each day to help create and lead an environment where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and motivated to put their best foot forward to work together with our customers and partners to build lasting facilities for our communities.

  Mortenson

  Market Executive

  Cori Palmer

  Market Executive

  Mortenson

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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

Developing and Designing High-Performing Properties: Strategies for Value, Growth, and Tenant Demand

Enhancing Property Performance, Placemaking, Attracting Tenants, and Driving Long-Term Value

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  Patrick Foley

  Patrick oversees development for the company, focuses on placemaking in our projects, is active in the entitlement process, maintains investment partner relations, and is responsible for management of the company.

  Lake Union Partners

  Managing Partner and Co-Founder

  Patrick Foley

  Managing Partner and Co-Founder

  Lake Union Partners

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  Matt Hagerman

  As EVP, Matt focuses on business development, including planning and execution of pre-opening technical services, new property construction design and development consulting. Matt’s background has been focused on opening and managing full service, independent, unique hotels and restaurants. A Seattle native, Matt is a University of Washington graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Foster School of Business. Matt is a past board member of the Seattle Hotel Association and teaches the certificate of commercial real estate at the University of Washington. Matt is a husband, father of two, a Husky alum, an avid cyclist (including a ride from Prague to Budapest), golfer, outdoor enthusiast, recreational surfer, and enjoys travel of all kinds. The best way to describe Matt is: eternal optimist, family guy, and enthusiastic.

  Columbia Hospitality

  President, Hotels & Resorts

  Matt Hagerman

  President, Hotels & Resorts

  Columbia Hospitality

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  Matt Rosauer

  Matt has been involved in a wide range of product types as an owner, developer, manager, and contractor. Matt is the managing partner of Pine Street Group. Based in Seattle, PSG’s particular strength is visualizing, developing and managing complex urban development projects, and delivering value to its clients. Matt is currently finishing the 1.5-million-square-foot Seattle Convention Center Addition. The project also includes a 400-unit residential tower and a 500,000 square foot office building. Prior to the convention center, Matt oversaw the development of Via6, a 654-unit apartment building. Via6 is the largest single phase apartment project ever built in downtown Seattle. Matt is a past board chair and director emeritus of Woodland Park Zoo, a current board member of Seattle Academy and Seattle Seawolves, serves on several other non-profit committees, and is a member of Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 under 40, class of 2014.

  Pine Street Group

  Managing Partner

  Matt Rosauer

  Managing Partner

  Pine Street Group

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  Sean Canady

  Sean is a Principal with GGLO and serves as Principal-in-Charge of mixed-use high-rise projects, multi-family urban developments, and urban design, leading teams in designing tall buildings across North America and in southeast Asia. Sean sees architecture and urban design as a calling that allows us to make the world a better place, a commitment informed by his global experience living and working around the world. As part of GGLO’s Design Leadership Group, Sean developed GGLO’s design philosophy and approach, and reviews projects across the office to help refine the essential principals of our craft. Sean passionately believes in the importance of research and questioning to understand, in discovery as a path to innovation, and beauty and artistic expression as essential principals of our work. Sean is a Board member of the Seattle chapter of Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats, is active in ULI and NAIOP, and is a design instructor in the University of Washington’s Commercial Real Estate program.

  GGLO

  Principal

  Sean Canady

  Principal

  GGLO

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  Marjorie Elliott

  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.

  USI

  Partner

  Moderator

  Marjorie Elliott

  Partner

  USI

Sustainable Seattle: Paving the Way for Long-Term Success

Navigating Green Building Standards, ESG Goals, and the Path to Decarbonization in Development and Retrofitting

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  Sarah King

  Sarah King is Senior Vice President of Sustainability at Kilroy Realty, working to advance the sustainability performance of all new and existing buildings in the Kilroy portfolio. She leads the sustainability team and its efforts on operational & embodied carbon, energy efficiency, renewable energy, health & wellness, water use & waste reductions, and positive social impact. Sarah has been working in the sustainability field for over 20 years. Prior to joining Kilroy, she held sustainability roles at Skanska USA Commercial Development and DuPont. She has also worked for several NGOs, including Climate Mayors and the Environmental Law Institute. She earned a BA in economics from Carleton College and an MBA from The George Washington University School of Business. Sarah holds LEED Green Associate, Fitwel Ambassador, and WELL AP credentials. She volunteers on the Net Impact Advisory Board at the University of Washington Foster School of Business and sits on the Advisory Board of the Carbon Leadership Forum. Sarah is an Aspen Institute Catto Fellow.

  Kilroy Realty

  SVP, Sustainability

  Sarah King

  SVP, Sustainability

  Kilroy Realty

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  Jessyn Farrell

  Jessyn Farrell, J.D., is a leader in building public consensus on difficult issues related to the environment, housing, transportation, and the economy. A long-time environmental advocate, Jessyn’s career has spanned the public, private, non-profit, and philanthropic sectors as a state legislator from the 46th District, Executive Director of Transportation Choices and most recently as the Director of the Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) for the City of Seattle. As a legislator, Jessyn passed ground- breaking legislation on oil-by-rail safety, affordable housing near transit centers, education supports for low-income and homeless youth, protections for pregnant workers and restrictions to cell-phone use while driving. As Director of OSE, Jessyn leads efforts to reduce climate pollution and ensure a clean and healthy environment for all residents of Seattle. She has three kids, a dog, two cats and is working on her first book.

  City of Seattle

  Director, Office of Sustainability and Environment

  Jessyn Farrell

  Director, Office of Sustainability and Environment

  City of Seattle

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  Bec Wilder

  Bec combines their vision for creating the world we know is possible with their background in sustainability, prefab, technology, construction, and development. Bec loves building teams to generate and operationalize creative solutions to move away from scarcity paradigms, fossil fuels, and the housing shortage; towards sustainability, abundance and love. Originally from the northeast, Bec moved to the West Coast to learn how to build green buildings. Quickly Bec joined a custom modular prefab company engaging with the promise and opportunity of prefab building. Bec earned an MBA in Sustainable Systems from Bainbridge Graduate Institute (Presidio Graduate School). From there, Bec helped companies and leaders build stronger, more effective teams before joining Don Bunnell as a founder of NODE, a construction technology start-up creating software enabled prefab components for fast, sustainable, and cost effective house assembly. Bec is excited to re-join the Green Canopy team as Green Canopy NODE to scale our impact, solutions and to build the future of construction.

  Green Canopy NODE

  CEO

  Bec Wilder

  CEO

  Green Canopy NODE

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  Monica Chhatwani

  Monica is DPR Construction’s Decarbonization Program Leader. She holds a strategic role in the Global Sustainability Group, responsible for scaling enterprise-level carbon tracking and reduction goals, as well as developing new services in Sustainability to help DPR achieve its goal of being the Most Admired by 2030. DPR has set ambitious goals as part of the Path to Regeneration and there are increasing regulatory needs at the national and global level around Sustainability & ESG reporting requirements. Monica is developing Embodied Carbon & Whole Building LCA workflows, and a team at DPR that can provide this as a value-added service to our clients, helping them achieve their carbon targets. She works with Preconstruction, VDC and field teams to collaboratively evaluate & recommend lower embodied carbon material optimizations and assist with tracking carbon throughout the project life cycle.

  DPR Construction

  Decarbonization Program Leader

  Moderator

  Monica Chhatwani

  Decarbonization Program Leader

  DPR Construction