Building the Future: Updates in Construction

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  Nestor Mejia

  President, Development and Construction

  Shoma Group

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  Brad Meltzer

  Brad Meltzer is a Partner and President of Two Roads Development. In this role, he oversees real estate development activities from design through construction and supports the team in identifying new opportunities. Meltzer has facilitated the growth of numerous regional business units scaling some from start up to more than 250 employees. Specializing in delivering high-end projects, Meltzer has led award-winning projects from inception to completion across various asset classes, including condominium, multifamily, hospitality, office, and retail. A sampling of such projects includes Biscayne Beach, The One Thousand Museum Tower, the 4 Tower Paraiso Complex, the Ritz Carlton Residences Miami Beach, The Marquis, Millicento, W Hotel South Beach, One Hotel and Homes, Icon Bay, Carillon Miami Beach (aka Canyon Ranch), Town Center One at Dadeland, Aventura Mall Expansion, Westshore Marina Pointe, Mandarin Oriental Miami. Meltzer led the construction of 15 buildings in excess of 35 stories and 2 in excess of 60 stories. He holds a Masters's in Architecture from Tulane University and has more than 30 years of construction experience, having headed a top national construction firm as its CEO. Meltzer also sits on the Advisory Board of the University of Miami MRED+U and Construction Management programs, Tulane University School of Architecture Advisory Board, Gulliver Prep Board of Trustees, and Voices for Children Board of Directors.

  Two Roads Development

  Partner & President

  Brad Meltzer

  Partner & President

  Two Roads Development

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  Justin Dunn

  Managing Director

  BBX Logistics

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  Kyle Goebel

  In his current role, Kyle’s primary responsibility is to provide valuable direction in both the preconstruction and construction phases of the project - ensuring the team delivers on all project goals. His leadership and operational skills are critical to providing effective guidance for the project team. Kyle is committed to remaining visible and accessible throughout the entire project, actively engaging with key stakeholders and fostering relationships that can lead to future endeavors. His goal is to provide Suffolk project teams and regional leadership with best-in-class standards, support, tools, and data to enable them to perform at the highest level, not only in the current project but also in their ongoing efforts to expand the company’s portfolio and enhance its business development initiatives. Kyle has had various operational and functional roles throughout his time at Suffolk, including National Director of Operational Excellence, Chief of Staff, Senior Project Manager, and Senior BIM/VDC Manager. Prior to joining Suffolk, Kyle worked as VDC Project Manager for AECOM Hunt and Project Engineer for Bristol-Meyers Squibb. Kyle was recently selected as a 2023 South Florida Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award winner, and also as a 2023 South Florida Business & Wealth Up and Comer Award recipient. Kyle earned his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Construction Management from Ball State University.

  Suffolk Construction

  Vice President of Operations

  Kyle Goebel

  Vice President of Operations

  Suffolk Construction

• Moderator

  Shawn Oden

  Managing Director

  BMO Commercial Bank

Economic Impacts: Understanding Market Dynamics

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  Alex Witkoff

  Alex Witkoff is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Witkoff’s development activities. He is currently overseeing the West Hollywood EDITION project, which is comprised of a 190-key hotel and 20 branded residences in Los Angeles, California, as well as Drew Las Vegas, a 4,000-room integrated resort adjacent to the expanded Las Vegas Convention Center. Mr. Witkoff has garnered a track record of consistently executing creative strategies across diverse asset classes. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Witkoff honed his expertise in real estate and private equity as a real estate investing analyst at Morgan Stanley. He also gained experience in the industry working with Eastdil Secured, Highgate Hotels, and The Trump Organization. Mr. Witkoff graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where he received a B.S. in Economics with a concentration in Finance and Real Estate.

  Witkoff

  Co-CEO

  Alex Witkoff

  Co-CEO

  Witkoff

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  Sevanne Steiner

  Sevanne Steiner is the Assistant Director of Planning for the City of Miami where she uses her expertise in new urbanism to oversee the City’s comprehensive plan, long- range planning policies, and land development entitlements. Previously, Steiner served in different urban planning capacities at the City of Fort Worth, Texas and the City of New Orleans, Louisiana. She has been recognized for her work in design districts, historic preservation, and form- based codes; specifically, for writing design standards by The National Alliance of Preservation Commissions and the International Downtown Associations. Outside of work, she volunteers for the YMCA Youth and Government program and currently serves on the Alabama YMCA Youth in Government Board. Additionally, she serves as the Co- Chair for the Global and Community Leadership Committee for The University of Alabama Division of Community Affairs Board of Advisors. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Alabama and a Master of Fine Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design and is an accredited member of the Congress for New Urbanism.

  City of Miami

  Assistant Director of Planning

  Sevanne Steiner

  Assistant Director of Planning

  City of Miami

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  Dan Sheehan

  Daniel R. Sheehan is President of Vista Bank, a commercial bank headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with approximately $2 billion in total assets. Based in Palm Beach County, Florida, Dan is responsible for supporting existing Vista Bank markets, overseeing the expansion into Florida, and executing on specific bank-wide initiatives. He is also a member of the Bank’s board of directors. Previously, Mr. Sheehan was Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Professional Bank, which he co-founded in 2008 in Coral Gables, Florida. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Holding Corp (NASDAQ: PFHD) since its inception in 2014, he was responsible for the development and execution of its growth, capital, and leadership plans. Under his leadership, Professional Bank grew its balance sheet approximately 14x before selling to Seacoast Bank in 2022. Professional Bank was recognized as a “Top Place to Work” by the Sun Sentinel in 2021 and received the “Best Places to Work” designation by the South Florida Business Journal for the fourth consecutive year in 2021, placing first among all financial institutions. In 2020 Mr. Sheehan was invited to meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin at the U.S. Treasury Department in Washington D.C. to discuss the rollout, benefits, and challenges of the newly instituted Paycheck Protection Program. Earlier that year, he was interviewed live on the Fox Business program, “Mornings with Maria,” to discuss the banking industry and the dynamics of the Florida economy following his IPO of Professional Holding Corp. Mr. Sheehan led his team in ringing the bell at NASDAQ’s global headquarters in Times Square to open the trading day on February 14, 2020. From 2016 until 2019, Mr. Sheehan was a real estate investment banker with Walker & Dunlop, Inc. and held a similar position with Cohen Financial from 2005 through 2016. Starting his career at Bear Stearns, he has invested and deployed over $10 billion of institutional real estate capital throughout the U.S. while holding various positions at national real estate investment banks and financial intermediaries. Recognized for his achievements in finance, banking, real estate, and deal-making by South Florida CEO magazine as the “Six Million Dollar Man,” Sheehan was named “Heavy Hitter in Commercial Real Estate Finance” by South Florida Business Journal. He has appeared numerous times as the Daily Business Review’s “Top Dealmaker” in Finance, South Florida Business Journal’s “Power Leaders” for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021, received South Florida Business & Wealth’s “Apogee Award” in 2019, and its Finance Award in 2021, and was included in Palm Beach Magazine’s “Palm Beach 100,” as one of Palm Beach County’s most influential business leaders in 2020 and 2021. An active Young Presidents Organization (YPO) member, Mr. Sheehan has participated in lecture series with the Milken Institute and several other industry interest groups. He has served as an adjunct speaker and lecturer at the University of Miami School of Law on Real Estate Finance and Capital Markets, National Association of Office and Industrial Properties: “How to Survive in a Down Market,” Urban Land Institute’s 2009 South Florida Economic and Development Outlook: “Global Finance and the Money Markets,” and Urban Land Institute’s 2014 South Florida Economic and Development Outlook: “The Money Chase .”He currently serves on the investment advisory board for Alterna Equity Partners, a lower middle market private equity firm, and an operating partner at Interplay, a New York City-based venture capital firm. He is a member of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County. Mr. Sheehan was an economics major and varsity football letterman at Duke University before receiving his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Florida and his M.B.A. from the University of Miami.

  Vista Bank

  President

  Dan Sheehan

  President

  Vista Bank

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  Rafael Aregger

  Head of Investments US

  Empira Group

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  Danielle Gonzalez

  Danielle Gonzalez concentrates on commercial real estate law. She represents national and local clients in connection with the acquisition, financing, leasing and disposition of retail centers, office buildings, industrial parks, multi-family residential properties, self-storage centers, parking facilities, and raw-land developments throughout the United States. Danielle possesses vast experience advising on commercial leasing, and represents both landlords and tenants on leases covering all real estate asset classes. She represents sellers and purchasers with the acquisition and disposition of numerous types of real property. She counsels borrowers in connection with secured financings, including acquisition loans, refinances and defeasances. Danielle also has experience counseling retail clients on the development of shopping center pads for brand-specific uses, including the negotiation of ground leases, CC&Rs, easements and design guidelines. She also has experience with acquiring, developing and financing self-storage centers. Finally, she counsels owners and managers in the negotiation of property management, as well as parking facility, agreements.

  Greenberg Traurig

  Shareholder

  Moderator

  Danielle Gonzalez

  Shareholder

  Greenberg Traurig

The Art of Real Estate Development: Strategies, Challenges, and Innovations

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  Javier Cuadros

  Javier Cuadros is the Senior Vice President of Development at Newgard Development Group. In his role, he oversees the development of Newgard’s lifestyle residential projects across the Southeast U.S. Immediately prior to joining Newgard, Cuadros spent more than 10 years as Vice President of Development at The Related Group. He oversaw all aspects of pre-development and development activities including entitlement and zoning approvals, design and construction, sales and marketing, financial analysis and budgeting. Many of the projects he oversaw included both a residential and hotel component, such as the SLS LUX Brickell Hotel & Residences, Hyde Midtown and SLS Cancun. Cuadros also worked as a Project Manager for Dacra Development in Miami and a Development Manager for Diursa Development Group, a development company based in Spain. Cuadros holds two bachelor’s degrees --one in Architecture and one in Environmental Design-- from Ball State University. He worked as an architect for six years out of college.

  Newgard Development Group

  SVP, Development

  Javier Cuadros

  SVP, Development

  Newgard Development Group

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  Christian Glauser Benz

  Christian Glauser Benz is the Managing Partner of Swiss based Leman Holdings, a boutique real estate investment and advisory platform with offices in Switzerland and the US. The group recently announced expansion plans for North America with a new $1.5 billion investment in luxury hospitality and mixed-use projects across the US, Mexico and the Caribbean. www.lemanholdings.com

  Leman Holdings

  Managing Partner

  Christian Glauser Benz

  Managing Partner

  Leman Holdings

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  Pablo Marcelo Barreiro

  With over 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, Pablo has brokered, purchased, sold and developed over $150 million in commercial transactions. As such, he has a deep knowledge and understanding of how to find a property and turn it into a profitable, high-yielding asset. Pablo is also a commercial real estate attorney who has previously acted as in-house counsel for a multinational real estate company, giving him professional insight into dealing with lenders, sellers, buyers, real estate agents and government officials. For the last two years (2023 and 2024), Pablo has been honored by the publication Best Lawyers on its list of “Ones to Watch in America,” which recognizes attorneys for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice.

  Fortec

  Chairman

  Pablo Marcelo Barreiro

  Chairman

  Fortec

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  Matthew Thomson

  South Florida Development partner

  AMLI

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  Michael Larmoyeux

  Michael is a seasoned construction attorney, who represents owners and developers in the design, construction, and development of a wide array of projects across Florida, including apartments, luxury high-rise condominiums, hotels, industrial, affordable housing, commercial, and mixed-used projects. He handles the negotiation and preparation of construction agreements, professional design agreements, and developer agreements, and assists clients with project administration to identify and achieve early resolution of potential disputes. He also possesses extensive experience representing owners and developers in disputes arising from design and construction agreements, including construction defect and delay claims, insurance coverage, and warranty claims.

  Bilzin Sumberg

  Partner

  Moderator

  Michael Larmoyeux

  Partner

  Bilzin Sumberg