Multifamily's Next Chapter: Capital, Acquisitions & Future Development

Navigating Financing, Acquisitions and the Development Landscape to Drive Growth

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  Jeff Furman

  Jeff Furman serves as a Senior Managing Director for Aventon, where he is responsible for sourcing new projects and managing existing developments throughout North Carolina, with a focus on the Raleigh Durham and the greater Charlotte metro areas. Mr. Furman brings more than 20 years of experience in the multifamily industry, with expertise in development, acquisition, construction and asset management. His development experience includes a broad spectrum of residential product types and master planning, ranging from low density townhomes to midrise concrete and high-rise mixed-use buildings. Prior to joining Aventon, Mr. Furman was the Development Partner and Director of Raleigh Operations at Northwood Ravin. Over his career, he and his teams have developed over 10,000 class A multifamily units and over 2,000,000 sf of mixed-use retail and office space across the Southeastern United States. Mr. Furman holds a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University. He also served for 7 years active duty as an Officer in the United States Navy. Mr. Furman is a licensed Professional Engineer of North Carolina (PENC), as well as a North Carolina real estate broker-in-charge (BIC).

  Aventon Companies

  Senior Managing Director

  Jeff Furman

  Senior Managing Director

  Aventon Companies

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  Frank Tetel

  Frank Tetel serves as Managing Director of Development for the Raleigh-Durham area, where he is responsible for leading all aspects of the development process, including site acquisition, due diligence, design, entitlements, financing, and eventual disposition of Mill Creek communities. Prior to joining Mill Creek, Mr. Tetel served as Managing Director at Grubb Properties, where he led the acquisition of $1.25 billion of multifamily development projects and other investments across the United States. Prior to joining Grubb Properties, Mr. Tetel served with two real estate development companies in the U.S. Southeast. Mr. Tetel received a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University and a Master of Science in Real Estate from the Hough Graduate School of Business at the University of Florida.

  Mill Creek Residential

  Managing Director, Development

  Frank Tetel

  Managing Director, Development

  Mill Creek Residential

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  Seth Avant

  Seth joined ZOM in 2023, where he leads all multifamily development initiatives in the Carolinas region. With almost two decades of experience, he has actively contributed to the sourcing, development, and construction of a portfolio comprising over 5,000 residential units. He holds degrees in Political Science and Business from Louisiana State University, along with a Juris Doctorate degree from Elon University School of Law, specializing in litigation and business law. Previously, he served as Vice President of Development for the Southeast region at one of the Nation’s largest multifamily development firms. Seth is an active member in the National Multifamily Housing Council, and he holds a real estate broker’s license in North Carolina.

  Carolinas ZOM Living

  SVP

  Seth Avant

  SVP

  Carolinas ZOM Living

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  John Mikels

  John is a Managing Director in the Carolinas office of JLL Capital Markets, Americas. He joined JLL as part of the HFF acquisition and has over 12 years of industry experience. As a partner on the multifamily investment sales team, John focuses primarily on institutional multifamily opportunities throughout the Carolinas. Over the past several years, John has directly handled over $2 billion in Carolinas’ investment sales transactions. Prior to HFF, John was an Associate at Lincoln Harris, where he specialized in office and retail sales and leasing opportunities throughout North Carolina. John has an extensive background in many facets of the commercial real estate landscape, including investment sales, underwriting, development, and acquisitions.

  JLL

  Managing Director

  John Mikels

  Managing Director

  JLL

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  Rachel Landreth

  Rachel Landreth serves as an Exchange Director at Legal 1031 Exchange Services, LLC, where she educates clients and their advisors on the intricacies of IRC §1031 tax deferred exchanges, including reverse and improvement exchanges. With a decade of experience, Rachel has facilitated thousands of successful 1031 exchanges and is known for her ability to simplify complex processes, enabling clients to make informed decisions that align with their goals. She has delivered informative presentations on all types of 1031 exchanges to a wide variety of audiences. Rachel is a member of the Federation of Exchange Accommodators (FEA) and earned her Certified Exchange Specialist (CES) designation in 2019, highlighting her extensive knowledge of 1031 tax deferred exchanges. She is also a certified instructor for continuing education credits in South Carolina, having been approved by the South Carolina Real Estate Commission and receiving certification from the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Before joining the 1031 exchange industry, she served as Manager of Revenue Accounting for AirTran Airways and an accounting consultant. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Caribbean Affairs from Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida, and pursued post-baccalaureate studies in Accounting at Stetson University, DeLand, Florida. Outside of work, Rachel enjoys planning international vacations, working on various DIY projects, and nurturing her flower and art gardens.

  Legal 1031

  Exchange Director

  Moderator

  Rachel Landreth

  Exchange Director

  Legal 1031

Winning Residents in a Crowded Market

Bolstering Occupancy Through Leasing Strategy, Targeted Incentives & Design Approaches for Differentiation

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  Rob Reid

  As Managing Director of Kane Residential, Rob oversees the operations and business development of Kane Realty’s multifamily management division. He is involved in the strategic growth and overall operating success of the individual multifamily assets in our portfolio and leading the team. He works closely with the development team in the development of future multifamily communities, and also works closely with external third-party ownership clients to help them realize their strategic vision. Prior to joining Kane Realty, Rob was Assistant Vice President for Medalist Capital, a commercial real estate financial services company that specializes in mortgage banking, investment advisory and defeasance. In this role, Rob was responsible for arranging a variety of financing solutions for developers, investors, and owners of commercial and multifamily real estate assets. Prior to Medalist Capital, Rob served as a senior political, legislative, and communications strategist in Washington, DC advising numerous policymakers, elected officials, and campaigns. Rob and his wife, Sydney, both graduated from Wake Forest University and currently live in Raleigh with their son, Graham, and their dog, Muggsy.

  Kane Realty

  Managing Director, Residential

  Rob Reid

  Managing Director, Residential

  Kane Realty

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  Tara Fichter

  Regional VP

  ZRS Management

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  Ben Kasdan

  Benjamin Kasdan FAIA, LEED AP, NCARB is an architect whose professional dedication has earned him industry accolades along with trust and respect from KTGY. For over two decades, Ben’s career has grown alongside the firm, taking him to new offices across the country and involving him in design and planning for a wide variety of real estate developments. As KTGY principal, Ben’s focus is on the sustainable design of multifamily residential, mixed-use and urban infill housing developments. His portfolio includes affordable housing, market-rate apartments and condominiums, townhomes, student housing and commercial buildings. Ben’s professional interest lends him to frequent speaking engagements and his work leads to contributions on topics related to sustainable architecture, student housing and multifamily housing, writing for publications like Professional Builder Magazine, Green Home Builder Magazine, and Builder and Developer Magazine. He has also been a guest architectural design critic at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and Orange Coast College. The AIA has recognized Ben with their highest honor, inducting him into the College of Fellows in 2025. He was the recipient of the 2017 AIA National Young Architects Award and was honored in Building Design+Construction’s 40 Under 40. He has also held leadership positions with the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, AIA Orange County, AIA California Council and AIA National.

  KTGY

  Principal

  Ben Kasdan

  Principal

  KTGY

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  Megan Kornegay

  Megan Kornegay is the Owner and President of Level Five Designs, which she founded in 2014. She leads the firm’s creative vision and strategic growth, partnering with multifamily and mixed-use developers across the South East. With 17 years of experience in multifamily design, Megan blends brand strategy with innovation to create purposeful, high-performing spaces that elevate the resident experience and strengthen client brands. Her diverse portfolio spans luxury, attainable, and urban infill multifamily projects. Megan sets each project’s design direction and fosters collaboration within her team, positioning Level Five Designs at the forefront of shaping the next generation of multifamily environments.

  Level 5 Designs

  Owner & President

  Megan Kornegay

  Owner & President

  Level 5 Designs

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  Jim Melvin

  Founder

  Careful with the China

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  Taylor Jones

  Taylor Jones serves as President and Chief Technology Officer of Elauwit Connection Inc., where he oversees technology strategy, infrastructure deployment, and service delivery across the company’s expanding national footprint in the multifamily housing sector. With expertise spanning DevOps, network engineering, strategic sales, and operations, Taylor has been a leader in delivering exceptional service and value to his multifamily owner/operators. He is a BICSI RCDD and holds a degree from the University of South Carolina and the Moore School of Business. Elauwit Connection drives increased property value and NOI for multifamily communities by delivering seamless, property-wide managed WiFi that enhances the resident experience and supports smart-building initiatives.

  Elauwit Connection Inc.

  President & CTO

  Moderator

  Taylor Jones

  President & CTO

  Elauwit Connection Inc.