Next week some of the top real estate executives in Oregon will gather to discuss the future of the industry at the Oregon State University College of Business CEO Summit at the Governor Hotel in Portland.
The May 3 Summit features a panel discussion with David Andersen, president of Anderesen Construction Company; Mark Edlen, CEO of Gerding Edlen,; Derrick McGavic, founder and principal of Newport Capital Partners; and John Stirek, president of Western Operations for Trammel Crow.
Diane Detering-Paddison, chief strategy officer of Cassidy Turley, will serve as moderator while Tom Toomey, president and CEO of UDR, Inc., has the keynote on how real estate professionals can do more with less.
The panel will look at the many changes the real estate industry has been faced with over the past decade as consumers and businesses are faced with growing uncertainty and fewer resources, and what must happen to encourage growth in the next decade as the technologically savvy and more urban centered Generation Y continues to dominate the workforce.
Each speaker brings different expertise and experience to the discussion, including the construction industry, multi-family housing, commercial real estate and sustainability practices.
“I view real estate as one of many economic drivers,” Edlen said. “It not only creates the obvious construction jobs but more importantly real estate development creates the spaces within which people can, live work and play.”
While integrally connected with the economy, real estate decisions also inform the desirability of a company and the image it wishes to project, Edlen said.
“Is it space that will give them a hiring advantage when recruiting Gen Y, which is the largest bulge yet to push through the country, or will it conversely cause them to view that company as a less than desirable place to work?” Edlen said. “Where any particular building is located is critical as we see people looking to work and live in livable, sustainable, walkable and culturally rich communities rather than in isolated auto dependent areas.”
The CEO Summit begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Governor Hotel in Portland. Cost is $50, which includes breakfast. Click here more information or to register.
