12th Annual IREM-CCIM Economic Forecast brings together Valley’s top commercial real estate experts

Photo credit: Mike Mertes/AZ Big Media

PHOENIX, ARIZONA  – The 12th Annual IREM-CCIM Economic Forecast, the premiere real estate look-ahead event, this year features one of the Valley’s top economic gurus, an award-winning zoning attorney, and panels featuring the industry’s top experts.

The event is scheduled for Thursday, January 24, at the Arizona Biltmore, 2400 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix. Registration and breakfast begin at 7 a.m. The program runs from 7:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration is $89 for IREM and CCIM members; $99 for non-members. Cost after January 18 and at the door is $109.

The recipient of this year’s Impact Award is Grady Gammage Jr., a real estate and zoning attorney and founder of Gammage & Burnham P.L.C. Presenting the award will be long-time Valley businessman Jerry Colangelo of JDM Partners.

IREM and CCIM speakers include (respectively) Cheryl Gray, President-Elect of IREM, QuadReal Property Group; and Nick Miner, CCIM, CCIM Education/Ward Center for Real Estate, Orion Investments.

This year’s keynote speaker is Elliott D. Pollack, is CEO of Elliott D. Pollack and Company, an economic and real estate consulting firm in Scottsdale.

Pollack has degrees from Boston University and the University of Southern California. He has been a practicing economist for 45 years. For the past 30 years he has been president of the economic and real estate consulting firm that bears his name.

Through the years he has held many professional roles including student, teacher, author, peer reviewer, consultant, expert for media and court purposes and board member. He has taught economics and has written more than a thousand articles over the years. Pollack’s job has been to help clarify how current and future economic conditions fit into the decision process, as well as to explain how past decisions relate to the present situation.

This year’s industry panels:

>> The office panel features moderator Andrew Cheney, CCIM, Lee & Associates; John DiVall, Ryan Companies US; Barry Gable, CBRE; Scott Maxwell, Cresa; and Kate Morris CBRE.

>> The multifamily panel features moderator Libby Ekre, CPM, MEB Management Services; Asher Gunter, CBRE; Chapin Bell, P.B. Bell; and Nicole Wray, Greystar.

>> The retail panel features moderator Greg Valladao, Cushman & Wakefield; Chris Hake, Thompson Thrift; Steve Julius, CBRE; Chuck Wells, Kidder Mathews; and Kalen Rickards, Western Retail Advisors.

>> The industrial panel features moderator Paul Komadina, CBRE; Steve Larsen, JLL; Chris Toci, Cushman & Wakefield; Don MacWilliams, Colliers; and Megan Creecy-Herman, Prologis.

The event is co-sponsored by the Central Arizona chapter of CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member), commercial real estate’s global standard for professional achievement; and the Greater Phoenix Chapter of IREM (Institute of Real Estate Management), which comprises more than 280 professional commercial and residential real estate managers.