Program Details

Brett Hitt is Co-Chairman of HITT Contracting, one of the nation's largest general contractors with annual revenue exceeding $8.6B. As a third-generation owner of the 87-year-old business, Brett's leadership philosophy emphasizes the critical role disruption and innovation play in driving meaningful industry transformation. Known for his bold strategic vision, Brett has advanced the company through commitments in sustainability, technology, and construction materials and methodology. The firm is deeply committed to developing the next generation of builders, evidenced by their investments in organizations and institutions that advance careers in construction. In 2024, HITT announced the founding of the National Institute for Smart Construction, in partnership with Virginia Tech.

Andrew Weakland is the Director of Systems Development for W. P. Carey, a net-lease REIT focused on providing long-term sale-leaseback and build-to-suit solutions for companies in the U.S. and Northern and Western Europe. Andrew specializes in bringing emerging technologies into the real estate space to drive competitive advantage while maintaining the cohesiveness of the overall enterprise technology footprint.

Thano Lambrinos has over 15 years’ experience in the construction and building technologies space, and leverages digital transformation learnings across vertical markets to drive innovation and change in commercial real estate. At QuadReal, Thano works to deploy advanced technologies that redefine the way buildings are designed, built, managed, and how the occupants experience their environments. As Senior Vice President, he leads the Digital Buildings, Customer Experience & Innovation teams, and is focused on the development and execution of the digital strategy across a global real estate portfolio.

In his role, Neil Ross leads the development and delivery of product and technology strategy across Walmart’s corporate real estate portfolio. He leads a wide variety of initiatives including smart buildings and campus, workplace experience, mobile engagement, portfolio sustainability, and more. Neil, his team of SMEs, and their partners define device, platform, and data strategies required to enable and deliver value to Walmart and support its corporate objectives.

Ken Kurz brings over 20 years of leadership and operational experience in cybersecurity, network technologies, information systems, risk mitigation and remediation, and technical project management to COPT. Supporting COPT as CIO since 2016, he has prior experience as the CISO for the University of Delaware, CISO for the University of Oklahoma, and CIO for the US Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation. He has also held various technical and leadership positions within the Department of Defense.

Joseph Aamidor is an experienced product leader and expert in smart buildings, real estate technology and facility operations. He provides product and market strategy guidance to building owners/operators, established building management firms, technology providers, investors, and early-stage innovators. Previously, he served as Director of Product at Lucid Design Group and was a product manager at Johnson Controls.

Michael Coyne oversees operations strategy and initiatives at AvalonBay Communities, the nation’s largest multifamily REIT. He and his team help drive innovation across AvalonBay’s operating model – including leasing, maintenance, and resident experience – by incorporating new digital products, capabilities, and ways of working.

Jeremy Poteet is the EVP of Technology at JBG SMITH where he leads a team of business minded technologists responsible for technology and innovation based transformative initiatives. He has over 20 years in real estate technology across many asset types in the real estate space and is passionate about the adoption of technology and leading others in solving complex process, technology, reporting, and organizational challenges.

Patrick Ghilani is the Chief Executive Officer of MRI Software, he has spearheaded productivity and client experience improvements while leading all client operations, including Professional Services, Client Support, and SaaS hosting. Patrick has led corporate growth initiatives targeting both geographic and innovative product expansion. With over 20 years of experience in the enterprise application arena, he has successfully managed both the strategy and operations of sizeable technology product and services organizations, serving multiple global industries, including over 10 years in the Commercial and Multi-Family Real Estate verticals.

Nick Romito is the CEO and co-founder of VTS, commercial real estate's leading leasing, marketing, and asset management platform. Under Nick’s leadership, the proptech unicorn just launched VTS Market, the CRE industry’s first integrated online marketing platform that enables landlords & their agency teams to market and lease their available space remotely for the first time. VTS manages more than 12 billion square feet of office, retail and industrial assets across 35 countries by more than 700 landlords and brokerage firms which includes CBRE, Blackstone, LaSalle Investment Management, Hines, Boston Properties & JLL.

Rob Teel is responsible for product development, support and implementations of Yardi's Commercial Property Management and Investment Management suites. Rob joined Yardi Systems in 2003, and he has nearly 20 years of property and financial systems implementation experience.

Porter Bellew is SVP, CIO for Federal Realty Investment Trust. He is responsible for the Trust’s information and technology strategy, services, operations, and team. Porter has over 35 years of experience in real estate across all product types.

Jason Heymann is a strategic marketing leader with a diverse background spanning entertainment, brand strategy, and commercial real estate marketing. Looking to return to his familial roots in commercial real estate, Jason transitioned into shopping center marketing leadership, bringing his expertise in storytelling, audience engagement, and omnichannel strategy to the industry. As Senior Director of Marketing at CBL Properties, he leads national marketing strategy for 50+ shopping centers, spearheading AI-driven digital innovation, strategic brand partnerships, and high-impact campaigns that drive measurable business growth.

Jay Richard-Yu, VP of Tech & Innovation at Jamestown, is a visionary leader dedicated to infusing the “wow” factor into Jamestown’s premier mixed-use properties and vibrant communities. With an unrelenting passion for the intersection of creativity, technology, and discovery, Jay champions elevating digital marketing, pioneering proptech solutions, and avant-garde innovation to craft unforgettable experiences that both delight and inspire. He drives innovation at Jamestown, ensuring its assets remain at the forefront of commercial real estate technology. From immersive LED screens and interactive kiosks to EV operations and advanced AV/IT solutions, Jay's initiatives enhance experiences, boost NOI, and improve efficiency. He continuously pushes technology’s boundaries to elevate guest and tenant engagement.

Scott Cardenas serves as Managing Director and the Chief Technology Officer for Bridge Investment Group. Over his career, Scott has worked globally implementing enterprise solutions to drive innovation, business efficiency and standardization. Prior to Bridge, Scott worked as the Chief Information Officer for the City and County of Denver. He oversaw the implementation of a new ERP platform, which served over 13K employees and 23 lines of business. In addition, Denver also implemented a new CRM platform that interfaced with over 700K residents, which improved overall communication and engagement.

Susan Gerock currently serves as SVP, Information Technology and CIO for Elme Communities, formerly known as WashREIT. She has over 25 years' experience in various technology roles spanning manufacturing, consulting, application service provider and commercial real estate organizations. Her specialties include ERP selection and implementation, project and change management, and cybersecurity. She is also a proponent of the use of social media and the overlapping relationship between technology and marketing.

Bill Sechen is Managing Director at Harrison Street and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. Bill leads initiatives focused on the technology, data, process and information security needs as well as leading initiatives for M&A activities.

Arjun Kaicker is an Architect and Workplace Consultant with over 20 years experience specialising in innovative workplace design and technology, business and user needs evaluation and most recently, AI driven workplace optimisation. As Co-Head of Workplace Strategies at Zaha Hadid Architects and previously as Head of Workplace Consulting at Foster + Partners, he has worked on over 200 office projects in over 50 countries, including headquarters for Apple, Bloomberg, Comcast and HSBC.

Vijay Anand, VP for AI & Data at MRI, leads the creation of top-tier AI-based real estate software, leveraging over 20 years of experience in product development at the Big 4. Harnessing AI, ML, data, and analytics, he builds insightful solutions that address customer problems, all while pioneering in product strategy and delivering cloud-based global solutions.

As a key member of Stanford University’s Sustainability and Energy Management (SEM) team, Gerry Hamilton oversees the department’s long-term energy use planning; designs, implements, and directs assessment and outreach for sustainability programs; oversees business systems and analytics initiatives; and steers academic integration to aid program implementation.

Soheil Pourhashemi is currently EVP, Business Technology and is responsible for establishing and executing the commercial real estate IT strategy, vision and roadmap for the office sector. He has a keen focus on data and analytics, automation, IoT and partnering with the business in executing new innovations across the portfolio. Brookfield Properties develops and operates more than 650 properties and 325 million square feet of high-quality, sustainability-focused real estate assets around the globe. It provides integrated services across all property investment strategies of Brookfield Asset Management, a global alternative asset manager with over $600 billion in AUM.

Justin Segal is an operations executive and entrepreneur specializing in real estate investment and management, startups, and technology. He is the founder of Stemmons Enterprise, a universal operations platform that allows companies to operate with pervasive data and unparalleled agility. He often speaks on topics involving enterprise data, analytics, and user experience.

Ali Hoss is Triovest’s Chief Sustainability Officer responsible for advancing ESG performance and innovation for a portfolio of $12B of commercial properties. He has over 20 years of work experience in sustainability and energy management and is regarded as a strategic builder of unique products and services for design and implementation of energy conservation and GHG emission mitigation projects.

Brandon Van Orden is SVP & CIO for Cousins Properties Incorporated based in Atlanta. He is responsible for Cousins technical vision and all aspects of the Information Technology organization including people, strategy, development and operations. Prior to joining Cousins in 2016, Brandon was VP of Global Applications for Novelis and prior to that he was with GE Energy for 12 years where he held a number of IT leadership roles increasing in responsibility after he graduated from the GE Information Technology Leadership Program in 2003.

Jim Whalen serves as SVP and CIO/CTO responsible for the direction and implementation of technology and applications at Boston Properties, a fully integrated real estate investment trust and one of the largest owners and developers of Class-A office properties in the United States. Over a 27-year IT career, Jim has supported real estate operations ranging from residential, construction, public housing, commercial office and retail.

As Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Ashly leads PeakMade’s corporate marketing and property-level sales strategies. She oversees the Digital/Web Marketing, Customer Experience, Communications, Creative Marketing, Sales Strategy, and Hands-on Services teams to ensure a cohesive, innovative approach that drives brand success. A PeakMade veteran of 14 years, she began her career on-site in Huntsville, TX. Ashly is also dedicated to creating an inclusive, empowering workplace. She chairs Peak Link, the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, and is a founding member of The W Collective, a networking forum supporting women in student housing.

Amanda Gibb has over 17 years’ experience in the commercial real estate space, leading technology teams for the past 10 years at Westfield, Starwood Retail, JLL, and now Bedrock in Detroit, MI. At Bedrock, Amanda works to deploy a fit-for-purpose application tech stack for the vertically integrated real estate company, including M&A, property management, leasing, development, construction, marketing, HR, legal, and accounting, across all asset types and classes. As CTIO she leads multiple technology teams, including Infrastructure, Applications, Building Controls, Data & Analytics, and Help Desk, working closely with the CTO and Innovation teams. The teams focus on projects that improve operational efficiency, cost savings, tenant experience, innovation, and data quality/insights.

Simon Okunev oversee the strategy and execution of Tishman Speyer's Global Information Technology function. He has 25 years of experience building and leading teams, as well as developing and implementing innovative technologies and systems.

Tim Koruna is Vice President of Information Technology at White Oak Partners, a multifamily owner/operator with $2B AUM. He leads White Oak’s technology strategy, manages the firm’s IT infrastructure, operations, and vendor partnerships, and guides emerging technology initiatives. Prior to White Oak, his 35-year career spanned technology and finance roles in a variety of organizations, including Fortune 500 retail and industrial firms, defense contractors, and Big Six accounting.

In his role as leader of Information Technology at Thompson Thrift, Don Oldham provides advisory, orchestration and integration services to advance the cause of innovation in obtaining business value from technology. He and his team are tasked with discovering new technology opportunities, reducing the cost of doing business, adding efficiency to business processes and providing secure, customer focused access to technology. They improve efficiencies through the development and implementation of innovative technologies. Don has over 24 years of technology experience within the real estate sector finding, implementing or developing new solutions to solve business problems.

Gaël Pirlot is Vice President at Inglett & Stubbs, an ENR Top 50 electrical contractor specializing in Data Centers, Healthcare, Commercial, Military, and Modular Construction. Over his career, Gaël has led complex projects spanning data centers, professional sports stadiums, and remote power generation facilities. His early involvement in hyperscale development revealed the disruptive potential of modular construction, not just in speed and scalability but in reshaping delivery models across industries. That insight led him to spearhead the launch of Inglett & Stubbs Modular, a strategic initiative focused on advancing offsite construction and redefining how electrical infrastructure is built.

Terry Wood is SVP of National Facilities Design and Construction at Kaiser Permanente. He is accountable for a $16 billion capital program that plans, designs, and builds new hospitals and medical office buildings and maintains the mission readiness of Kaiser Permanente’s 100 million-square-foot real estate portfolio including more than 1,100 facilities. Terry oversees Kaiser Permanente’s pathbreaking renewable energy and decarbonization efforts. These focus on reducing energy intensity and pursuing green power opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Before joining Kaiser Permanente in 2015, he led HPs Corporate Real Estate Globally.

Farukh Aslam is the Chief Executive Officer of Sinclair Digital (SD) a low voltage design and consulting company developing Digital DC-Microgrid Buildings. In 2019, Aslam successfully developed the Sinclair Marriott Autograph Hotel which is widely considered the most diverse PoE and DC Microgrid project in North America. From the completion of the Sinclair Hotel, Aslam created SD to bring expertise of the sustainability and cost benefits of a DC building infrastructure to the marketplace. Since its inception SD has been involved in several design build projects and continues to evolve DC infrastructure in buildings.

Jim Baldwin is the founder and CEO of Domatic, a company that is revolutionizing how to build smarter, healthier buildings. With over 30 years of experience in software and hardware design and development, he has led and contributed to innovative projects at Apple, Microsoft, Intel, and several startups.

Derek is a values-centered entrepreneur who is passionate about the environment and making bold leaps in energy efficiency through system integration. He is a subject matter expert in building controls and intelligent DC Nanogrids, and contributes to industry working groups to promote efficient building technologies. As founder and CEO of LumenCache, he is leading the collaborative effort to globally change the standard for power distribution in buildings making them smart, safe, efficient, and resilient.

Akram Khalis (AK) serves as MHT’s CEO and Co-Founder of MHT's Inspextor smart building platform. As an entrepreneurial executive who currently holds three US technology patents, AK's background in technology, product, and general management allows him to bridge the gap between engineers and businesses to bring high quality solutions to market efficiently. Well regarded as an innovator and thought leader for his work developing PoE systems for lighting and smart building automation, AK has scaled and accelerated the growth of innovative technology for more than a decade.

Drew DePriest is a Director of Real Estate Operations Technology at McKesson. Prior to joining McKesson, Drew worked as a Facilities Management Technology for a large technology client at CBRE, where he previously led Digital Solutions globally for the firm's workplace experience platform, Host. Prior to CBRE, Drew headed the global Collaboration Services team at Aon, led business development at workplace technology startup Comfy (acquired by Siemens), and spent 12 years operations and business development at building automation firm Automated Logic.

Aaron Altscher is the Director of Technology Initiatives at Carr Properties. Aaron leads IT innovation efforts and is the architect and developer for Carr’s Data Analytics, IoT, Machine Learning/AI, and Hospitality platforms. Aaron’s 2022 focus is on IT innovation around data automation and the return to work movement.

As SVP, CIO, Colin Joynt oversees the platform, implementation, and services team at BXP. He brings more than 20 years of IT experience, particularly in the application space, and most recently at NavigatorCRE, an industry leading asset management and reporting solution built on Microsoft technologies. Prior to NavigatorCRE, Colin held SVP of Information Technology roles at Retail Properties of America (RPAI) and Kite Realty Group.

Joseph Martino has responsibility for Primaris’ overall Information Technology strategy. He has over 20 years of experience in Information Technology, Digital Transformation and Technology Operations. Joseph was previously consulting on ERP and major Digital Transformation projects and prior to that, Global VP of Information Technology at a market leader in connected vehicle and sensor technology.

Goutham Vulpala is currently AVP, Enterprise Applications at Phillips Edison & Company. In his current role, Goutham manages a team responsible of enterprise application architecture, development, and data analytics. Previously, he was with Citibank where he was the application development group manager responsible for ATM application development and customer survey data analytics. Goutham also was with Cincinnati Bell where he held various senior positions in IT.

Arv Gupta is an Operating Executive with extensive General Management background in Retail /Consumer Products and Services, known for building and transforming organizations to drive significant sales growth and value. Accomplished in leading business units within multiple consumer industry sectors, including iconic consumer brands, driving "turnaround" performance, by gaining organizational commitment for revitalized business directions. Arv is currently the Senior Vice President of Operations Services, at Cadillac Fairview Corporation, with a mandate to drive national operational efficiency and effectiveness, while maintaining a standard of excellence in client experience across all properties.

Edward M. Hinchey Jr. joined Fisher Brothers in 2021 as Senior Director of Technology, a role in which he provides direction on strategic solutions and leadership to address current and emerging challenges and capitalize on technological opportunities. Fisher Brothers is an owner, developer and financer with a robust portfolio across the United States. Fisher Brothers currently owns and operates 7.5 million SF of commercial, over 1 million SF residential and 200,000 SF of experiential retail assets in New York City, Washington, DC, Las Vegas, Miami and Orlando. Lionheart, an asset management affiliate of Fisher Brothers, operates in 11 cities.

Chris Panto is a technology executive with over 30 years’ experience in helping customers navigate the world of IT. In his current role at MetroNational, Chris is responsible for providing leadership in the areas of cybersecurity, innovation, technology infrastructure, and corporate governance. MetroNational is a privately held real estate investment, development, and management firm with a portfolio that includes over 10 million square feet of commercial, retail, restaurant, multifamily, healthcare, and hospitality assets.

Rob Murchison has over 20 years experience in strategy consulting, sales and design of technology to real estate developers and commercial businesses with expertise in networking, and software and data base applications. He is currently a Principal and Co-Founder of Intelligent Buildings, LLC, founded in 2004 to help customers manage risk, enhance occupant wellbeing, and improve performance.

Clayton Broemsen is VP of IT Infrastructure for Cousins Properties, a REIT based in Atlanta, GA. He is responsible for all aspects of Cousins’ IT Infrastructure as it applies to the Corporate Office and Property Infrastructure including Networks, End User Devices, Security, Data Centers and Disaster Recovery.

Todd Landry is a trailblazing technology strategist and wireless pioneer with decades of experience at the forefront of wireless infrastructure, enterprise architecture, and technology innovation. A visionary leader, Todd has built and launched game-changing product and service portfolios that have transformed the IT and communications landscape. Renowned for his ability to turn bold ideas into reality, he has a proven track record of driving breakthrough strategies, delivering cutting-edge solutions, and shaping the future of wireless connectivity.

Donny Walker leads Newcomb Boyd's Intelligent Building Systems group. He has over 20 years of engineering, project management, and partner-in-charge responsibilities in communications, security and integrated building automation systems. His experience includes aviation facilities, health care buildings, judicial facilities, advanced technology developments, military installations, data centers, mixed-use developments, performing arts facilities and college campuses. With prowess designing technologically sophisticated campuses, his background encompasses over 150 projects specializing in an integrated design with network-enabled systems.