The 13^th Annual IREM-CCIM Economic Forecast, the premier real estate economic outlook each year, features one of the Valley’s top economic gurus, one of the Valley’s top education leaders and panels featuring the industry’s top experts.

The event is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, at the Omni Scottsdale Montelucia, 4949 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley. Registration and breakfast begin at 7 a.m. The program runs from 7:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration is $99 for IREM and CCIM members; $109 for non-members.

The recipient of this year’s Impact Award is Brian Mueller, President of Grand Canyon University. Presenting the award will be long-time Valley businessman Jerry Colangelo of JDM Partners.

Guest speakers are George D. Griffin III, CPM, CCIM, 2020 IREM Secretary/Treasurer Houston Housing Authority, AMO; and Eddie D. Blanton, CCIM, 2019 President-Elect and CCIM Institute President starting on Jan. 1, 2020. Blanton is principal and senior adviser with Tradd Commercial’s Charlotte, N.C., office.

This year’s keynote speaker is Elliott D. Pollack, 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 46 years. For the past 31 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; Stan Shafer, Holualoa Companies; John Orsak, Lincoln Property Company; James Murphy, Willmeng; and Kate Morris, Transwestern.

• The multifamily panel features moderator Lesley Brice, MC Companies; John Rials, Western Wealth Capital; Mark Forrester, Berkadia RE Advisors; and John Carlson, Mark-Taylor.

• The retail panel features moderator Carol Schillne, CBRE; Ari Spiro, Orion Investment Real Estate; Josh Simon, SimonCRE; and Kalen Rickard, Western Retail Advisors.

• The industrial panel features moderator Megan Creecy-Herman, Prologis; Rusty Kennedy, CBRE; Steve Larsen, JLL; Will Strong, Cushman & Wakefield; and Jeff Foster, Prologis.

The event is co-sponsored by the CCIM Central Arizona chapter (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.

Featured in AZRE (Original article)