Signature Events
Childress Klein Center for Real Estate events are hosted throughout the year for students, alumni and the general public to educate and develop real estate professionals and to lead the community in conversations that educate and inspire innovation in Commercial Real Estate.
State of Housing in Charlotte Summit
Join us in person or virtually at The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City for the 2025 State of Housing in Charlotte Summit. The report will be presented by Dr. Yongqiang Chu, Director of the Childress Klein Center for Real Estate, followed by an industry panel discussion addressing topics from the report.
You can view previous State of Housing Reports here.
MSRE Seminar Series
To further our mission of using industry and community collaboration to educate and develop real estate professionals, the Childress Klein Center for Real Estate created a monthly seminar series to facilitate discussions on relevant topics. These invitation-only seminars occur in the afternoon on the third Friday of each month and include time for networking, Q&A and lunch in addition to a robust discussion on the featured topic.
Current MSRE students, alumni and special guests of the center are invited to these monthly events. If you would like to request an invitation, please contact Daniel Wright.
Save the date for future MSRE Speaker Series events!
- Feb. 21, 2025
- March 21, 2025
Sponsorships
There are a number of sponsorship options for the Seminar Series events. Sponsoring a MSRE Seminar Series event provides valuable exposure for your organization, allowing you to be in front of emerging and established young leaders in the Charlotte commercial real estate community.
Thank you to our current Seminar Series sponsors:
- Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP)
- The CCIM Institute
- Charlotte Region Commercial Board of Realtors®
- CREW Charlotte
- International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
- Institute for Real Estate Management
#CREfuture
#CREfuture features a panel discussion on forward-thinking topics in commercial real estate for future real estate leaders. Young professionals in commercial real estate provide an insider perspective on their career paths, current projects making waves in the market and their experiences as emerging leaders in commercial real estate.
The event brings together current students, young alumni and friends of the Childress Klein Center for Real Estate to network and connect over engaging topics impacting the real estate market.
Previous #CREfuture Discussions
Real Estate and Life Sciences – Spring 2024
Moderator Kenlie Clapp, Executive Director of Research at Royster CRE, moderated a panel discussion on the vital nexus between real estate and life sciences, discussing topics poised to significantly impact the industry’s trajectory. Panelists included:
- Chase Kerley – Managing Director, Crescent Communities
- Dianne Jones – Managing Director, JLL Business Location and Economic Incentives
- Jordan Harris – Business Recruitment Manager, City of Charlotte Economic Development
Envisioning Spaces: Entrepreneurship in Development – Spring 2022
Moderator: Jake Alexander ’22 MSRE, Wells Fargo Capital Markets
Panelists:
- Steve McClure – CEO, The Spectrum Companies
- Todd Collins – Founder and CEO, Red Hill Ventures
- Jane Wu – Founder and CEO, Panorama Holdings, LLC
Diversity & Inclusion in Real Estate – Spring 2021
Moderator: Renee Hill, MSRE Instructor, Belk College of Business
Panelists:
- Kimarie Ankenbrand – Managing Director & Broker Lead, JLL
- LaToya Faustin – Executive Director, She Built This City
- Montell Watson – Director of Movement Direct and Minority Initiatives, Movement Mortgage
Transportation and Mobility in the Charlotte Region and Beyond – Spring 2020
Panelists:
- Jason Lawrence – Senior Transportion Planner, CATS
- Geoffrey Posluszny – Parking Consultant, Walker Parking
CRE Tech Takeover: How PropTech is Reshaping the Real Estate Industry – Spring 2019
Moderator: Ashley Cooper ’14 – Commercial Real Estate Appraiser, TB Harris JR & Associates
Panelists:
- Derek McGarry – Chief Engineer, Point Guard
- Sigrid Feder – America’s Chief Administration Officer, CBRE
- Emily Barth – Sales Analyst, CBRE
Fall 2018
Moderator: Virginia Luther – Associate Director, Savilis Studley
Panelists:
- Steven Pearce – Director of Business, Charlotte Regional Partnership
- Will Pitts – Associate Executive Director, Charlotte Sports Foundation
- Council Member Tariq Bokhari – District 6 Representative, Charlotte City Council
- Alyson Craig – Director of Planning, Design & Development, City of Charlotte Deputy
Developing Charlotte’s Future: Innovation, Talent and Economics – Spring 2018
Panelists:
- City Councilman Larken Egleston – City of Charlotte
- Council Member Tariq Bokhari – District 6 Representative, Charlotte City Council
- Bridget Grant – Land Use and Development Consultant, Moore & Van Allen
The Stonewall Corridor – Fall 2017
Panelists:
- Compie Newman – Managing Director, CBRE
- Henri Gresset – Senior Associate, Childress Klein Brokerage Services
- Liz Ward – VP of Multi-Family Development, The Housing Partnership
- Kristy Venning – Office Broker, Beacon Development Company