By Julien R. Fielding, The Daily Record
The Commercial Real Estate Workshop (CREW) may have been born out of necessity – a response to a “depressed” economy – but over the years, it has managed to distinguish itself as Nebraska’s “best known and best attended real estate conference.”
The brain child of Jerry M. Slusky of Smith, Gardner, Slusky Law, the now-named CRE Summit promises to offer attendees an even more impressive experience than they have had during previous years.
“This is the first time that we have arranged to have a nationally recognized speaker appear [at the April 4 event],” Slusky said. “Bill Kristol, who, in addition to being the founder and editor of The Weekly Standard, is a contributor to ABC News and the news program “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.”
“He will talk about where the national economy, and more specifically the Midwest region, stands with respect to the climate for additional commercial real estate development. It should be helpful for our attendees, letting them know what to expect.”
Kristol will deliver the keynote address from 3 to 4 p.m.
Whereas Kristol will offer a national and global snapshot, other sessions will provide a more localized perspective. For instance, the first session of the Summit, held from 8:25 to 9:30 a.m. will take attendees through 25 years of Omaha history, showing how and how much it has changed.
Areas discussed include the Riverfront, ConAgra campus, CenturyLink Center, TD Ameritrade, Stockyards, Midtown Crossing, Aksarben Village, Village Pointe, Legacy, the Maple Corridor, and more. Those who witnessed those changes first-hand, including former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub, will participate. A similar overview of Lincoln’s transformation, specifically the East Haymarket district over the last five years, follows from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m.
“This ‘look-back’ session is one of the most important parts of this year’s program,” Slusky said. “That and the section that looks at the changing world of commercial real estate, due to Millennials/Generation Y.”
Running from 11 to 11:45 a.m., “Millennials: Live, Work, Play, Shop” looks at how a specific segment of society – the 18 to 35-year olds – is changing the way that everyone does business. Essentially, he said, Millennials are turning the world of business on its head. When it comes to their work environment, they prefer open office spaces to cubicles. When it comes to buying items, they prefer to do their shopping online. And when it comes to housing, they prefer renting to owning a home. “It should be fascinating,” he added. “There is a great deal of attention being paid to this generation as their numbers are larger than the ‘baby boomers,’ and therefore, their impact on retail, office, and housing, will be a game-changer.”
Panelists for this session, include Nate Bjorklund, real estate program director at the University of Nebraska at Omaha; Rachel Jacobson of Film Streams Omaha; Mary Ann O’Brien, founder of OBI Creative; Cassie Seagren, deputy chief of staff at the City of Omaha; and T.J. Twit, vice president, office specialist, at Lund Company. Jeff Wyatt at Colliers International will moderate.
For the past 11 years, the CRE Summit has honored and recognized those who have had an impact on Omaha real estate.
How does one become a Hall of Fame inductee? Slusky said that every year, they solicit names from the 2,000 or so people on their mailing list. “We get about 20 to 30 nominees a year, and then we whittle that down,” he said.
The Hall of Fame luncheon will take place from 11:45 to 1 p.m. Interactive breakout discussions follow the luncheon. Topics are law, appraisal, technology, and “Urban and Suburban Living: Pros, Cons, and Trends.” (This is a continuation of the Millennials’ panel.)
The CRE Summit began in 1990. Slusky had recently begun teaching a real estate planning, development, and finance course as an adjunct professor at Creighton University School of Law, and he mentioned to then Dean Raful that “real estate markets were absolutely dead in the water.” The federal government had initiated the Resolution Trust Corporation, which bailed out billions of dollars of commercial real estate, and Slusky believed that a workshop, during which RTC was discussed, would be welcomed. The Dean agreed. That first year, 375 people signed up.
“No one was lending, so we had a huge turnout,” Slusky said. “Afterwards, I received many calls/contacts from people who said that it was a really good exchange of information, and that we should do it again. That’s when we started planning No. 2.”
With an improved economy, the second year saw fewer attendees – about 125. Attendance numbers have been strong during the last few years: About 500 people attended in 2013, and Slusky said that they were on track for about 600 attendees this year. This might be, in part, because Slusky and his crew are working hard to get the word out. “We are marketing now in the Des Moines and Sioux City areas,” he said.
Those who attend the Summit come from a variety of backgrounds: attorneys, accountants, appraisers, brokers, construction companies, developers, insurance professionals, lenders, managers, title companies, title insurance professionals, and more.
“It’s a good professional mix, and they all share information,” Slusky said. In fact, the last event of the day, from 4 to 5 p.m., is called “The Exchange,” and is a casual way for everyone to enjoy drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and conversation.
Those familiar with the Commercial Real Estate Summit might realize that the annual event has undergone a slight name change. Several years ago, a national group – Commercial Real Estate Women – became aware that its acronym was being used, and they took issue with it. To comply, CREW Workshop has become CRE Summit. But Slusky harbors no ill feelings.
“Summit fits us better now,” he said. “This is the one-day place for people to go, and what they learn here will pay off for the rest of the year.”
The CRE Summit takes place at the CenturyLink Center Omaha. For more information, go to www.attendcresummit.com. General registration continues through March 31.