With the quality of panelists and speakers assembled for ULI Arizona District Council’s 9th annual Trends Day, the theme — “Spreading Prosperity” — was apropos.
Where else but at ULI’s Trends Day does an audience of almost 900 real estate and business leaders get to hear some of the industry’s top experts talk about spreading prosperity as it relates to innovation and job growth for Arizona’s future?
ULI Arizona District Council Chair Duke Reiter opened with remarks about this being a time of transformation. Trends Day Chair Tom Johnston said the day was all about best practices. Dr. Matthew Croucher, an economist with APS, offered his take Arizona’s economy – past present and future.
Lynn Thurber, ULI National Chairman and Patrick Phillips, ULI National CEO were both in attendance to discuss the connections between health and the built environment, and the opportunities to use real estate investments to help improve the health of people and create more thriving communities.
Panels included such Valley leaders as GPEC President Barry Broome, pro sports icon Jerry Colangelo, Valley Metro CEO Steve Banta, former Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe, Super Bowl XLIX Host Committee CEO Jay Parry, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith and Chandler Economic Development Director Chris Mackay.
The keynote address, delivered by Alex Steffen, co-founder of Worldchanging, was an inspiring, yet provocative analysis of global trends – past, present and future.
Optimism ruled the day; a welcome change from years past.
By Peter Madrid, Cushman & Wakefield of Arizona, Inc.
