Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Registration and Exhibit Hall
8:00am - 5:00pm
5th Floor
Registration Sponsor:
Welcome Remarks From CREFC Leadership
9:00am - 9:15am
2024 Board of Governors Chair, Bob Foley, Partner, TPG Real Estate and Chief Financial Officer, TPG Real Estate Credit
2025 Board of Governors Chair, Leland Bunch, III, Managing Director, Bank of America
Industry Leaders Roundtable (Off the Record, Not Available for Replay)
9:15am - 10:30am
Moderator:
Lea Overby, Managing Director, Head of U.S. CMBS Research, Barclays
Panelists:
Josh Bodin, Senior Vice President, Securities Trading, Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC
Melissa Farrell, Managing Director, Head of U.S. Originations, Real Estate, PGIM
Quentin M. Fogan, Managing Director, Bank of America
Michael Gigliotti, Senior Managing Director and Co-Head of the New York Office, Jones Lang LaSalle
David A. Harrison, Chief Operating Officer, Midland Loan Services
Shujaat Islam, Head of MTGE (Mortgage and Structured Products), Citadel Investment Group
Christopher LaBianca, Managing Director, Natixis
Katlyn Nicolai, Vice President, PPM America, Inc.
Brian Olasov, Executive Director - Financial Services Consulting, Carlton Fields
Bill Sexton, Chief Executive Officer, Trimont
Matthew Smith, Director, Deutsche Bank
Erin Stafford, Managing Director, Global Structured Finance, Morningstar DBRS
Lyndsay Stephenson, Managing Director, Prime Finance
Laura Swihart, Partner and FRE Practice Group Leader, Dechert LLP
Lisa Trolson, Managing Director, Alternative Credit, Ares Management LLC
Scott Waynebern, President, Limekiln Real Estate
Servicers Forum (Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)
10:45am - 11:35am
Moderators:
Alex Killick, Senior Managing Director, CWCapital
Dana Jo Martino, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC
Panelists:
Pamela J. Dent
Amanda Dugat, Managing Director, CRE Servicing and Asset Management, SitusAMC
Adam Fox, Senior Director, Structured Finance Commercial Servicers & CMBS, Fitch Ratings
Brett Mann, Director of Loan Asset Management, LNR Partners
Keynote Lunch
11:40am - 1:40pm
Welcome Remarks:
Presentation of Woman of Distinction and Founders Award
Lisa Pendergast, President & CEO, CRE Finance Council
CREFC Legislative & Regulatory Update:
Moderated by: Scott Sinder, CREFC General Counsel; Partner and Chair of Government Affairs & Public Policy Group, Steptoe
Sairah Burki, Managing Director, Head of Regulatory Affairs and Sustainability, CRE Finance Council
David McCarthy, Managing Director, Chief Lobbyist, Head of Legislative Affairs, CRE Finance Council
Enlightened Hospitality: Leadership Lessons from Restaurants to Real Estate:
Keynote Speaker:
Danny Meyer, Founder, Shake Shack and Union Square Hospitality Group
Under Danny Meyer’s leadership, Union Square Hospitality Group has built an empire by redefining service, culture, and leadership through the philosophy of Enlightened Hospitality – the principle of prioritizing employees first to create exceptional experiences for customers and communities. In this keynote, Meyer explores the critical difference between service and hospitality, the role of emotional intelligence in leadership, and how the principles that drive success in restaurants can translate to real estate, tenant relationships, and business growth. Through compelling stories from his entrepreneurial journey, including innovations like Hospitality Included, he’ll share how embracing a hospitality mindset can elevate employee engagement, customer loyalty, and long-term success in any industry.
Sponsored by:
B-Piece Investors Forum (Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)
2:00pm - 2:50pm
Moderator:
Frank Yin, Director, KKR - Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
Panelists:
Josh Brand, Head of Acquisitions, Argentic
Zach Freedman, Managing Director, Eightfold Real Estate Capital, L.P.
Peter Lindner, Managing Director - Credit Investments, Rialto Capital
Lyndsay Stephenson, Managing Director, Prime Finance
Risk, Reward, and Returns: How Insurance Capital is Changing CRE Investment (Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)
3:05pm - 3:55pm
Moderator:
Chris Miculis,
Managing Director, Head of Asset Management, Debt - Americas, Nuveen
Panelists:
Caitlin Colvin, Managing Director, Credit & Insurance, Blackstone
Christopher Graham, Managing Director, Blue Owl Capital
Cameron Kirby, Head of Investments, Insurance Services, Axonic Capital LLC
Daniel Winston, Managing Director, 26North
Discussion Topics:
- Evolution of Insurance Capital in CRE: Life insurance companies, traditionally focused on core fixed-rate investments, have expanded into core-plus and value-add credit platforms. Conversely, private equity firms and value-add credit investors have acquired or built insurance platforms. How has this convergence reshaped competition, risk appetites, and the types of products available in CRE?
- The Next Frontier: New Entrants and Innovation: With large fixed-income managers launching de novo insurance-aligned real estate credit platforms, what impact will these entrants have on market dynamics? How might this shift influence competition, product innovation, and the balance between scale and specialization?
- Blurring Lines Between Investment Strategies: As distinctions between core, core-plus, and value-add credit providers fade, how are firms maintaining underwriting discipline across these segments? How do you balance diverse investor demands – particularly from insurance capital – while navigating overlapping risk/return profiles?
- Navigating Volatility: Portfolio Positioning: Amid heightened market volatility (e.g., geopolitical risks, economic uncertainty), how are you allocating insurance capital? Is there a preference for fixed vs. floating-rate exposures, and which sectors or strategies (e.g., multifamily, industrial, niche asset classes) are prioritized for risk-adjusted returns?
- The Maturity Wall: Threat or Opportunity? With CRE loan durations shortening post-2022 rate hikes, the maturity wall is compressing. How are you addressing refinancing risks and liquidity gaps? Is this environment creating opportunities to capitalize on distress, or does it signal broader systemic challenges?
IRP Committee Meeting (Closed Meeting)
4:00pm - 4:45pm
Online registration for the Annual Conference 2025: IRP Committee Meeting is closed.
You will be able to register onsite on the 7th floor of the Marriott Marquis.
Alternative Lenders and High Yield Investors Forum (Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)
4:10pm - 5:00pm
Moderator:
Samantha Rotchford, Managing Director, BDT & MSD Partners
Panelists:
Jeffrey Dawkins, Managing Director, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Samir Tejpaul, Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets, Madison Realty Capital
Networking Reception
5:00pm - 6:30pm
Atrium, 9th Floor
CREFC PAC June Reception
6:00pm - 7:15pm
Astor Ballroom, 7th Floor
Featuring: Mick Mulvaney, Former White House Chief of Staff, Former Director, U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and Former Acting Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Please mark your calendar for the upcoming CREFC PAC Reception and during the June conference, which will feature evening of meaningful conversation, networking, and special remarks.
This event offers a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow CREFC members and PAC supporters to discuss the critical policy issues shaping our sector.
Questions? Or to Register, Please contact James Montfort, Manager, Government Relations, at Jmontfort@crefc.org or 202-909-8748
The Planning Committee and CREFC Staff are at work developing this year's programming. Please check back for more information.