REIS Annual Real Estate Symposium 2025

2025 REIS Symposium
Sustainable Development: Southwest Florida Leveling Up!
FGCU Cohen Center Ballroom
Thursday, September 25, 2025
7:30—8:00 am: Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:00 am—12:30 pm: Program
FGCU Cohen Center Ballroom

Cost: $ 75 Member, $90 Non-Members, Free to FGCU Students

Note: REIS Member and REIS Student Member Discounts will be applied at Checkout

For FGCU Student Discounts please contact Dr. Shelton Weeks

Agenda

Welcome: Josh Philpott, AICP, REIS President & Dr. Aysegul Timur, President FGCU

Special Update: Florida Live Local Changes

Ryan Benson, Owner, A. Vernon Allen Builder, 2025 President of Florida Home Builders Assoc.

Session 1: Unprecedented Industrial Development Pushing the Market Forward

Moderator: Bev Larson, CCIM, ERA Lahaina Realty

Amazon in SWFL – Clay Thompson , Development Manager, Seefried Industrial Properties

Industry Insights on SWFL Industrial Expansions—Adam Palmer, CCIM, SIOR, Exec. VP, CBRE

Industrial Development in Lee County—Brian Hamman, Lee County Commissioner District 4

Expanding Manufacturing—Javier Nodarse, President, Aviation Precision Technology

Session 2:  KEYNOTE SPEAKER:  Benefits of Development

Joe Bonora, President , Catalyst Community Capital & Catalyst Asset Management

Session 3:  Balancing Development with Environmental Benefits

Diana Giraldo, CEO, Community Development Reimagined

Session 4:  Attainable Housing Advancements

Moderator:  Sean Ellis, Esq., Shareholder-in-Charge, Roetzel

Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program

Michael Allan, President, ReVital Development Group

Marcia Davis, Executive Director, Housing Authority, City of Fort Myers

Nicole McHale, Executive Director, Community Housing and Resources

Session 5:  Exploration of Southwest Florida Bonus Density Programs

Moderator:  Nelson Taylor, VP of Market Research, LSI Companies

Graywater Technologies – Shawn Crawford, VP of Operations, Rainwater Management Solutions

City of Fort Myers – Steve Belden, AICP, Director of Community Development, City of Fort Myers

Lee County – Dirk Danley, Jr., AICP, BD Operations Manager, Lee County Economic Development & Richard Akin, Esq., Shareholder, Henderson, Franklin, Starnes& Holt

Charlotte County – Derek Rooney, Esq., Shareholder, Gray Robinson

Collier County – Michael Bosi, AICP, Planning Director, Collier County

Bonita Springs –  John Dulmer, AICP, Director of Community Development, City of Bonita Springs

City of LaBelle – Alexis Crespo, AICP, VP of Planning, RVI