CARW Retail Conference – Save the Date! Wednesday, April 30th
April 30
Join us on Wednesday, April 30th, for the Wisconsin Retail Real Estate Conference. Gain national and local insights, top-level networking, and great speakers. Join real estate professionals in the retail space including brokers, developers, investors, attorneys, bankers, and more.
Keynote Speaker: Garrick Brown
Garrick Brown, VP of Real Estate Intelligence & Business Development at Gallelli, is a top real estate analyst with 25 years of experience, specializing in retail. A recognized thought leader, he has led national research teams and is frequently quoted by major media (The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, NPR). With 21,000+ LinkedIn followers, he shares insights on market trends and co-hosts The Retail Grind podcast. A dynamic speaker, he presents at top universities (Harvard, UCLA) and industry groups (ICSC, NAIOP, ULI). His accolades include the ICSC Lifetime Career Service Award and a Golden Telly Award. He also consults on market forecasting and strategy, having previously led research at Cushman & Wakefield, Cassidy Turley, Newmark, and Colliers. Past keynote speakers include: Emmitt Smith, Former NFL Player and Real Estate Developer; Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, Hosts of the “Fast Five” Podcast; Brandon Isner, CBRE; Paco Underhill, Envirosill Global; Robin Lewis, The Robin Report, Tom McGree, ICSC, and many more.
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Panel Session:
Panel Speakers will be announced later this week!
The afternoon panel session brings focus to a current topic or trend, or active investor or retailer in the marketplace. It will often feature regional speakers or national experts. Previous discussions have covered topics such as Leveraging Technology in Retail Real Estate, Experiential & Entertainment Retail, and Market Trends.
For 2025, we’re bringing together panelists actively investing in Wisconsin’s retail real estate—especially those who have remained committed when others have not. They’ll explore Why Wisconsin?—examining the market’s unique challenges and opportunities that set it apart.
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Roundtable Sessions:
Roundtable topics will be announced later this week!
Our most popular session is the Roundtable Session. This 90-minute segment gives attendees the opportunity to visit up to four tables, each for 20 minutes, to hear from experts on a variety of topics. This year’s topics include: Expanding Retailers & Hot Trends in Retail, Alternative Uses in Retail Settings, What’s New in Convenience Stores, Construction Costs Update, Investment & Net Lease Sales, Downtown Milwaukee & Third Ward Market Update, Downtown Madison Market Update, LOI Negotiations, Leasing Trends & Tenant Mix, Working with Municipalities; Title 101, Entitlements (Zoning Changes, Drive-Throughs), Lease Exclusives, Prohibited Uses, Bankruptcies & Co-Tenancy, 1031 Exchanges & Tax Strategies, Restaurant Trends & New Concepts, Emerging Retail Tech & Data Analytics, Emerging Projects, and more.
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Municipal Showcase:
Municipalities play a crucial role in a project’s success, and we are deeply engaged with the economic development community. This year, municipalities will have the opportunity to host a table at our highly popular happy hour event (4:30 – 6:30 PM), where they can showcase their community with display materials. Additionally, we will gather information on available development sites, incentives, key contacts, and desired retailers. This information will be compiled and shared with all attendees. To encourage engagement, we will incorporate a game that guides attendees through the showcase, ensuring they visit each municipality’s display.
When:
Wednesday, April 30th, 2025
Where:
Hyatt Regency Milwaukee
333 W Kilbourn Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203
Tentative Schedule:
11:00 – 11:45 Registration and Networking
11:45 – 12:45 Welcome & Lunch
12:45 – 1:30 – Keynote
1:30 – 1:45 – Break
1:45 – 2:30 – Panel
2:30-2:45 – Break
2:45 – 4:15 – Roundtables
4:30 – 6:30 – Happy Hour
Pricing:
Member Early Bird (Before April 4th) – $95
Member (After April 4th) – $145
Non-Member Early Bird (Before April 4th) – $125
Non-Member (After April 4th) – $175
Student – $50.00
Municipality Showcase Opportunity HERE
Sponsorship information can be found HERE
