The Take on Commercial Real Estate

Adam Newman, Executive Vice President | Landmark Credit Union
Eteri Zaslavsky, Managing Director | Next Realty
Kevin Schmoldt, Managing Director | Newmark
On this episode of The Take, host Tracy Johnson brings experts to the table to discuss the investment market, and getting deals done in Wisconsin. The conversation is wide-ranging and focuses on several retail-specific deals. Tracy is joined by Adam Newman from Landmark Credit Union, Eteri Zaslavsky from Next Realty, and Kevin Schmoldt from Newmark. This episode covers why Wisconsin is a great place to invest, how market conditions are impacting real estate investments, and advice on how to “get deals done”. Make sure to follow us for more Wisconsin commercial real estate content!

Live from the Wisconsin Retail Conference

Episode Title: Is Retail Real Estate Just About Retail: Keynote with Garrick Brown

Guest Speaker: Garrick Brown, Vice President of Real Estate Intelligence & Business Development, Gallelli Real Estate

Episode Overview:
In this special edition of the CARW Podcast, we bring you the full keynote presentation from the 2025 Wisconsin Retail Conference in Milwaukee. Our featured speaker is Garrick Brown, one of the nation’s leading voices in retail real estate, with more than 25 years of experience analyzing market trends and consumer behavior.

Key Topics Covered:

• Economic headwinds and retail resilience
• Growing and shrinking retail sectors
• Bankruptcy trends and what’s on the horizon
• The evolving definition of "retail real estate"
• Why restaurants, healthcare, and services are redefining the space
• The American consumer’s continued impact on retail

Quote to Remember:
"Never underestimate the American consumer." — Garrick Brown

About the Speaker:
Garrick Brown is Vice President of Real Estate Intelligence & Business Development at Gallelli Real Estate. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, NPR, and other major media outlets.

Jeff Hoffman, SIOR, CCIM | Cushman & Wakefield | The Boerke Co.

On this episode of The Take, host Tracy Johnson talks with Jeff Hoffman, Partner with Cushman & Wakefield | The Boerke Co. about his book, Industrial Is What we Do: Building Wisconsin’s Future on a Foundation of Industry. The book explores Wisconsin’s opportunity for success in manufacturing over the next decade as businesses face pressures around housing, automation, education, workforce, and infrastructure. Jeff explains the inspiration for writing the book based on his career as an industrial real estate broker and an active board member with several organizations (including CARW) focused on policy matters. His comments underscore the importance of understanding broad issues facing Industry as Wisconsin leaders look to the future. Jeff speaks with CEOs and policy experts to share insights and draw conclusions about the path forward. He also discusses the intrigue of commercial real estate as a career choice. Proceeds from the book support the Waukesha County Technical College 2030 Scholarship Fund.
More information can be found here: https://buff.ly/3Cz3NxY

In this episode we share the full program from the Commercial Association of REALTORS September 17, 2024, membership meeting at the historic Wisconsin Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This event was a deep dive into one of today’s hottest topics: adaptive reuse and the conversion of office spaces into multifamily and mixed-use developments.

The keynote presenter, Steven Paynter of Gensler, brought insights into the challenges and opportunities surrounding these transformations. Steven, a leader in architectural design and urban planning, shared key trends, success stories, and strategies for adapting office spaces to meet changing market demands. He has led the development of a tool for rapid assessment of existing office building stock for ESG performance. Steven was recognized by Business Insider as one of the Top 100 People Transforming Business in 2022, and his work and leadership have been featured in PBS, BBC News, CNBC, Daily Mail UK, Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, RTE, and Architectural Record.

Following Steven’s keynote, CARW hosted a powerhouse panel featuring some of the most respected names in the industry:

• S.R. Mills, CEO of Bear Development, known for leading impactful and transformative projects.
• Johnny Vassallo, founder of Mo's, who brings a unique perspective as an innovator and investor.
• Rob Oldenburg of Irgens, whose expertise in commercial development is unmatched.
• John Searlas from WHEDA, offering valuable insights into the financing and policy frameworks critical to these projects.

Together, they tackled pressing questions about housing shortages, suburban redevelopment, feasibility factors, and best practices drawn from cities across the country.

Whether you're a developer, investor, or simply curious about the future of our built environment, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration. So, sit back, tune in, and join us for this engaging conversation on adaptive reuse and the next evolution of commercial real estate.

2024 was quite a year for Wisconsin commercial real estate markets. Join speakers Adam Connor, Colliers Wisconsin; Katie Brueske, Cushman & Wakefield Boerke; Patrick Hanrahan, NEWMARK; and Sarah Eldred, Mid-America Real Estate, as they discuss the investment, office, industrial and retail markets and what's in store for 2025.