ICSC+CONTINUING EDUCATION MICHIGAN

Thursday April 10, 2025
7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location: Diamond Ballroom Foyer

Thursday April 10, 2025
7:30 am - 8:00 am
Location: Crystal/Sapphire/Ruby

No breakfast service after 8:00 am.  

Thursday April 10, 2025
7:50 am - 8:00 am
Location: Crystal/Sapphire/Ruby

SPEAKER 

Jonathan R. Borenstein, ICSC+CONTINUING EDUCATION MICHIGAN 2025 Program Advisory Committee Chair; Partner, Honigman LLP 

Thursday April 10, 2025
8:00 am - 9:45 am
Location: Crystal/Sapphire/Ruby

1. Liquor Licensing in the World of Retail Real Estate      

Kelly Allen, Partner, Adkison, Need, Allen, & Rentrop, PLLC 

2. The World of 1031 Exchanges in a New Administration  

Margo Rosenthal, VP, IPX-1031 

3. How Microsoft Copilot Can Serve as Your Personal Assistant

Brian Henry, Senior Executive Counsel, eTITLE

4. Pad Site Projects: Are High Demand and Great Potential Worth the Zoning and Land Use Approval Challenges? Strategies for Getting to “Yes”   

Patrick Lennon, Partner, Honigman LLP

5. Property Tax Appeal and Why It Matters

Sarah Belloli, Director, Property Tax Commercial, Ryan

6. 11 Things You Should Know in 2025 to Be an Effective Tenant Representation and Listing Broker  

James Stokas, Principal, Stokas Bieri Real Estate

7. Pollution Plumes and PFAS

Arthur Siegal, Partner, Taft 

 8. The Debtor Might Be Bluffing: Navigating Lease Assumption and Rejection Strategic Considerations in Retail Bankruptcy Cases  

Scott Kitei, Partner, Honigman LLP

9. Frontage Takings From Commercial Properties — Road Widenings, Utility Lines and More 

Jason Long, Attorney, Williams Williams Rattner & Plunkett P.C.

Jerry Pesick, Attorney/Shareholder, Williams Williams Rattner & Plunkett P.C.

10. Sign Here, Regret Later: Lessons From Real Estate Purchase Agreement Disasters

Gregg A. Nathanson, Partner, Couzens, Lansky, Fealk, Ellis, Roeder & Lazar, P.C. 

Emily M. Sullivan, Attorney, Couzens, Lansky, Fealk, Ellis, Roeder & Lazar, P.C.  

11. Construction Lien Claims in Michigan and The Michigan Building Contract Fund Act.

Matt Smith, Member, Clark Hill PLC

12. Franchise Leasing: Sign, Seal, Deliver! 

Salam Elia, Principal Attorney, Elia Law PLLC

13. Zombie Plagues to Alien Invasions: The Force Majeure Survival Guide 

Gary Kravitz, Shareholder, Maddin Hauser 

14. Strategies for Commercial Landlords to Use to Protect Themselves in Commercial Tenancies 

Alan J. Taylor, Shareholder, Segal McCambridge 

15. Financing Mixed-Use Development — Using Affordable Housing Initiatives to Support the Bottom Line

Nicholas Maloof, President & General Counsel, Associated Environmental Services, LLC 

16. From Investment to Development: Key Items to Know in Hospitality Real Estate

Kevin Jappaya, President, KJ Commercial Real Estate Advisors 

17. Lease Law and Loopholes Navigating Tenant Defaults, Evictions and Corporate Protections  

Michael Band, Owner, The Band Law Firm PLC 

18. Navigating the Cannabis Landscape 

Cobin Yaldoo, Founder/President, C3 CRE

19. ABC’s of a Land Use Appeal 

John Mucha, III, Member/Partner, Dawda PLC

20. Paid Sick Time, Minimum Wage, and CTA: Recent Regulatory Changes for Michigan Businesses  

Hayley Johnson, Associate, Clark Hill PLC 

21. Changing Landscape of Mixed-Use Condominiums  

Phil Haywood, Associate, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP 

22. From Crypto to Commercial Real Estate: Emerging Blockchain Applications in Real Estate Development 

Jordan Segal, Shareholder, Maddin Hauser 

23. Hiding in Plain Sight: How to Properly Identify and Buy Value-Add Retail Properties  

Marcel Pearl, Advisor, Encore Real Estate Investment Services   

24.  The Biggest Engineering Hurdles in Site Development 

Becky Klein, Project Manager, PEA Group 

25.  CoStar Updates 

Vince Licari, Sales Executive, CoStar Group  

Thursday April 10, 2025
9:45 am - 10:30 am
Location: Crystal/Sapphire/Ruby

Sponsored by Martin Commercial Properties  

Dr. Cristina Benton will provide an overview of major economic trends in Michigan and discuss headwinds impacting the state’s economy with an emphasis on the challenges facing the automotive industry. 

SPEAKER 

Dr. Cristina Benton, Director, Market & Industry Analysis, Anderson Economic Group 

Thursday April 10, 2025
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Location: Crystal/Sapphire/Ruby

In this one-on-one chat, former Governor Rick Snyder will uncover the critical issues of economic readiness, collaboration and business attraction and their impact on real estate and development in Michigan. 

MODERATOR 

Nicholas Maloof, President & General Counsel, Associated Environmental Services, LLC 

PANELIST 

Rick Snyder, Former Governor of Michigan; CEO/Co-Founder of SensCy 

Thursday April 10, 2025
11:00 am - 11:10 am

Thursday April 10, 2025
11:10 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Opal/Garnet

Sponsored by Elia Law, PLLC

Join our panel of retail real estate experts as they explore the current landscape for financing and investing in retail properties.  Discover how owners and lenders are tackling prolonged higher interest rates and employing innovative structures and strategies to close deals successfully. 

MODERATOR 

Adam Gould, SVP, Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital 

PANELISTS

Richard Broder, CEO, Broder Sachse Real Estate Services 

Andrew Dunlap, SVP, Acquisitions & Investments, REDICO  

Adam Lutz, President & CEO, Lutz Real Estate Investments; Principal, Q10/Lutz Financial

Dave Skaff, CRE Relationship Manager, Sr. & SVP, Old National Bank

Thursday April 10, 2025
11:10 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Onyx

Sponsored by Friedman Real Estate

Learn about recent real estate developments in Downtown Detroit in this fireside chat, where each panelist will discuss their respective projects and share related videos.   

MODERATOR 

James C. Bieri, Esq., CRRP, CRX, Principal, Stokas Bieri Real Estate 

PANELISTS

Cari Easterday, CFO, Midtown Detroit Inc. & Larson Realty Group 

Naumann Idrees, SVP, Leasing Bedrock Detroit   

Melanie Markowicz, CEO, Midtown Detroit Inc. 

Thursday April 10, 2025
12:00 pm - 12:40 pm
Location: Crystal/Sapphire/Ruby

No lunch service after 12:40 pm.  

Thursday April 10, 2025
12:40 pm - 1:40 pm
Location: Crystal/Sapphire/Ruby

Sponsored by Honigman LLP

This plenary session provides a unique opportunity to hear from influential family groups that have not only shaped Michigan's commercial real estate landscape but have done so with remarkable longevity, diversity and impact. Moderated by Spencer Levy, the session will feature a live podcast discussion with key representatives from the Schostak and Friedman families, whose enduring success and leadership have left a lasting mark on the industry. Rather than focusing solely on their past accomplishments, the conversation will delve into the strategic visions that have fueled these families' growth and resilience. Attendees will gain insights into how these multi-generational leaders have navigated evolving markets, embraced innovation and built diverse portfolios that continue to thrive. This session will highlight the forward-thinking strategies that have enabled these families to remain at the forefront of Michigan's commercial real estate sector, ensuring continued success and impact for generations to come. 

MODERATOR  

Spencer Levy, Global Client Strategist & Senior Economic Advisor, CBRE 

PANELISTS 

David Friedman, Co-CEO, Friedman Real Estate 

Jared Friedman, Co-CEO, Friedman Real Estate 

David Schostak, CEO, Schostak Brothers & Company, Inc. 

Jeffrey Schostak, President, Schostak Development,Schostak Brothers & Company, Inc. 

Thursday April 10, 2025
1:40 pm - 2:30 pm
Location: Crystal/Sapphire/Ruby

Sponsored by Clark Hill PLC

This accredited session explores the critical aspects of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as they relate to commercial real estate in Michigan. Through interactive discussion, industry experts will provide insights into the differences between the FHA and ADA, access design considerations and pitfalls, and practical implementation strategies to ensure compliance and promote inclusivity, without sacrifice to (and potentially enhancing) profitability. 

As of 2024, each Michigan Real Estate Licensee must have 2 hours of legal credit and 1 hour of fair housing credit in each year of their unique three-year cycle. 



MODERATOR

Paul S. Magy, Member, Clark Hill PLC 

PANELISTS 

Doug Anderson, Partner, LCM Architects

Robert Gibbs, Managing Director, Gibbs Planning Group 

Thursday April 10, 2025
2:30 pm - 2:40 pm

Thursday April 10, 2025
2:40 pm - 3:30 pm
Location: Crystal/Sapphire/Ruby

Sponsored by Dawda PLC

This dynamic panel will showcase and amplify women’s voices on the future direction of retail, offering insights from influential leaders across various sectors of commercial real estate in Michigan. These accomplished women will share their perspectives on emerging trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the industry, providing a valuable and inspiring conversation for professionals at all levels. 

MODERATOR 

Cynthia Kratchman, Principal, Mid-America Real Estate Corp. 

PANELISTS 

Sara Chaiken, Real Estate Manager, Dollar Tree | Family Dollar

Melissa Collar, Chief Legal Officer & VP, Strategic Partnerships, Rockford Construction  

Kyle Johns, SVP, Independent Bank

Angela Thomas, Co-Founder, AERES Real Estate 

Thursday April 10, 2025
2:40 pm - 3:30 pm
Location: Opal/Garnet

How Communities and Developers Are Implementing Unique Mixed-Use Formats to Overcome Retail Development Challenges

Join our panel of experts for a discussion on addressing the challenges that arise when creating a new development while navigating through the communities, municipalities, government incentives and institutional financing. Find out how to fulfill the requirements of the stakeholders while creating a successful project that serves the retail needs of the community in which it is located. 

MODERATOR 

Jennifer Mackay, Regional Leasing Director, ShopOne Centers REIT, Inc.  

PANELISTS

David Dedvukaj, VP, Contour Companies 

Marc D. Kaszubski, Shareholder & Member, O’Reilly Rancilio P.C.  

Tom Litzler, COO & EVP, Schostak Brothers & Company, Inc.  

Thursday April 10, 2025
2:40 pm - 3:30 pm
Location: Onyx

This panel will take a look at what projects are spurring retail development outside of the Detroit area in the other major metropolitan areas. 

MODERATOR 

Brian Whitfield, VP, Retail Operations, Colliers  

PANELISTS 

Paul Gentilozzi, Owner, Gentilozzi Real Estate  

Rob Platt, Owner, Alpen Bluffs Outdoor Resort LLC  

Randy Thelen, President & CEO, The Right Place  

Thursday April 10, 2025
3:30 pm - 3:40 pm

Thursday April 10, 2025
3:40 pm - 4:30 pm
Location: Crystal/Sapphire/Ruby

Sponsored by First American Title-Commercial Group

This interactive session will explore important court decisions, legislation and trends in the law of commercial real estate in Michigan. The panel will discuss recent case law developments, new and pending legislation, and the trends they represent, and address their importance to those who own, manage, finance or lease space in commercial projects. 

MODERATOR 

Alicia Schehr, Partner, Taft/  

PANELISTS 

Jennifer Bielfield, Senior Counsel, Clark Hill PLC  

Philip J. Carbone, Attorney, Lumberg Freeman Gleeson Hicks & Koppelman, PLLC  

Thursday April 10, 2025
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Location: Diamond Ballroom Foyer