Breakfast Forum: The Houston Commercial Real Estate Markets – What’s Ahead for 2012

Brandi McDonald, Managing Principal
Newmark Knight Frank

Brandi joined the senior management team of Newmark Knight Frank's Houston office in 2011 as a managing principal. Over the course of 16 years, Brandi has completed more than eight million square feet of office leasing transactions, representing a total value exceeding $1.8 billion.

Prior to joining Newmark Knight Frank, Brandi served as a managing director and senior vice president for Transwestern. Credited with helping grow Transwestern's national platform, she also served on its board of directors and national tenant advisory services steering committee. In this capacity, Brandi managed the day-to-day operations of the local Houston tenant advisory services division in addition to executing corporate space requirements and portfolio strategies on behalf of her clients. Prior to joining Transwestern, Brandi served as a Principal of the Trammell Crow Company, where she was a founding member of the Corporate Advisory Services Platform at TCC Headquarters, then launched Houston's Corporate Advisory Services Division in March of 2000. Brandi graduated Magna Cum Laude from Sam Houston State University.

Joel Marshall, Senior Vice President
Trendmaker Development Company

Joel has been with Trendmaker since 1986, holding various positions from Assistant Controller to his current position of Senior Vice President. Joel is responsible for the development of several Houston area communities including Green Trails and Grand Lakes (winner of the NAHB's Best in American Living Award for best master planned community in the US) in west Houston, Crossroads in northwest Houston, Silvercreek in Pearland, Crighton Ridge and Crighton Woods in Conroe, and the new 3,200 acre master planned community, Cross Creek Ranch, in Fulshear. Joel holds a MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and a BS from Kansas State University. Prior to joining Trendmaker he was with Barnes-Connally Partnership in Austin.

Ewing King, Principal
Read King Commercial Real Estate

Ewing serves as a Principal responsible for real estate development operations. Ewing brings over 25 years of high quality retail development expertise and leadership to the firm. He spearheads projects that combine the latest innovations and designs to integrate with communities and their needs. Ewing has a particular expertise in acquisition, design, construction and real estate portfolio management. He has time spent on a variety of development and redevelopment projects as well as representing national clients. Ewing holds a BBA in Real Estate and Finance from Baylor University.

Welcome W. Wilson, Jr., President & CEO
Welcome Group

As President & CEO of Welcome Group, Welcome oversees the development, leasing, construction and purchase of single tenant office, lab, manufacturing and industrial facilities in Texas. Welcome Group has built over 150 such facilities since 1998 and still owns over 75 containing in excess of 3 ½ million square feet.  Welcome has been a real estate developer for more than 35 years with extensive experience in industrial development, residential subdividing, retail centers and office buildings. He was President of Belmont Corporation, owner of a 25,000 acre project near Phoenix, Director of Dover Homes of Houston, builder of more than 3,000 homes in Texas and as an officer of TCP Realty Services, responsible for the redevelopment of a downtown Houston office building as well as other Houston office buildings totaling more than two-million square feet.  He also serves as a principal of Kingham ∙ Dalton ∙ Wilson Ltd., a Design/Build affiliate of GSL Welcome and is a Director of River Oaks Financial Group, Inc.,

In 2011, Governor Rick Perry appointed Welcome to the Board of Regents of the University of Houston. He also serves on the Board of the Houston Realty Business Coalition, the Texas Business Hall of Fame, the Houston Food Bank, and the American Lung Association Advisory Board. Welcome serves as Chairman of the Board for the Southwest Houston Redevelopment Authority and Southwest Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Twenty as well as the Energy Collaborative Cluster Council and the Common Grounds Initiative Committee of the Greater Houston Partnership, and is a member of the “C” Club.  Welcome is a former Chairman of the End Hunger Network, as a Board Member of the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation, as a Board Member of the Greater Sharpstown Management District, on the Houstonian Club Advisory Board, and as President of the Kinkaid School Alumni Association.  Welcome attended The University of Denver and is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.