FIABCI-USA 2025 Spring Symposium

May 2 (Friday) - May 3 (Saturday)

The Carter Center | Atlanta, GA

*** Registration Deadline: April 22 ***

FIABCI-USA will host its 2025 Spring Symposium, including Property Tours, the Grand Prix, and the Installation of Shirley Johnson-Boyd as our 2025-2026 President, on May 2-3 at The Carter Center in Atlanta, GA, as follows:

Friday, May 2 | Property Tours

11:00 AM – Kendeda Building

422 Ferst Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30313 Living Building Challenge (LBC) Certification

– DESCRIPTION –
The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design is the first building in Georgia and only 28th in the world to earn Living Building Challenge (LBC) certification. It’s the world’s most ambitious and holistic green building achievement. The building actually gives back more to the environment than it takes. For example, it generates more energy than it consumes, returning the excess to the grid. By incorporating salvaged materials into its construction, more waste was diverted from the landfill than was sent. To keep economic benefits local, the majority of building materials and services were sourced from within 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of the site. The health and happiness of its occupants is also prioritized, as building materials were screened for common hazardous chemicals known to harm human and environmental health. During our guided tour, you’ll learn about these amazing advances in much greater detail.

1:50 PM – The Atlanta Beltline

124 Krog Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 2013 FIABCI-USA Grand Prix of Real Estate Recipient

 – DESCRIPTION –
The Atlanta Beltline, which was recognized with a FIABCI-USA Grand Prix of Real Estate award in 2013, is one of the most ambitious urban revitalization efforts in recent history. It is a large-scale urban redevelopment and transportation project that is transforming an historic 22-mile railroad corridor into a network of multi-use trails, parks, and transit-oriented neighborhoods. Not only has connectivity between neighborhoods been improved, the resulting economic development along the Beltline has been tremendous, thanks to scores of new restaurants, breweries, art galleries, and local businesses. Although the public infrastructure improvements are scheduled for completion by 2030, private development throughout the Beltline will likely be ongoing for many years beyond that. In our guided tour, we will experience the transformative power of public private partnerships in urban planning.

Saturday, May 3 | The Carter Center | Cyprus Room

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM – Event Check-In and Coffee Reception

9:30 AM - 12:00 AM – Morning Presentations 

Master of Ceremonies David Garrison, CIPS Team Lead | David Garrison Global | Bolst Real Estate

– BIO –
David is a native Atlantan who has worked in the real estate industry for more than 20 years. During that time, he has gained a depth of knowledge across all disciplines of the industry, achieved designation as a Certified International Property Specialists, and assisted hundreds of clients with residential, investment, international, and light commercial real estate needs. As a perennial top producer at Bolst Real Estate, David firmly believes that only his clients know when it is the right time to make a real estate move, and his no pressure, relaxed approach to doing business supports that belief.

Opening Remarks G. Evan Bennett Founder & Managing Partner | Anthology Capital 2024-2025 President | FIABCI-USA First Vice President | FIABCI World Council of Developers and Investors

– BIO –
Evan has more than 20 years of experience in the commercial real estate and banking industries. During his career, he's been an appraiser at both CBRE and Kidder Mathews, a loan originator at Chase, and an independent sponsor at Anthology Capital, where he manages all aspects of sourcing, financing, and managing private placement investments in commercial real estate located in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, with a focus on medical office, neighborhood retail, and flex warehouse. Perhaps Evan’s most unique life experience so far was living in Japan for 13 years as a young adult. Thanks to being immersed in the language and culture for so many years, as well as actively studying all the while, he’s comfortable communicating in Japanese in most situations.

Serenbe: A Common Sense Approach to Balanced Growth Steve Nygren Town Founder & Managing Partner | Serenbe Partner | Nygren Placemaking

– DESCRIPTION –
A hundred years ago, we didn’t have to name the common-sense approach to conserving resources and protecting the places where we lived and planned for future generations. Today, we call it a Biophilic Approach to planning and development.” This approach to development led to Serenbe being recognized in several sectors as the leading model for Wellness Real Estate (Global Wellness Institute), Agrihoods (New York Times and Urban Land Institute) and Biophilic Communities (Biophilic Institute).

– BIO –
Steve Nygren is Town Founder and Managing Partner of Serenbe, the community leading the wellness real estate, Agrihood and Biophilic movements. He is Partner in Nygren Placemaking consulting and a serial hospitality entrepreneur. He founded the 34-restaurant hospitality group, Peasant Restaurants in the 1970’s. that he sold in1994. Steve led the effort to create the Chattahoochee Hill Country Alliance bringing together 500 landowners, developers and conservationists for a mutually agreed upon solution for balanced growth across 40,000 acres. This effort resulted in a historic Georgia land use plan adopted to preserve 70% of the acreage on the edge of Atlanta while providing 20% more housing than traditional yield of suburban sprawl. Steve currently serves on multiple local and national boards dealing with children, agriculture, land use, environmental issues and marketing.

Hotel Investors: Exploring Adaptive Reuse and Tokenization Dr. Alex Cartwright Principal | HotelSHIFT Chair of the Management Department & Associate Professor of Economics | Ferris State University

– DESCRIPTION –
With a PhD in Economics, Alex Cartwright has approached real estate investment from a variety of less obvious perspectives. At HotelShift, his strategy is to acquire distressed hotels at favorable prices and convert them into workforce housing. Why? Because such hotels typically sell at a steep discount relative to multifamily, so there is tremendous upside potential. More recently, he has discovered the effectiveness of tokenization in packaging better quality hotel investments for foreign investors. In this presentation, Alex will discuss his unique business models and provide you with actionable steps to consider for your own business.

– BIO –
Alex and his colleagues at HotelSHIFT selectively buy extended stay and distressed hotels in high traffic locations within growing metros for the purpose of renovating them into workforce housing. Once stabilized occupancy is achieved, these adaptive reuse projects are considered multifamily properties by lenders, investors, and other market participants, recognizing significant increases in their values. In his role as Principal at HotelSHIFT, Alex’s responsibilities include analyzing the macroeconomics of target markets and underwriting all of the company’s offerings. He came to this role as an experienced multifamily investor who had served as lead GP on multiple syndications. At Ferris State University, Alex teaches classes on Managerial Economics, Economic Growth, and International Business. His research has been published in several scholarly outlets, including The Cambridge Journal of Economics. Alex is also an affiliated scholar with multiple think tanks and has served as an economic advisor to congressional candidates in Peru.

FIABCI, You, and Our Consultative Status at the United Nations Elizabeth Belenchia, CCIM, SCEDA, UNECE, UN Global Compact President | Carroll Properties Corporation First Vice President | FIABCI International Organizations Committee

– DESCRIPTION –
As most of our members are aware, FIABCI was awarded consultative status by the United Nations in the 1990s. But what does that really mean? If anyone can answer that question in detail, it’s Elizabeth Belenchia, one of our most distinguished members. Elizabeth has been a representative to the United Nations since 2004 and has given multiple presentations at UN Climate Conferences over the subsequent years. At our FIABCI-USA Spring Symposium, she will share with us the fascinating path that led to her international engagement in both life and business.

– BIO –
Elizabeth Belenchia has been president of Carroll Properties Corporation, a private practice of International Industrial Real Estate, since 1976. In this role, she provides her clients with corporate services that include site acquisition, strategic target marketing, creative financing, investment analysis, corporate property management, feasibility studies, business plan preparations, tax deferred exchanges, historic and tax credit property procurement, property tax review, and community redevelopment. Strategic alliances with both economic and property development allies throughout the world have been a key aspect in the sustainability and ongoing success of her business operations. Elizabeth is also a longtime member of FIABCI, having served as a representative to the United Nations since 2004 and currently the First Vice President of the FIABCI International Organizations Committee. She has given presentations at multiple UN Climate Conferences, notably including COP14 (Poznan, Poland in 2008), Rio+20 (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2012), COP21 (Paris, France in 2015), and COP26 (Glasgow, Scotland in 2021).

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM – Grand Prix Awards Luncheon

Presentation of the FIABCI-USA Grand Prix Awards Ritu Rani Pahwa Managing Member | The RRP Group International 2024-2025 Vice President of the Grand Prix | FIABCI-USA 2025-2026 President Elect | FIABCI-USA Second Vice President | FIABCI Americas Regional Committee

– BIO –
Ritu Rani Pahwa works closely with developers and investors, serving as a trusted advisor in the strategic planning of ground-up development projects and the acquisition and disposition of existing investment properties. In this role, she primary focuses on hospitality, multifamily, and mixed-use assets, facilitating the interactions of her clients with the lenders and private equity groups that underwrite and fund their projects and properties. In addition, she helps her clients to enhance their returns through introductions to technology partners with tools and services that streamline operational efficiencies. Ritu has previously held positions on the corporate side of hospitality and entertainment at The Walt Disney Company, Kerzner International, and Time Inc.

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM – Afternoon Presentations

Updates, Forecasts & Opportunities Michael Bull, CCIM CEO | Bull Realty, Inc Host | America’s Commercial Real Estate Show

– DESCRIPTION –
As the host of America's Commercial Real Estate Show, one of the longest running podcasts on any topic, Michael Bull has become one of the most well-informed brokers in the real estate industry. Each week, he and his guests, always a highly respected industry leader, analyst, or economists, inform and engage listeners from around the world with insightful discussions about the market. In this presentation, Michael will include his observations related to global real estate trends and the activities of foreign investors in the United States.

– BIO –
Licensed as a broker in eight states, Michael Bull, CCIM, has closed more than $8 billion in commercial real estate transactions over the past 35 years. He is the CEO of Bull Realty in Atlanta, GA, where he leads a team focused on office investment sales. You may know Michael as the host of America's Commercial Real Estate Show, a popular podcast that began as a radio show 2010. Each week, he and his guests, always a highly respected industry leader, analyst, or economists, provide listeners from around the world with actionable market intel, forecasts, and strategies. The show is known for its high-quality content, which is always delivered in a professional and enlightening style. Michael is also the creator of Commercial Agent Success Strategies, a video training series for commercial real estate brokers. Both new and experienced brokers rave about the quality of these 21 videos, forms, activities calculator, and slide deck action notes.

International Property Markets Toolkit: Actions for Equitable Economic Growth William Endsley Principal | World Citizen Consulting Trustee | FIABCI Scholarship Foundation

– DESCRIPTION –
This program features Case Studies from Armenia, Ghana, Kenya, the Philippines, Nigeria and Rwanda on developing transparent and rational property markets and professionals to support market development to attract direct foreign investment.

– BIO –
William Endsley has over twenty years of experience in developing international markets and has traveled throughout the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa working to develop professionals in the finance and real estate sector as a means for inclusive economic development and global security. As the Principal Consultant for World Citizen Consulting, he is engaged by the Center for International Private Enterprise on the International Property Markets Toolkit. He previously served as the Director of International Relations at the Appraisal Institute where he directed the organization’s entry into China, Germany, Korea and Turkey.

Announcements: Upcoming NAR Events in Nigeria Alejandro Escudero Director of Global Strategy | National Association of REALTORS® Principal Member Representative of NAR | FIABCI-USA

– BIO –
As director of Global Strategy at NAR, Alejandro focuses on expanding members' access to global real estate opportunities, enhancing professionalism in the real estate industry worldwide, and promoting transparent and profitable global markets.

Announcements: Upcoming FIABCI Events in Nigeria Adeniyi Tinubu CEO | Hudders Field Property Agency Board Member | FIABCI-Nigeria

– BIO –
As the CEO of Hudders Field Property Agency in Nigeria, Adeniyi provides comprehensive real estate services, including property sales, leasing, and management. He works closely with developers from project inception to completion, providing them with a crucial link to their target market.

3:30 PM - 4:15 PM – Installation of President Shirley Johnson-Boyd and Incoming Officers and Directors

Closing Remarks Shirley Johnson-Boyd, MBA, CCIM Founder & CEO | Niobium Global 2025-2026 President | FIABCI-USA

– BIO –
As the Founder & CEO of Niobium Global, Shirley helps to connect buyers, sellers, and investors with international property opportunities, whether residential or commercial. Based in Alexandria, VA, and only a stone’s throw from the nation’s capital, she is licensed in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

4:15 PM - 5:30 PM – Carter Museum Tour

Registration 

Inclusive ticket prices include entrance to Property Tours, Symposium, Grand Prix Awards Luncheon & Installation.

Deadline to register is Tuesday, April 22. Please sign in for member pricing.

*If you are a FIABCI-USA member, after you click on the registration button above, be sure to then/next log-in once on the registration page in order to ensure you receive member rates. 

Important Policies:

Registration closes Tuesday, April 22. Cancellations accepted until Tuesday, April 22, less a $10 processing fee. Cancellations received after April 22 will not be refunded.

Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors!

SILVER LEVEL SPONSORS

– PROFILE –
Universal Consulting Opportunities (UCO), a subsidiary of Stellar MLS, supports real estate professionals worldwide with expert guidance and customized solutions. Their expertise stems from a management team of globally recognized business leaders who are collectively fluent in seven languages, enabling seamless communication across diverse markets. By collaborating with world-class organizations, such as FIABCI, and international professionals, such as our members, UCO helps real estate markets thrive globally. To learn more—how UCO supports global real estate markets by providing tailored solutions that emphasize trust, transparency, innovation, and sustainable growth—visit their website: www.StellarMLS.com/Global

BRONZE LEVEL SPONSORS

Recommended Hotels

FIABCI-USA does not have a formal room block reserved for this event, but highly recommends the following hotels for your stay.

The Starling at Colony Square (Hilton Curio Collection) | Hotel Website

188 14th Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30361

Loews Atlanta Hotel | Hotel Website

1065 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

Make Time to Explore Atlanta! 

Click here to learn more about what to do, see, explore and taste while in the beautiful city of Atlanta, or check out this list of highly recommended attractions, which was provided by Hugh Gilliam, Past President of FIABCI-USA and a resident of Atlanta.

High Museum

Georgia Aquarium

World of Coca-Cola

Atlanta Botanical Garden

The King Center

Millennium Gate Museum

Ponce City Market

Shopping:

Buckhead Village

Phipps Plaza

Lenox Square