Maine Real Estate and Development Association annual spring conference May 18; Wachter of UPenn featured speaker at Commercial Real Estate 2030

The Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA) has set the date and agenda for its annual spring conference. This year's program is entitled — Commercial Real Estate 2030: Mega Trends, Mega Impacts and will feature noted futurist Dr. Susan Wachter as the keynote speaker. Wachter, a Richard B. Worley professor of financial management; professor of real estate and finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania will examine the national population and urbanization trends with an eye on the direct impact on Maine and an outlook for commercial real estate and development in 2030. Joining Wachter are well known Maine-based experts: * Laurie Lachance, Maine Development Foundation (Population/Demographics), will discuss how population growth and other factors will influence economic growth and real estate development and what kinds of policies should be put in place now to prepare for these demographic changes. * Gunnar Hubbard, Fore Solutions (Sustainability), will discuss which types of buildings can create more energy than they use, and what role he sees Maine real estate professionals taking to help create a better built environment. * Commissioner David Bernhardt, MDOT (Transportation) will discuss major transportation trends and impacts that directly relate to the real estate market, particularly in the commercial markets. * Angus King, BSSN (Energy), in addition to acting as moderator, former governor King will discuss other energy solutions for business and real estate development. All speakers will make a presentation as well as participate in a panel discussion with Wachter, moderated by King. The conference takes place on the University of Southern Maine campus at the Abromson Community Education Center's Hannaford Lecture Hall on May 18, starting at 12:45 and running until 5 p.m., with question and answer sessions, presentations and time to talk to other local business owners and developers. A networking reception will be held after the program between 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. The conference is sponsored by: People's United Bank, Harriman Architects Engineers, Mainebiz, Monaghan Leahy, LLP, SMRT, Pierce Atwood, LLP, Key Bank, PDT Architects and Drummond & Drummond, LLP. More than a dozen exhibitors will also be on hand representing their products and services. For more information and to register online, visit www.mereda.org.