AGENDA
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
| 1:00 P.M. |
|
Registration Opens |
| 1:35 P.M. |
|
Welcome Remarks |
| 1:45 P.M. |
|
Northeast Industrial Outlook: Labor, Logistics & Development Trends Shaping the Region |
| 2:45 P.M. |
|
Break |
| 3:00 P.M. |
|
From Cubicles to Commerce: Repurposing Office Assets for Industrial Use |
| 4:00 P.M. |
|
Industrial Cold Storage: Past, Present, and Future |
| 5:00 P.M. |
|
Networking Reception
|
Program Overview
Northeast Industrial Outlook: Labor, Logistics & Development Trends Shaping the Region
The Northeast industrial market continues to evolve as companies navigate workforce challenges, changing distribution strategies, development activity, and shifting occupier demand. This panel brings together experts from labor and workforce development, distribution and warehousing, construction management, and industrial brokerage to discuss the trends, opportunities, and challenges shaping industrial real estate across the region. Attendees will gain valuable insights into market conditions, labor availability, supply chain dynamics, and the factors influencing corporate real estate decisions.
Moderator:
Edward M. English Jr., Principal, Industrial Occupier Solutions, Avison Young
Panelists:
Troy Adams, Senior Vice President of Real Estate, NFI Industries
Jason Hickey, President, Hickey & Associates
Brian Knowles, CCIM, SIOR, Managing Principal/ President, Lee & Associates of Eastern Pennsylvania LLC
From Cubicles to Commerce: Repurposing Office Assets for Industrial Use
As office vacancies remain elevated in many markets, developers and occupiers are increasingly exploring opportunities to convert underutilized office properties into industrial and logistics facilities. This session examines the opportunities and challenges associated with office-to-industrial conversions, including site selection, infrastructure requirements, zoning considerations, and redevelopment costs. Through real-world examples and expert perspectives, attendees will gain a better understanding of how adaptive reuse strategies can help meet evolving industrial space demands.
Moderator:
Eric Zahniser, Managing Principal, Cresa
Panelists:
Adam Bortz, PMP, CEBA, Vice President, National Practice Strategy Leader – Industrial, NELSON Worldwide
Liz Gabor, President, GAIA Real Estate
Adam Wright, Principal, Senior Director & Market Leader, NJ/PA, Avison Young
Mark Glagola, Senior VP, Logistics Property Company
Industrial Cold Storage: Past, Present, and Future
Cold storage is at an inflection point – and this session cuts straight to what's driving it. Join us for a candid look at the forces reshaping temperature-controlled logistics, from development activity and vacancy trends to the population migration patterns redrawing the demand map. Important questions will be tackled, such as: Is speculative cold storage development still viable? How are GLP-1 medications quietly reshaping food consumption and the supply chains behind it? And what's next for facility design as clear heights, material handling, and automation raise the bar on what a modern facility looks like?
Speaker:
Dave Aschenbrad, Executive Managing Director, Newmark
