(Charlotte, N.C.) – Katten, in partnership with Cushman & Wakefield, announced today that it will feature seven industry specialists at the 13th Annual Outlook on the Commercial Real Estate Market. The free, invitation-only event will take place on January 9 in uptown Charlotte.

"This event offers the Charlotte business community a highly informative and candid discussion of real estate trends and issues facing the industry," said event moderator Daniel S. Huffenus, Katten's Charlotte Managing Partner. "This year we plan to take an in-depth look at the state of the real estate market, which sectors are expected to shift or stay strong in 2020 as well as the issues facing the industry in the coming year."

David C. Smith, Americas Head of Occupier Research for Cushman & Wakefield, will be the keynote speaker for the event. Smith will join a panel discussion with several of the region's real estate thought leaders: Bryan Blythe, Vice President, Market Leader, Liberty Property Trust; Tracy Dodson, Assistant City Manager, City of Charlotte; Jack Gay, Global Head of Commercial Real Estate Debt, Nuveen; Matthew Knisely, Managing Director, Investment Group East, Shorenstein; Stuart Proffitt, Managing Principal, Proffitt Dixon Partners and Rex Rudy, Executive Vice President, Division Head of Commercial Real Estate, U.S. Bank.

"We're proud to again sponsor the Outlook on the Commercial Real Estate Market with Katten. This is a compelling event for a dynamic market. Over the past five years, Charlotte has seen its office, industrial and multifamily rents grow 41%, 38% and 33%, respectively. Keynote speaker, David Smith, and the powerhouse panel will provide national, regional and Charlotte-specific perspective on economic, demographic and space usage trends impacting real estate investors and occupiers in Charlotte and around the U.S.," said Brett Gray, event host and Cushman & Wakefield Charlotte Managing Principal.

As the Americas Head of Occupier Research for Cushman & Wakefield, Smith produces thought leadership content focused on how economics, demographics, technology and space usage trends impact commercial real estate users and investors. He has been a speaker at national BOMA, CoreNet and NMHC events, and he has been published in and quoted by media outlets such as Forbes, Globe Street, NAIOP and Bisnow.

Attendees of the Outlook on the Commercial Real Estate Market are required to register for the event in advance. To register, please contact Nicole Stephens at nicole.stephens@katten.com. While the event is free of charge, attendees are also encouraged to donate to Hospitality House of Charlotte, which provides the comforts of home for families of seriously ill loved ones by offering affordable accommodations in the heart of Charlotte's medical community.

Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global real estate services firm that delivers exceptional value for real estate occupiers and owners. Cushman & Wakefield is among the largest real estate services firms with approximately 51,000 employees in 400 offices and 70 countries. In 2018, the firm had revenue of $8.2 billion across core services of property, facilities and project management, leasing, capital markets, valuation and other services. To learn more, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com or follow @CushWake on Twitter.