Realcomm 2025 | Precon Accelerator: CIO Roundtable

Howard Berger has over 30 years of experience in technology and commercial/investment real estate. As Realcomm's SVP Programs, he manages its US and international conferences and CIO programs. Previously, he was with The Jamesan Group, which specialized in strategic technology consulting for the commercial real estate industry and prior to that, he was with TRW Real Estate Information Systems where he developed real estate information systems for the mortgage, appraisal and title insurance industries.

Dave Glazer is the principal of Glazer Design, a horizon scanning and futures research lab. He honed his data and trend analysis skills in the Canadian Federal Government, where his reports reached all levels of government, including the Prime Minister’s Office. Dave has also played a key role in bringing a number of high-tech and clean-tech ventures to market in Canada. He is a former VP of Data Strategy and Innovation for Kroll, and previously led emerging trends, innovation and IT/digital strategy research and advisory as part of the CIO practice at Info-Tech Research Group.

Gary Bailey serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Phillips Edison & Company (PECO), one of the nation’s largest owners and operators of grocery-anchored shopping centers. With over 25 years of experience in information technology and 18 years in commercial real estate at PECO, Gary leads the company’s strategic IT initiatives with a focus on innovation, operational excellence, and digital transformation. In his role, Gary oversees the development and implementation of cutting-edge IT solutions that drive business growth and efficiency. He is responsible for ensuring the security, scalability, and resilience of PECO’s technology infrastructure, while aligning IT strategy with the company’s long-term goals. Gary is recognized for his forward-thinking approach and commitment to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration within the IT organization.

As VP of Information Technology at Woolbright Development, Luis Ramos is responsible for the corporate technology strategy, which includes the IT infrastructure and enterprise application platforms. Additionally, he is also responsible for implementing technology solutions toward the company’s existing business processes and helping create new efficiencies throughout the company's business model. Since his arrival in 2004, his team has been responsible for the constant development of various industry-focused proprietary software applications and tools. These award-winning technologies have fundamentally changed the way commercial real estate has been done at Woolbright.

Amanda Gibb has over 17 years’ experience in the commercial real estate space, leading technology teams for the past 10 years at Westfield, Starwood Retail, JLL, and now Bedrock in Detroit, MI. At Bedrock, Amanda works to deploy a fit-for-purpose application tech stack for the vertically integrated real estate company, including M&A, property management, leasing, development, construction, marketing, HR, legal, and accounting, across all asset types and classes. As CTIO she leads multiple technology teams, including Infrastructure, Applications, Building Controls, Data & Analytics, and Help Desk, working closely with the CTO and Innovation teams. The teams focus on projects that improve operational efficiency, cost savings, tenant experience, innovation, and data quality/insights.

Brandon Van Orden is SVP & CIO for Cousins Properties Incorporated based in Atlanta. He is responsible for Cousins technical vision and all aspects of the Information Technology organization including people, strategy, development and operations. Prior to joining Cousins in 2016, Brandon was VP of Global Applications for Novelis and prior to that he was with GE Energy for 12 years where he held a number of IT leadership roles increasing in responsibility after he graduated from the GE Information Technology Leadership Program in 2003.

Susan Gerock currently serves as SVP, Information Technology and CIO for Elme Communities, formerly known as WashREIT. She has over 25 years' experience in various technology roles spanning manufacturing, consulting, application service provider and commercial real estate organizations. Her specialties include ERP selection and implementation, project and change management, and cybersecurity. She is also a proponent of the use of social media and the overlapping relationship between technology and marketing.

Tom Karounos, Global Head of Building & Hospitality Technology, leads strategic technology implementation and operational support for Tishman Speyer’s global real estate portfolio. With 25+ years of IT experience, including seven at Tishman Speyer, he brings extensive technical expertise and leadership across diverse enterprise environments. A key member of Tishman Speyer’s IT Leadership Team, Tom collaborates closely with the firm’s venture capital, construction, engineering, and property operations teams to drive innovation and efficiency.

Yael Urman is Silverstein’s Chief Information Officer and oversees the company’s technology initiatives and strategy. Its Technology Group transforms creative ideas into customer products and services that do not exist anywhere else. The team partners with startups and entrepreneurs from its own Silvertech Ventures to experiment and leverage new technologies while supporting young companies. The Technology Group uses its diverse background, working alongside industry leaders, to translate ideas into practical functions. Yael has previously held various leadership roles in Energy, IT services, Biotech and Pharma.

Joseph Martino has responsibility for Primaris’ overall Information Technology strategy. He has over 20 years of experience in Information Technology, Digital Transformation and Technology Operations. Joseph was previously consulting on ERP and major Digital Transformation projects and prior to that, Global VP of Information Technology at a market leader in connected vehicle and sensor technology.

Helane Stein is EVP, CIO of Brixmor responsible for the overall technology vision, strategy, systems and infrastructure that support business operations. She leads the implementation of transformational solutions that drive organizational efficiency, increase productivity, enhance collaboration and deliver results. Brixmor owns and operates a high-quality, national portfolio of open-air shopping centers. Its 632 retail centers comprise of approximately 64 million square feet of prime retail space in established trade areas.

As SVP, CIO, Colin Joynt oversees the platform, implementation, and services team at BXP. He brings more than 20 years of IT experience, particularly in the application space, and most recently at NavigatorCRE, an industry leading asset management and reporting solution built on Microsoft technologies. Prior to NavigatorCRE, Colin held SVP of Information Technology roles at Retail Properties of America (RPAI) and Kite Realty Group.

Cecilia Li has more than 20 years of experience as a proven technology strategist and business transformation expert. She is currently the SVP, CIO of Urban Edge Properties, a REIT that focused on management, acquiring, development and redevelopment of retail real estate in urban communities. Urban Edge owns 77 properties totaling 16.2 million square feet of gross leasable area.

Simon Okunev oversee the strategy and execution of Tishman Speyer's Global Information Technology function. He has 25 years of experience building and leading teams, as well as developing and implementing innovative technologies and systems.

Jeannie Schneider is the SVP & CTO for Hines. She is responsible for all corporate and global real estate technologies, strategy, and standards. Jeannie has established a reputation as a versatile, strategic leader who has a very deep knowledge of real estate and how technology can transform the industry and Hines to create more value.

Jim Whalen serves as SVP and CIO/CTO responsible for the direction and implementation of technology and applications at Boston Properties, a fully integrated real estate investment trust and one of the largest owners and developers of Class-A office properties in the United States. Over a 27-year IT career, Jim has supported real estate operations ranging from residential, construction, public housing, commercial office and retail.