VCU Real Estate Trends Conference (RETC)

The annual VCU Real Estate Trends Conference (RETC) attracts real estate professionals from various industry sectors such as law, finance, construction, development, brokerage and appraisal, and it provides the opportunity to look into the future of real estate, to share their expertise, and to make and strengthen professional relationships and friendships.

Thank you to the 100+ sponsors and 1,800+ registrants of the 2024 Real Estate Trends Conference. Please save the date of October 9 for the 2025 conference at the Henrico Sports and Event Center.

Sponsorships

Early sponsor registration is open! Get your name in early for maximum exposure. 

Sponsorship registration


2024 Speakers 

Keynote Speaker:
Jay Bilas, Renowned ESPN Analyst, Best-Selling Author, and Leadership Expert

Jay Bilas Headshot

Jay Bilas is one of the most respected and influential voices in sports, with a remarkable background that spans sports, media, and the law. He is an Emmy-nominated ESPN analyst and a New York Times best-selling author of Toughness: Developing True Strength on and Off the Court. The book reveals the secrets of mental and physical toughness through personal stories and interviews with inspiring leaders.

Jay played basketball at Duke University under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski, helping the team reach the 1986 NCAA Championship Game. Jay was drafted by the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and went on to play professionally abroad in Italy and Spain. He then returned to Duke as an assistant coach, winning two national championships. Jay joined ESPN as a college basketball analyst & expert commentator and hosts ESPN’s popular road show, College Game Day.

Jay graduated from Duke University School of Law and is a practicing attorney at Moore & Van Allen. He serves on the Board of Advisors of the John R. Wooden Award, the National Board of Coaches, and the Duke University Children’s Hospital. Jay resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.


Real Estate Keynote Speaker:
Willy Walker, Chairman & CEO, Walker & Dunlop

Willy Walker

Willy Walker is chairman and chief executive officer of Walker & Dunlop. Under Mr. Walker’s leadership, Walker & Dunlop has grown from a small, family-owned business to become one of the largest commercial real estate finance companies in the United States. Walker & Dunlop is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and, in its first ten years as a public company, has seen its shares appreciate over 800%. The firm was also #17 on Fortune’s 2017 list of “Fastest Growing Public Companies” and has been named a Best Workplace for eight of the last eleven years by the Great Place to Work® Institute. Mr. Walker received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2011 and was named “Financier of the Year” in 2017 and 2020 by Commercial Property Executive.

Mr. Walker received his master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University. Mr. Walker serves on the board of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation. He formerly served on the boards of St. Albans School, the Mortgage Bankers Association, and Children’s National Medical Center. Mr. Walker is also a member of the Real Estate Roundtable. Mr. Walker is an avid runner, skier, and cyclist and has run the Boston Marathon in 2:36.


Past Speakers


2024 Conference Committee