Aug. 22, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by Ernst Capital Group.

The commercial real estate and lending landscape will be the focus of an event this month featuring national and local experts.

Held Aug. 30 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Denny Sanford Premier Center, the South Dakota Land & Lending Conference is presented by SDSU’s Ness School of Management and Economics. It will bring together some of the industry’s leading authorities to discuss everything from urban development to affordable housing.

“The conference brings together real estate industry thought leaders and practitioners, who offer their objective, highly informed perspectives on the challenges and opportunities confronting the industry in the state and throughout the country,” according to SDSU.

The speaker lineup includes FDIC Kansas City regional director James LaPierre, national real estate expert D.J. Van Keuren and Shane Phillips, author of “The Affordable City.”

A variety of breakout sessions will offer information on a range of topics involving land and real estate.

One of them will focus on private equity real estate investments and will include panelist Chris Daugaard, a partner at Ernst Capital Growth. We sat down with him for a preview of what to expect at this insightful annual event.

What about the Land & Lending Conference makes it a good fit for Ernst Capital, both to attend and as a presenter?

We’re excited to participate in projects that add value to the real estate community in Sioux Falls, and this is a great opportunity to do that. There aren’t many conferences that focus on relevant topics for our industry, but this event really hits the mark. You’re seeing a major maturation of Sioux Falls as a real estate market, and there is so much happening with community growth, building, development and brokerage that it makes sense to invest in the continued development of our industry here. We see this conference as one way to do that.

What are some of the key issues in private equity real estate investment that you plan to address?

I think we’ll talk about what it means to be a private equity real estate firm and what makes each of our firms unique. We’ll discuss how each of our firms got involved in private equity real estate because each of us has a unique story how we got into the business, whether that be from a retail, hospitality or development consulting perspective. We’ll talk about the process of finding investments and how that can be a very different process from deal to deal, with a discussion of the roles that brokers play in that process. I think we’ll talk about what each of us is seeing in the marketplace currently as interest rates have risen, COVID is more in the rear-view mirror, and the Fed is trying to manage inflation. We’ll do our best to bring out our crystal balls and discuss what we expect to see in the future and how recent events have impacted that perspective. Then, we’ll take a Q&A from the audience, which is the best part of the event, to get at any questions that attendees have. We’re really looking forward to it.

What are some of the takeaways you hope attendees draw from your session?

I hope attendees get a sense for the professionalism we and others are working to continue to bring to the marketplace, and that even within private equity, there are many perspectives and ways to do things. I also want students to see that a rewarding career in professional finance can include real estate investing, even in Sioux Falls and South Dakota.

You’ve attended this conference in the past. Who in the business community do you think also would benefit from the content?

I think anyone who is interested in development, finance, housing, retail, community growth and real estate, generally, would all get something valuable out of this conference. There are a wide range of topics covered in the keynote sessions and breakouts, and that’s not mentioning the valuable interactions attendees will have with other attendees at breaks, lunch and the post-conference social. I think that if you’re involved in this industry and you’re not at this conference – you’re missing out.

The audience at the Land & Lending Conference also includes students. What are your thoughts on the need for a continued workforce trained to support the real estate industry?

The real estate industry is growing in South Dakota and Sioux Falls, and it’s important for students to have exposure to all areas of the industry, where you can build a valuable, rewarding career. Everything from brokerage, development, construction, finance, property management, appraisal, title, law – the list goes on and on. And getting our community together to learn and share insights about the industry will just benefit everyone whether they are a student or a seasoned professional.

For a look at the full agenda and to register for the conference, click here.

For a recap of last year’s event, click below.