Sunday, March 9, 2025
1:00PM - 2:00PM
2:30PM - 3:00PM
3:00PM - 4:00PM
4:15PM - 5:45PM
6:00PM - 7:30PM
Monday, March 10, 2025
7:30AM - 8:00AM
8:00AM - 9:00AM
9:20AM - 10:35AM
9:20AM - 11:00AM
11:00AM - 2:00PM
Lunch (12:00pm - 1:00pm) & Refreshments Served
Longhorn Exhibit Hall BCD
2:20PM - 3:10PM
Learn how AI is automating the design process, as well as reducing costs, design time and maximizing productivity.
Texoma 2
Explore key factors in smart building transformation and how they enhance facility performance, occupant experiences, and stakeholder value. Learn how energy efficiency, sustainability, health and wellness, connectivity and cybersecurity standards impact technology choices — and can future-proof investments.
High Plains 1
Take a sneak peek inside a new immersive concept.
Escondido 2
This session explores best practices supporting workplace safety through innovation. Learn about the evolution of safety practices, as well as advancement in safety solutions and trends to watch.
Eric Handley (moderator),President, Retail Contractors Association
Jason Miller,VP, Corporate Services, Architecture, Engineering, Planning & Construction, JCPenney
Richard Stevens,Director of Safety & Compliance, Gray West Construction
Jay Dorsey,President, Triad Retail Construction, Inc.
Anthony Graves,President, Graves Construction
Mesilla 2
Join a candid discussion with operational strategist and transformational leader Tamiko Olabintan. She will discuss the value of creating a "career portfolio" rather than a career path toward the C-suite.
Tamiko Olabintan,President & Chief Empowerment Officer, Strategic Innovator, Tamiko Monic Enterprise
High Plains 3
3:20PM - 4:10PM
Hear tips about how to address the shortage of skilled labor in the retail industry and how to cultivate new talent in the skilled trades.
Monica Munoz,Sr. Director, Capital Programs, DaVita Kidney Care
Kate Cinnamo,Executive Director, Explore The Trades
Joshua Witte,Director of Energy, Sustainability and ESG, Dollar Tree/Family Dollar
High Plains 3
Explore how AI is helping retailers improve maintenance operations, manage loss prevention efforts, and automate repetitive and time-consuming facilities tasks.
Texoma 2
Take a first-hand look inside the hottest trends in retail formats.
Andreina Vincentelli,CXO Partner, ROWE
Juan Martinez, PhD,Principal & Co-Founder, Profitality Labor Guru
Escondido 2
Find out what it takes to fast-track the permitting process and keep construction projects moving forward efficiently.
Aaron Harris,SVP, Development, Dutch Bros
Justin Storm,Executive Director Construction & Property Administration, CVS Health
Larisa Ortiz (moderator),Managing Director, Streetsense
Greg Goodrich,Building Official, City of Colleyville
Mesilla 2
Learn the strategies needed to transition to new, less flammable refrigerants (A2Ls), as well as their impact on HVAC equipment and new electrical requirements.
Brent Felten,Business Development Director, Henderson Engineers
Jason Cornett,Refrigeration Technical Manager, Henderson Engineers
High Plains 1
4:20PM - 5:10PM
This session dives into the interactive digital tools that support collaboration and data collection to improve project management on job sites. The discussion also highlights how these solutions support better decision-making throughout project development and later, for on-site maintenance.
Brennen Croy,Regional Development Manager, WMG Development
Heather Coach,Senior Construction Project Manager, Heartland Dental
Richard Jones,Director, Design and Construction, Heartland Dental
Texoma 2
Learn how AI is driving more efficiency across retail professionals' day-to-day responsibilities, including new building and remodeling projects. Learn how AI tools leverage an organization's data across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, enabling to users to work more efficiently and creatively.
Bob Doane,Facilities Director – West and National Facilities Support Center, Chipotle Mexican Grill
Sean Loftis,AI & Modern Work Technical Specialist, Microsoft
High Plains 3
Learn how the practice of architectural reuse enables retailers to cost-effectively give buildings a different look or purpose—and avoid complete demolition or new construction.
Escondido 2
This session explores the use of recyclable and renewable materials, and strategies to minimize energy consumption and waste production.
Joshua Witte,Director of Energy, Sustainability and ESG, Dollar Tree/Family Dollar
Steve DePalo,Founder, Principal, Palo Equity
Marceid Hatcher (moderator),Senior Director - Capital Projects - Corporate Real Estate, Ernst & Young Parthenon
David Dillon,Principal Design Lead Templates and Standards, Chick-fil-A
Mesilla 2
This session will address how regular maintenance of parking lots and pavements protects against environmental damage and prevents costly repairs. Also, find out what you need know before starting paving projects and learn about available sustainable options, including semi-permeable solutions.
Kari Francis,VP/Branch Manager, GEI Consultants
Ati Fathi,Senior Geotechnical Professional, GEI Consultants
High Plains 1
5:30PM - 6:30PM
6:30PM - 8:00PM
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
7:30AM - 8:00AM
8:00AM - 8:15AM
8:15AM - 9:10AM
9:30AM - 10:45AM
9:30AM - 11:10AM
11:15AM - 1:45PM
Lunch (12:00pm - 1:00pm) & Refreshments Served
Longhorn Exhibit Hall BCD
2:00PM - 2:50PM
Learn the strategies needed to ensure the design, marketing, fixtures and branding all come together during a store rollout. Learn how to prevent organizational and departmental silos throughout the final stages of development.
Jon Swan,Senior VP of New Store Delivery and Market Strategy, Burlington
Lisa Smola-Hollo,Director of Construction - North, Dutch Bros
Nicole Price,Facilities Manager, MillerKnoll
Texoma 2
This session will examine strategies for blending physical and digital elements to meet evolving consumer needs and reimagine retail spaces as destinations for connection, convenience, and discovery.
Escondido 2
Build an action plan that will help your company decrease emissions across your business and hit net-zero goals.
Mesilla 2
Retailers are relying on already overworked staff to detect and report maintenance issues. Discover how applying innovation from analytics to digital twins can help retailers identify issues, prioritize projects and create more accurate maintenance budgets.
High Plains 1
Meet some of the companies featured on Chain Store Age’s annual list of the Top Retail Center Experiences. Hear from key decision makers leading the nation's most talked about retail experiences.
Patrick Turner,General Manager, Centennial Real Estate
Stephanie England,VP Retail Managment | General Manager, JLL
Colin Shaughnessy,Executive VP - Director of US Leasing, Century City
Al Urbanski,Real Estate Editor, Chain Store Age Magazine
Kimberly Goetz,VP of Leasing, Toro Development Company, LLC
High Plains 3
3:00PM - 3:50PM
When planning projects, retailers need to stay in budget and prepare for unexpected costs. This session provides best practices when creating project budgets, and understanding build-out costs.
Casey Fitzpatrick,Lead Construction Estimator, Wegmans Food Markets
Justin Lesch,Director Construction, Bath & Body Works
Jason Moss,VP Store Development and Training Ops., Batteries Plus
Fred Leon,Director of Facilities, Bagel Brands
Mesilla 2
Learn strategies needed to reduce energy usage, including the importance of upgrading HVAC systems, conducting energy efficiency audits, and more.
High Plains 1
Explore the key drivers for site selection. Understand the tools and qualitative aspects of the process, as well as budget considerations.
Aaron Harris,SVP, Development, Dutch Bros
Bruce F. Brock,Director Real Estate/Construction, Hungry Howie's Pizza
Aimee Corney,Real Estate and Business Development Manager, White Castle
Al Urbanski,Real Estate Editor, Chain Store Age Magazine
High Plains 3
Discover how different approaches to rightsizing store footprints can effectively drive down operating costs, simplify and optimize design concepts and streamline new format pilots.
Adrian Cortes,Manager of Architectural Design, Wawa
David Dillon,Principal Design Lead Templates and Standards, Chick-fil-A
Escondido 2
This session shares tips and tricks on how to find the right vendor, the right solution and define the value of potential partnerships. Hear the techniques needed for negotiating and structuring partnerships that benefit all parties involved.
Sara Iverson Smith,Principal, Urban BASE Consulting
Dan Garneau,Sr. Site Development Manager, Maverik
Raheel Yousaf,Retail Architecture and Design Consultant, R-Innovate
Texoma 2
3:15PM - 3:45PM
4:00PM - 4:40PM
4:45PM - 5:15PM
6:30PM - 10:00PM
Here’s What Retailers are Saying About SPECS!
