The Spring 2020 Members' Meeting began Wednesday evening, April 29, with a presentation by Bob Sulentic, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBRE. Sulentic spoke about his experience in various sectors and how the pandemic has affected each.

Meeting Summary

The day's first panel, Wharton Faculty on the Markets, was moderated by Maisy Wong, James T. Riady Associate Professor of Real Estate; Assistant Director, Grayken Program in International Real Estate, Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center at the Wharton School. The panelists were Joe Gyourko, Peter Linneman, Sussman Professor Emeritus of Real Estate, the Wharton School, and Susan Wachter, Albert Sussman Professor of Real Estate and Professor of Finance, the Wharton School. The group discussed the economy during the COVID crisis and its effect on the global and domestic real estate markets.

The second panel, "Smart Money & Unusual Economic Times — CIO's Perspectives" was moderated by Asuka Nakahara, Associate Director, Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center at the Wharton School and featured panelists Peter Ammon, Chief Investment Officer, the University of Pennsylvania; Gus Sauter, Former Chief Investment Officer, The Vanguard Group; and Jay Willoughby, Chief Investment Officer, TIFF Investment Management. During their session the men discussed the pandemic and its fallout as seen through their various philosophies.

The third panel session, "The Science and Public Health of the COVID-19 Crisis: A Discussion with Penn Scientists," was moderated by Todd Sinai, David B. Ford Professor, Professor of Real Estate and Business Economics and Public Policy; Chair, Real Estate Department and featured panelists Audrey R. Odom John, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Kevin Volpp, M.D., Ph.D., Founders President's Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Medical Ethics and Health Policy, and Health Care Management, Perelman School of Medicine and the Wharton School; Director, Penn Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics. The group examined the main challenges of coronavirus and what the future might look like in a post-pandemic world.

The final presentation of the day was A Conversation with Sam Zell, Chairman, Equity Group Investments, and Barry Sternlicht, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Starwood Capital Group moderated by Joe Gyourko. The men covered a range of topics including the effects of the pandemic on the housing sector, the upcoming election and the investment market.