2026 Speaker Lineup | Forecast Symposium

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The 2026 Forecast will feature experts from a wide range of backgrounds: economics and economic development, housing and healthcare, lending and investment, and the residential, office, retail, industrial, and multifamily real estate sectors. Here are our speakers for this year's event.

Brenda Breaux

Executive Director

New Orleans Redevelopment Authority

local development, affordable housing

Scott Graf, CCIM

Sales and Leasing Associate (Office)

Corporate Realty

commercial real estate market, office

Andy Kopplin

President & CEO

Greater New Orleans Foundation

economic development

Ruth Lawson

Moderator; President

Jefferson Chamber of Commerce

local development

Carly Plotkin

Senior Advisor and New Orleans Market Leader (Retail)

Stirling

commercial real estate market, retail

Paul Richard

Moderator; Advisor

NAI Rampart

commercial real estate market

Mike Sherman

Founder

Sherman Strategies

policy, law

Terry Watson, CSP

Keynote Speaker

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technology

Colin Felsman

CEO

People's Housing+

affordable housing, local development

Michael Hecht

Moderator; President & CEO

GNO, Inc.

policy, economic development

Louis Lauricella

Managing Member

Lauricella Land Company, L+A Retail

local development, investment

Mason McCullough

Multifamily Broker (Multifamily)

Bridgewater Realty

commercial real estate market, multifamily

Aimee Quirk

SVP & Chief Corporate Development Officer, Ochsner Health; CEO, Ochsner Ventures

Ochsner Health / Ochsner Ventures

healthcare, technology

Keith Schneider

Managing Director and Head of Real Estate

Benson Capital

investment

Bob Stevens

Moderator; President & Broker

The Stevens Realty Group

commercial real estate market

Guy Williams

Chairman & CEO

Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company

lending

Josh Fleig

Chief Innovation Officer

Louisiana Economic Development

policy, economic development

Richard Juge, CCIM, SIOR

CEO and Broker/Owner (Industrial)

RE/MAX Commercial Brokers

commercial real estate market, industrial

Dr. Jessica Lautz

Deputy Chief Economist and VP of Research

National Association of REALTORS®

economics, housing market

Newell Normand

Host

WWL's the Newell Normand Show

policy

Drew Remson

Mortgage Loan Officer

First Horizon

lending

Jeff Schwartz

Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Community Development

City of New Orleans

local development, policy

Dr. Gary Wagner

Acadiana Business Economist / BORSF Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair in Economics

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

economics, housing market

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