On November 7-8, 2024, the Tuck School of Business proudly hosted the Second Annual Dartmouth-Tuck Real Estate Conference.
The event, held on campus in Hanover, New Hampshire, showcased Dartmouth and Tuck’s dynamic real estate community. It attracted alumni, students, and industry leaders from top investment, development, lending, and brokerage firms. Attendees discussed trends, strategies, and innovations in the field.
Harley Mayoff T’25, Tuck Real Estate Club co-chair and conference organizer, reflects on planning the conference with fellow co-chairs Robin Tory T’25 and James Olsen T’25. Together, they share insights into the invaluable support received from alumni, volunteers, faculty, and advisers, as well as the event’s outcomes and their vision for its continued growth.
Pictured (center, left to right): 2024 Tuck Real Estate Club Co-Chairs and Conference Organizers: Robin Tory T’25, James Olsen T’25, and Harley Mayoff T’25 | Photo by Flynn Walker T’25.
The conference was the culmination of months of collaboration among the planning team, starting in Spring 2024.
The planning team, in addition to myself, included Robin and James; last year’s Tuck Real Estate Club co-chairs, Michael Schwarze T’24 and Rob Leet T’24; and alumni advisers Tony Moody D’92, Liz Ptacek D’92, and Chelsea Mandel D’15. Faculty and leadership support came from Professor Brian Melzer, PhD, and Mark Hardie and Ashley Alkins of the Center for Private Equity & Venture Capital (CPEVC), whose guidance and resources were instrumental in shaping the event’s success.
Key steps in the planning process included inviting panelists and keynote speakers, curating the conference agenda, securing sponsorships, marketing the event to a broad audience, and managing day-of logistics.
Inviting panelists and securing sponsorships were particularly valuable business development and salesmanship exercises. It was our responsibility to demonstrate the conference’s importance and potential for repeated success and ensure that panelists and sponsors were enthusiastic about contributing to its impact.
The conference agenda featured a variety of engaging panels, keynote addresses, and networking opportunities, offering attendees a comprehensive view of the real estate industry’s most pressing challenges and opportunities.
The event kicked off with a welcome cocktail reception, setting the stage for two days of insightful discussions and vibrant networking. The opening keynote by Sam Chandan, founding director of the Chen Institute for Global Real Estate at NYU Stern, delved into the potential impacts of the upcoming presidential election on the real estate market. Chandan’s thoughtful and fact-driven analysis set the tone for the conference, establishing a high standard of intellectual rigor and engagement.
Attendees were then immersed in a diverse lineup of panels designed to address both macroeconomic trends and practical strategies. For details on all keynotes, panelists, and topics discussed, please refer to this agenda.
Chelsea Mandel D’15 moderates a conversation with Tuck alumni and current real estate entrepreneurs | Photo by Flynn Walker T’25
The response to the Second Annual Dartmouth-Tuck Real Estate Conference was overwhelmingly positive, underscoring its growing importance as a cornerstone event for the real estate community at Dartmouth and Tuck.
Attendees consistently praised the conference’s thoughtful curation, high-caliber speakers, and engaging format. The panels provided actionable insights into real estate trends and strategies, while the interactive discussions and networking opportunities fostered meaningful connections among students, alumni, and industry leaders.
This event would not have been possible without the dedication of our organizing team, the generosity of our sponsors, and the guidance of our faculty and alumni advisers. A heartfelt thank you to all the alumni who participated as panelists, speakers, moderators, and attendees—you are the lifeblood of this growing community.
Looking ahead, our vision remains ambitious. We want to continue diversifying the conference’s topics and speakers, ensuring it reflects the full breadth of the industry. We aim to solidify the event’s reputation as a must-attend gathering for real estate professionals and a beacon for prospective students drawn to Dartmouth and Tuck.
As the Dartmouth-Tuck Real Estate Conference evolves, its impact on the real estate community will grow. It has been a privilege to co-chair this year’s event and help shape a tradition that we hope will thrive for years.
Here’s to an even brighter future for this incredible community.
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