Downtown Milwaukee has experienced significant growth in recent years, with Business Improvement District (BID) 21 playing a pivotal role in its development. As of 2024, the district is home to approximately 42,000 residents, reflecting a 26.5% increase since 2010, according the City of Milwaukee website.. The area also accommodates over 90,700 workers and attracts more than six million annual visitors, underscoring its status as a vibrant urban center. ​city.milwaukee.gov

In this episode, we sit down with Matt Dorner, who has been with BID 21 since 2014 and is slated to become the organization's CEO in June 2025. With a background in urban planning and economic development, including previous work with the Village of Menomonee Falls, Matt has been instrumental in driving initiatives that enhance Milwaukee's downtown district.​

Join us as Matt discusses the purpose of a BID, how BID 21 is unique to others across the country, and how BID 21 leverages public-private partnerships to foster economic growth, enhance public spaces, and solidify downtown Milwaukee's status as a premier destination for business, culture, and community life as well as a resource that benefits the entire State of Wisconsin.

In this episode, we speak with Andy Hunt, Director of the Vieth Institute for Real Estate Leadership at Marquette University. He shares many insights including his perspective on the following:

• How the ACRE Program is driving meaningful commercial real estate development in Wisconsin;
• What’s motivating today’s students and how education is evolving to meet market demands;
• Best practices from real estate programs across the country—and how they’re being implemented in Wisconsin;
• The power of collaboration and partnership in shaping the industry’s future.

Whether you're a seasoned professional or just beginning your journey in commercial real estate, this conversation is packed with valuable insights on talent, trends, and the future of the industry—plus ways you can be part of its continued success.

KC Conway is the Founder and Principal Owner for KCNomics. He is a nationally recognized economist and appraiser with a nearly 40-year career including positions in commercial banks, government service, and academia. Among his more notable career achievements are (i) his role as the commercial real estate subject matter expert providing counsel to the Federal Reserve during the Great Recession of 2007-2010; (ii) serving as the Chief Economist for the CCIM Institute from 2017-2023; and (iii) acting as an instructor for real estate trends at the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council continuously from 2006. In addition, he presently serves as a director of a publicly traded REIT and testifies as an expert witness on valuation and tax appeals in various state and U.S. courts. KC spoke to the members of the Commercial Association of REALTORS Wisconsin on January 30th at the Trade Hotel in Milwaukee. He covered everything from tariffs to taxes; retail to multi-family; demographics, ports, Buck-ees and so much more. Join us for this fast-moving overview on what's in store for 2025 for Wisconsin and US Commercial Real Estate Markets.