As we have done for the past two years, January’s ULI Houston Young Leaders event will be held on the campus on Rice University, in partnership with the Rice Real Estate Club. Our featured speaker will be Mr. John J. (Jeff) Gray, III, President of Grayco Partners, LLC. Mr. Gray will focus on the issues and challenges that a developer faces when starting up his own development company, drawing from his experiences over the past 12 months, following his 18 years with The Finger Companies.

Mr. Gray will explore the many questions one must answer when seeking to create a new company, such as: What is it that you want to be? Is that business plan a viable one? How does one create a viable capital structure to support his or her business model? Other topics to be discussed will include key staffing issues, as well as initial investment/development activity. Please join us for this event, which will be of particular interest to those starting out in the industry.

Enter the campus at gate 20, Rice Boulevard at Kent Street, and follow signs to the Central Campus Garage, located underground, beneath the Jones School of Management (McNair Hall). Park near the Northeast Elevator and take elevator to the first floor. Turn right and go past the Admissions Office. At the rotunda, take a right and go all the way down the long corridor. Go through two more sets of doors. The Executive Commons will be directly on your left.