Staff Reports | Happenings & Events
ULI Arizona will host its 21st annual Trends Day on Friday, Feb. 20, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.
The daylong program will feature more than 30 industry speakers discussing state and national real estate issues, including housing affordability, economic development, energy, sports and entertainment districts, and public policy, according to a press release.
ULI Arizona’s Trends Day is recognized as the third‑largest Urban Land Institute program globally.
“Celebrating 20‑plus years of innovation, collaboration, and impact, Trends Day stands as a testament to the extraordinary dedication of our members and the development community to share knowledge and elevate best practices,” said Deb Sydenham, executive director of the ULI Arizona District Council. “We’re proud of this incredible event and the positive change it inspires.”
Trends Day 2026 will open with an economic and commercial real estate outlook presented by John Chang, senior vice president and chief intelligence and analytics officer at Marcus & Millichap.
The outlook will examine economic conditions, federal policy, interest rate trends and commercial real estate performance and their potential impact on Arizona and national markets.
The keynote speaker for Trends Day 2026 is Amy Van Dyken‑Rouen, a former University of Arizona student‑athlete and six‑time Olympic swimming champion. Ms. Van Dyken‑Rouen won four Olympic gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Games and two additional gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Games.
In 2014, Ms. Van Dyken‑Rouen was injured in an ATV accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury. Since then, she has become a motivational speaker and advocate for disability awareness, participating in adaptive sports and sharing her experiences with resilience and recovery.
Her keynote address is titled “Defying Every ‘No’: A Journey of Relentless Perseverance.”
