Earlier this month, the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business’s Center for Real Estate and Excellence in Banking programs drew more than 300 industry professionals, alumni, students, and faculty to their annual Texas Tech Real Estate & Banking Conference. This year marked a key milestone for the conference — the first time the event used its new name, reflecting the full integration of real estate and banking industry topics.

Texas Tech University President Lawrence Schovanec opened the conference, highlighting the university’s commitment to industry-connected programs like the conference.

“With the recent announcement of the university’s 42,000+ enrollment record, one can wonder why Texas Tech is growing when many schools are struggling with the demographic issues we face,” Schovanec said. “It’s because of programs like this, the Center for Real Estate and Excellence in Banking, that have input and engagement from alumni and industry professionals – our students come to Texas Tech because they know they’re getting something that distinguishes them when they go into the workplace, and Rawls College has always been known for the excellence of its graduates.”

Welcome to an Information Rich Day

Sebastian Gutierrez, a finance and accounting major also pursuing a Commercial Real Estate Certification and the president of the Rawls College student Real Estate Organization (REO), welcomed guests on behalf of both REO and the student Rawls Banking Association.

“This conference reminded me that success is never just personal – we are a representation of our surroundings, and in turn we become the surroundings that will shape the next generation,” Gutierrez said. “As a first-generation student, it is a gift, a responsibility, and an invitation to invest in others the way people once invested in me.”

Kirsten Evans, conference committee chair and investments associate at Invitation Homes, recognized the planning team and served as emcee.

“Seeing the conference grow from 59 attendees in 2021 to over 300 this year has been incredible,” Evans said. “I’m so excited for the future of the Center for Real Estate and the way it continues to transform both the student experience and our alumni network.”

Student Engagement = Networking & $3,500 in Donations

Rawls College Dean Margaret L. Williams says she is excited to see both the Center for Real Estate and the Excellence in Banking programs fulfill their early promise of having the Rawls College students in the room with luminaries from both fields, providing them with a network that will boost their professional accomplishments throughout their careers.

“This conference represents the perfect blend of practice and academics, and our alumni and friends have truly embraced their role in engaging and supporting our students,” Williams said. “The boundless energy and industry connections of professors Jared Harrell and Mike Mauldin are what creates these opportunities for our students, and I cannot thank them enough for what they do.”

This year’s agenda included a standout feature, the Student Networking Drawing. Created based on the Center for Real Estate and the Excellence in Banking advisory councils’ feedback to boost student confidence and soft skills, students earned drawing entries by collecting signatures from industry attendees. In addition to gaining valuable experience in networking and relationship-building, students earned one drawing entry for every five connections made. By midday, funds raised through industry donations totaled more than $3,500, resulting in seven $500 cash prizes.

Looking Forward

Jared Harrell, director for the Center for Real Estate, said the conference continues to build momentum and strength.

“This event represents the very best of Texas Tech — alumni and industry leaders investing in students, students stepping up to engage, and professionals sharing knowledge that shapes the future of real estate and banking,” Harrell said.

With momentum building, he says the Red Raider network in real estate and banking is stronger than ever — and planning for the 2026 conference is already underway.

Special Thanks to the 2025 Conference Sponsors & Speakers

Sponsors

• Hanover Company
• Ryan LLC
• Matador Environmental Professionals
• NorthMarq
• PlainsCapital Bank
• Planned Community Developers

Speakers & Topics

• A Student-Focused Keynote: The C-Suite Meets the Industrialist
  Featuring Jack Fraker (Newmark)
  In Conversation with Podcasters
  Conrad Madsen (Paladin Partners, The C-Suite Show)
  Jeremy Mercer (Rawls College alum, BBA Finance; Matador Realty Investments; The Industrialist)
• Two Morning Tracks
  • Real Estate Panel: Living Asset Class – Strategy, Scale, and Capital in 2025 | Exploring Trends in Multifamily and Single-family Rentals, Capital Markets, Tenant Demands, and Development Risk
    Moderated by Matt Phillips (CBRE)
    Featuring
    James Ray (MetLife Investment Management)
    Steve Sherwood (CWS Capital)
    David Ward (MAA)
    
  • Banking Panel: Main Street Matters – Community Banking Issues at the State and National Level | Regulation, Economic Pressures, and the Evolving Landscape for Community Banks
    Led by Christopher Williston (Independent Bankers Association of Texas)
    
• Midday Keynote: Real Estate, Relationships, and Rawls | Texas Tech Football Under Mike Leach, Values-Driven Leadership in the Family Real Estate Development Business, and Philanthropic Ties to the Rawls College
  Featuring King and Dupree Scovell (Woodbine Development, Rawls College Alumni)
  Moderated by Chris Roach (S2 Capital)
  
• Two Afternoon Real Estate Panels
  •  Streets, Suites, & Supply Chains: What’s Next for CRE – Trends Across Office, Industrial, and Retail Sectors
    Moderated by Travis Anderson (JLL)
    with Panelists Including
    Paul Bennett (Granite Properties)
    David Hudson (Hanover Company)
    Gary Andrews (GRACO)
    
  • Voice & Vision: Advocacy and Solutions on the Front Lines of Texas Banking – Examining Policy, Housing Finance, Advocacy Shaping the Future of Banking in Texas
    Chris Furlow (Texas Bankers Association) and Scott Norman (Texas Mortgage Bankers Association)

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