Thursday, August 28th at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
Join us to hear from the movers and shakers of Downtown Raleigh with the scoop on what’s happening now, and what’s yet to come.
Downtown leaders will share insights from the past year, along with their visions for the future. Hear their inspiring perspectives and delve into firsthand information from the people who shape Downtown Raleigh every day.
Attendees receive a first look at our annual State of Downtown Report, which includes analysis of the economic landscape, market trends, and other critical data points that guide investment and decision-making for Downtown Raleigh.
State of Downtown is also a unique opportunity to network with local business leaders, city officials, and community stakeholders who are all committed to driving this community's success.
- Doors Open – 1:15pm
- Pre-session – 1:45-2:45pm
- Main Show – 3:00-4:30pm
- Reception – 4:30-5:30pm
Secure your tickets today before they sell out!
To sponsor the event, contact Ileana Rodriguez, Vice President of Communications and Community Relations: ileanarodriguez@downtownraleigh.org or (919) 821-6976
Speakers
Introducing our program speakers for State of Downtown 2025 presented by PNC.
Main Session Speakers
Brett Cimorelli | Omni Hotels & Resorts
Cimorelli is the vice president of construction and development services for Omni Hotels & Resorts. In this role, Cimorelli is responsible for all new construction and renovations for Omni Hotels.
Cimorelli currently oversees the design and construction of the new Omni Pontoque Resort in Mexico and the Omni Raleigh Hotel. With Cimorelli’s leadership, his team has successfully completed other new build projects including the $500 million Omni PGA Frisco, the $125 million Omni Tempe @ ASU, $272 million Omni Nashville Hotel, the $100 million Omni Frisco Hotel as part of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters at The Star in Frisco, Texas, the $315 million Omni Louisville Hotel & The Residences at Omni Louisville, the $100 million Omni Hotel at The Battery Atlanta, a joint venture with the Atlanta Braves, the $330 million Omni OKC Hotel, and $600 million Omni Boston Seaport Hotel, a joint venture with the Davis Companies, as well as the $160 million renovation/expansion of the Omni Barton Creek Resort in Austin, TX and $160 million renovation/expansion of the Omni Homestead in Hot Springs, VA.
Prior to joining Omni Hotels & Resorts, Cimorelli worked at Starwood Hotels in Orlando, Fla. He holds a bachelor’s in finance and master’s in business administration from Florida State University. He is originally from the Tampa, Fla. area, but currently resides in Dallas.
CJ Mann | Raleigh Raised Development
Mr. C.J. Mann is a licensed general contractor and has more than 10 years of management experience in construction and right-of-way acquisition, and he brings a wide range of practical knowledge to his position at Raleigh Raised Development, LLC. He has been involved in the coordination and management of highway construction projects valued in excess of $600 million and has participated in the completion of numerous design-build projects totaling over 2,000 parcels acquired. As a public servant, CJ was selected to serve on the City of Raleigh’s Appearance Commission in 2018, the City of Raleigh’s Planning Commission in 2019 where he serves as Vice-Chair. He also serves on the Wake County Boys and Girls Club Executive Board of Directors.
C.J. has a strong interest in sustainable design and community growth, and advocates for sustainable design in local communities throughout the Southeast. C.J. serves on the City of Raleigh Planning Commission where is the Vice-Chair. He also is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Wake County Boy and Girls Club where he helps create community-based initiatives and programs to serve at-risk youth. CJ continues to be an impactful leader by achieving desired community and business outcomes and committing to supporting the Raleigh Raised Development mission and vision. C.J. earned a BS in General Science from Morehouse College, a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan and he also has a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He is married to his loving wife Tonya and together they have two boys, Clarence IV “Clay” and Conwell.
Jason Davis | Turnbridge Equities
Jason is responsible for sourcing and executing investments across asset classes and the Company’s markets. Prior to joining Turnbridge, Jason was a Senior Vice President at MRP Realty, where he led teams responsible for the acquisition, capitalization, and asset management of office, residential, and industrial properties, including value-add and ground-up development investments, in both New York and Washington, DC. He previously worked at H/2 Capital Partners, an institutional investment manager, where he focused on the acquisition and origination of performing and distressed commercial real estate loans nationally. Jason began his career at Lehman Brothers, where he was an investment banking analyst. Throughout his career, Jason has participated in more than $17 billion in debt and equity transaction volume. He received his M.B.A., with a concentration in Real Estate, from Columbia Business School and his B.A., cum laude, in Urban Studies from Williams College. Jason is an active member of the Urban Land Institute and is a former committee chair of the Washington, DC district council.
LeVelle Moton | Raleigh Raised Development
LeVelle Moton is an award-winning coach, speaker, and entrepreneur with a lifelong commitment to impact. As Head Men’s Basketball Coach at North Carolina Central University, he has built a nationally respected program grounded in leadership and accountability. He is also co-founder of Raleigh Raised Development, which brings affordable housing and economic opportunity to historically marginalized communities in Raleigh. Through his Velle Cares Foundation, Coach Moton supports youth and families through education, mentorship, and annual giving initiatives. His story—from humble beginnings to national platforms—is a testament to faith, resilience, and purpose-driven leadership.
Pranav Harish | Bricks & Minifigs Downtown Raleigh
Pranav Harish is the owner of Bricks & Minifigs Downtown Raleigh, a leading retail destination for LEGO® enthusiasts of all ages. With a passion for creativity, community, and inclusive play, Pranav has built a space in the heart of Downtown Raleigh where imagination thrives. Beyond his work as a small business owner, Pranav is an active collaborator with local organizations, supporting youth engagement, creative education, and family-focused initiatives. His work reflects a deep commitment to building community connections and creating opportunities for shared learning and play
Sana Siddiqui | Get2KnowRaleigh & 1Eatz
Sana Siddiqui graduated from NC State University with B.S. in Biological and Agricultural Engineering, with a concentration in Bioprocess Engineering. She has worked across multiple industries in diverse roles, including mechanical engineering, software development, product management, and marketing. In 2020, she founded 1Eatz, a packaged food startup serving the needs of health-conscious individuals on the go. 1Eatz products are now in 244 Food Lion stores across 3 states. She also founded Get2KnowRaleigh, with a simple yet powerful mission: to shine a spotlight on the people and stories that define Raleigh's essence. Today, it serves not only as a digital platform but also brings the community together in person by hosting free events like markets, outdoor movie nights, and fitness events. These events act as “third places,” or gathering spaces outside of work and home, fostering real connections among families and friends. Sana currently serves on the City of Raleigh’s Environmental Advisory Board, Hispanic and Immigrant Affairs Board, and NC State’s Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering Advisory Board.
Stacey Buescher | Kane Realty
As Managing Director of Operations for Kane Realty, Stacey oversees the day-to-day operations at all commercial properties. Stacey is specifically focused on the retail and office operations side to ensure exceptional customer service throughout all relationships and partnerships. She also oversees the teams that focus on events and marketing, speciality leasing and construction upfits.
Prior to Kane Realty, Stacey started her career at IBM then moved to another local company, ChannelAdvisor. Her career at ChannelAdvisor spanned over 9 years and included various roles on the services side of the business. She led teams that supported over 1,100 US based clients with a wide range of size and scope. During her time at ChannelAdvisor, she effectively grew her teams to appropriately scale as the business’ footprint expanded. Currently, Stacey serves as a board member for Root Elementary Foundation and YMCA Properties and Facilities Committee.
Stacey was born and raised in Eastern North Carolina but has loved Raleigh since the first day she started college at North Carolina State University. She resides in Raleigh with her husband, Nathan, and two boys, Vann and Boone. In her free time, Stacey loves anything her two boys enjoy!
Steve Malik | NCFC Courage
A visionary entrepreneur with three decades of health information technology experience, Steve Malik has served as the chairman and owner of North Carolina Football Club since 2015. Since joining the club, Malik has ushered in a new era for soccer in North Carolina. He oversaw a full rebrand of the club in 2016 before securing the arrival of the North Carolina Courage and the birth of an historic partnership with North Carolina FC Youth in 2017, creating the largest youth-to-pro club in the country. Under Malik’s guidance, the Courage have been the National Women’s Soccer League’s most successful club since arriving in North Carolina, winning consecutive NWSL titles in 2018-19. Additionally, Malik has helped North Carolina FC develop a reputation as one of the most ambitious clubs in the nation, having played English Premier League clubs West Ham United and Swansea City while also bringing in former U.S. National Team manager Dave Sarachan as head coach.
Touted for his business acumen and leadership ability, Malik serves on the U.S. Soccer Federation Board of Directors and is Chairman of the NWSL Executive Committee, where he helps shape the future of both men’s and women’s soccer in the U.S. Currently, Malik heads Greenlight Health Data Solutions, a patient-initiated health data retrieval company. The founder of the Cary, N.C.-based Medfusion, Malik began the company in 1996 and re-acquired it in 2013 before selling again in November 2019. A 2010 finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Malik helped Medfusion grow from a medical website development company to the leading provider of enhanced healthcare communication solutions.
The son of a chemical engineer, Malik was born in Swansea, Wales, and moved to Kinston, N.C., at the age of four, where he grew up before attending the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Malik graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with honors from UNC-Chapel Hill. Malik resides in Raleigh with his wife, Kathleen, and their four children. In his free time, Malik enjoys soccer, fishing and sailing.
Taylor Vanden Hoek | Atomic Object
Taylor Vanden Hoek is Managing Partner at Atomic Object in Raleigh, where she helps teams build thoughtful, human-centered software. She brings curiosity and collaboration to complex problems, helping partners navigate ambiguity, align around purpose, and build solutions that amplify outcomes. With a background in Experience Design, User Research, and Product Strategy, she's spent her career helping enterprises, startups, and mission-driven organizations untangle difficult problems and build tech with empathy and clarity.
Terrell Midgett | Raleigh Raised Development
Terrell Midgett has a plethora of years of experience overseeing daily operations, staff development, budgeting and administration of fire safety, health, and security protocols. Terrell leads one of the largest African American owned full-service, general trade maintenance firms in North Carolina. The firm provides comprehensive and evaluative facility management serving businesses and institutions. As VP of Operations of MPI, Midgett is responsible for accelerating growth, ensuring best-in-class client solutions, improving customer retention and satisfaction; for improving market-leading service offerings. MPI’s portfolio has strong leadership and a talented team that is devoted to driving solid performance to their clients. Terrell exhibits the same strong leadership by achieving desired community and business outcomes and committing to supporting the Raleigh Raised Development mission and vision.
Terrell is a graduate of Shaw University. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Velle Cares Foundation and is trailblazer committed to bringing awareness to the condition of Vitiligo — the chronic skin condition he has for much of his life. Terrell is married to his loving wife Letrice and has two children, Aja Nicole and Jonathan who is a Shaw Alumnus.
Bill King | Downtown Raleigh Alliance
Bill King, is the President and CEO of Downtown Raleigh Alliance, a position he has held since 2019. Since joining DRA in 2014, Bill has led Downtown Raleigh through the COVID crisis, built grant programs that have distributed over $600,000+ to local businesses, led the creation of the Sip n Stroll social district, more than doubled downtown’s safety patrols, added new events such as Live After 5 and Illuminate, and recruited multiple grocery stores to Downtown Raleigh, as well as numerous other retailers. He has a masters degree in urban planning from UNC-Chapel Hill and was awarded 40 under 40 awards by Triangle Business Journal and the University of Georgia.
Pre-Session Speakers - COMING SOON!
Special thanks to our event sponsors!
