LEADERSHIP
2018 Visionary Award Winner
SHAWN TODD
Founder
Todd Interests
Since founding Todd Interests in 1990, Shawn has led the firm in acquiring and developing profitable and successful properties across the United States spanning a broad and diverse category of product types. Todd Interests development projects have been the subject of National Public Radio (NPR) broadcasts; have won Historic Preservation Awards along with national media recognition, a Telly award for best marketing video; and most recently received the 2016 NAHB Pillar of the industry Award, as a Finalist for Best Adaptive Reuse Project in the United States. The University of Virginia's, McIntire School of Commerce utilizes Todd Interests projects in numerous Case Studies each semester as part of their Real Estate curriculum.
Shawn is on the executive committee of the The Real Estate Council, serving as Chairman of the Public Policy Committee and Chairmen-Elect of the Political Action Committee. He also
sits on the boards of Downtown Dallas Inc. Additionally, Shawn is the 2017-2018 Summit Chair for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation’s Monticello Cabinet.
He and his wife, Cheryl met at Baylor University and are celebrating their 32nd year of marriage. They are the proud parents of three adult children, each of which works in the
commercial real estate industry.
Shawn is an active member of Watermark Community Church and is dedicated to serving
alongside friends with ALARM. Shawn is a 1985 graduate of Baylor University's Hankamer
School of Business with a BBA in Entrepreneurship, Real Estate and Finance.
Honorary Chairperson
Robert Wilonsky
Dallas Morning News
Robert Wilonsky is a city columnist for The Dallas Morning News. He also hosts Intentional Grounding on KTCK Sports Radio 1310 AM and 96.7 FM "The Ticket", as well as Big Bob's Christmas Spectacular each Christmas Eve on same station.
Prior to The Dallas Morning News, Wilonsky served as feature writer, music editor, film critic, sports columnist and pop culture editor for the Dallas Observer as well as supervising the launch of and editing the paper’s weblog, Unfair Park. Prior, he was with the Dallas Times-Herald from the time he graduated college until the paper ceased publication in 1991, and worked once with the Los Angeles New Times.
Wilonsky has also been the host of HDNet’s talk show Higher Definition, was host of The Ultimate Trailer Show on HDNET, has been a frequent guest on The Hardline, an afternoon show on KTCK contributing pop culture analysis and commentary, was published in Salon and American Way, and has appeared as a guest critic on At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper.
Wilonsky was born in Dallas, graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School where he was an avid swimmer and cheerleader, and then graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. During his senior year, he was managing editor of The Daily Texan.
Emcee
Andy Taft is a native of Tampa, Florida and graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Marketing. He began his career in commercial real estate with the Florida Commercial Development Association and then joined Grubb & Ellis of Florida as a commercial real estate salesman in the downtown Tampa market. In 1992, he joined the Tampa Downtown Partnership as its Director of Marketing and Business Development.
Andy Taft
President
Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
Andy served Shreveport, Louisiana’s Downtown Development Authority for six years as its Executive Director and while there was instrumental in relocating City Hall back to downtown, created a new public parking management program and authored the downtown strategic plan. Andy was Chairman of the United Way of NW Louisiana in 2001. Andy was also the President of Downtown Shreveport Unlimited and the Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation.
Andy joined Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. (Texas) as President in 2003. DFWI is Fort Worth’s downtown advocacy organization and it manages the downtown planning process, two Public Improvement Districts, the downtown Tax Increment Finance District, two city parks, the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and Parade of Lights. DFWI recently developed the JFK Tribute in Fort Worth and is currently working to renovate and reopen Heritage Plaza. Andy is a past Chairman of the International Downtown Association, President of the Rotary Club of Fort Worth and serves on the Board of the National Civic League.
Event Co-Chairs
Marsha Getto - Aikens
HKS, Inc.
David Schmidt
SCHMIDT & STACY Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Stephen Lucy
JQ Engineering
Dave Schroeder
Dallas Print & Signage Group
David Masters
Merriman Anderson/ Architects, Inc.
Ed Spooner
Turner Construction Company
Co-Chairs Emeritus
Mark Bartlett, RLG Consulting Engineers
2018 Topping Out Jurors
Brad Bell
Director, School of Architecture
College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs
University of Texas at Arlington
Bob Borson
Principal,
MMBA Architects
Nate Eudaly
Executive Director,
Dallas Architecture Forum
Robert Grunnah
Younger Partners
Angie Juenemann
Mayor,
City of Ennis
Mark Lamster
Architecture Critic,
Dallas Morning News
Pamela Stein
Executive Director,
ULI North Texas
Meloni McDaniel
President and CEO,
TEXO
Michael Zaretsky
Professor, College of Engineering
University of Texas at Arlington
Project Submissions & Jury Committee
Mark Jones
EventLink International, Inc.
Planning Committee
Jim Herckt, AIA
Jim Herckt Architects
Drew M. Martin
DM2, LLC
Tom Perez
ARC Document Solutions
UT Arlington Representative
Brad Bell, Director
University of Texas at Arlington School of Architecture
College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs
Event Management
Teri Abram, President
EventLink International, Inc.
Executive Advisory Board
Ralph Hawkins, FAIA, FACHA, LEED AP
HKS, Inc.
All past Event Co-Chairs