Invest: Nashville leadership summit spotlights real estate, regional partnerships
Writer: Eleana Teran
Key points:
- The Invest: Nashville Leadership Summit will convene cross-sector leaders to examine forces shaping Middle Tennessee’s long-term growth.
- Panels will focus on infrastructure and mobility, healthcare and education-driven development, and real estate market priorities amid economic uncertainty.
- The event marks the release of Invest: Nashville 4th Edition, highlighting collaboration as a driver of regional competitiveness.
January 2026 — As Nashville continues to navigate sustained growth, shifting economic conditions and evolving infrastructure demands, business, civic, and institutional leaders will convene for the Invest: Nashville Leadership Summit on Thursday, March 5, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Bridgestone Arena. (Purchase tickets here.)
The summit marks the official release of Invest: Nashville 4th Edition, caa’s in-depth economic review of the region, and will bring together leaders from real estate, healthcare, education, infrastructure, utilities, and finance to examine the forces shaping Nashville’s growth. Through panel discussions, the event will explore how collaboration across sectors is influencing development patterns, investment decisions, and long-term competitiveness across Middle Tennessee.
“Nashville is experiencing sustained growth across real estate, infrastructure, healthcare, and education,” said Abby Lindenberg, founder and CEO of caa. “This event brings together leaders shaping that growth and examining how today’s decisions will influence the region’s long-term trajectory.”
Check in will begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by opening remarks and a welcome address from Kyle Clayton, chief strategy officer of the Nashville Predators. The program will feature three panel discussions focused on infrastructure and mobility, healthcare and education-driven development, and the broader economic outlook for the region’s real estate market.
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Mobility, infrastructure, and real estate opportunity
The opening panel “Bridging Progress: How mobility and infrastructure development are unlocking new real estate opportunities, and the key challenges moving forward,” will examine how transportation systems, utilities and large-scale infrastructure investments are shaping development across the region.
The discussion will be moderated by Marshall Crawford, president and CEO of The Housing Fund. Panelists include Chris Jones, president of Middle Tennessee Electric; Desmond Jackbir, AVP of network at Verizon; John Vardaman of DPR Construction; and Doug Blizzard, chief solutions officer at Catapult.
Healthcare, education, and campus-driven development
The second panel “Healing Grounds: How healthcare and education campus developments are driving real estate growth, and how the wider community benefits from these projects,” will focus on the role of institutional development in shaping surrounding neighborhoods, workforce pipelines, and long-term community outcomes.
Presented by George Crawford of Butler Snow, the panel will be moderated by Clifton Harris, president and CEO of The Urban League of Middle Tennessee. Panelists include Blake Bratcher, partner and EVP at Flagship Healthcare Properties, John Cunningham, director of healthcare partnership solutions at Nashville State Community College, Harry Allen, CFO of Belmont University, and Middle Tennessee State University leadership.
Economic uncertainty and market priorities
The final panel, “Uncertain Outlook: How a rapidly changing economy is reshaping Nashville’s real estate market, and the priorities that will ensure long-term success,” will address capital availability and strategic decision-making in an evolving economic environment.
The discussion will be presented by Paul Allen of Wealth Strategies Partners and moderated by Bobbi Jo Lazarus of Elliott Davis. Panelists include Alex Sanders, CEO of Pinnacle Construction Partners; Brian Masterson, Nashville partner-in-charge at FBT Gibbons; Bradford Vieira, regional president and CEO of ServisFirst Bank; and Kelley Kee, Tennessee state president at United Community Bank.
The in-person summit is expected to draw hundreds of senior executives, developers, lenders, institutional leaders, and public-sector stakeholders from across the Nashville region. Register today!
About caa & Invest: Nashville
caa is an integrated media platform that produces in-depth business intelligence through its annual print and digital economic reviews, high-impact conferences and events, and executive interviews via its video platform, Invest:Insights.
Invest: Nashville is a comprehensive economic review examining the key issues shaping the regional economy. Featuring exclusive insights from prominent business, civic and institutional leaders, the publication is designed to provide actionable investment intelligence while promoting Middle Tennessee as a premier place to do business.
For more information, contact:
Shain Collins
Senior Executive Director
786-598-7526
Want more? Read the Invest: Nashville report.
