Lauren Gilchrist

A representative from a leading financial and professional services firm will headline a Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) event entitled “The Role of Research in Real Estate.”

Lauren Gilchrist, Vice President, Director of Research for Philadelphia with JLL, will be the guest speaker for the first LVEDC Brokers & Developers Council event of 2016, to be held Feb. 22 at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.

During the event, Gilchrist will outline the functions that research and data play in commercial real estate, discuss how JLL and their clients use it to make informed decisions, and provide real world examples of what she and her team have done.

“The industry is changing and becoming even more sophisticated in terms of the need for quality information to drive investment decisions,” Gilchrist said. “One of the things JLL has done particularly well is invest in data information and research capacity to help investors make smart decisions. Some of what I’ll be talking about is why this has become more relevant in today’s market than ever before, and about how we have specifically leveraged research to make better investment decisions and leasing decisions.”

The event is free but registration is required. Click here for more information and to register.

JLL specializes in commercial real estate services and investment management. The firm has 58,000 people across 230 corporate offices worldwide serving the local, regional, and global real estate needs of corporates and investors in more than 80 countries.

Gilchrist directs all aspects of JLL’s local market research platform for the greater Philadelphia area, according to her JLL bio. She specializes in urban and regional economics and demography and focuses on expanding JLL’s regional office and industrial research platforms to enhance firm and client knowledge of real estate dynamics and guide strategic decision making.

LVEDC’s Feb. 22 event will be held from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The program will begin with registration and networking, followed by the program and a question-and-answer session. A networking session with cocktails and hor d’oeurves will follow, starting at 5:15 p.m.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact Michael Keller, LVEDC Director of Marketing, at mkeller@lehighvalley.org or 610-266-2217.

LVEDC’s Brokers and Developers Council is comprised of commercial and industrial real estate brokers, site selectors, developers, bankers, corporate real estate engineers, architects, construction professionals and those involved in the development and expansion of commercial and industrial business.

The Brokers and Developers Council events offer an opportunity to learn about a timely topic and discuss issues affecting those in the industry, followed by time afterwards for networking and further discussion.