CREDA SFBA Podcast: Engage. Deliberate. Highlight.
The CREDA San Francisco Bay Area Podcast, hosted by Drew Hess, Principal at Layline, brings you inside the conversations shaping commercial real estate today.
Each episode features candid discussions with industry leaders, developers, investors, policymakers, and innovators driving the future of the built environment. From market trends and investment strategies to leadership insights and policy impacts, the podcast delivers practical perspectives from professionals working at the center of the industry.
Produced by NAIOP SFBA, the podcast extends the chapter’s mission beyond events — connecting the commercial real estate community through thoughtful dialogue and shared expertise.
Listen for:
Market trends and industry outlooks
Leadership and career insights
Bay Area real estate perspectives
Policy and advocacy discussions
Conversations with influential CRE leaders
Follow, rate, and share to stay connected with the Bay Area commercial real estate community.
Learn more about CREDA SFBA membership and programs at CREDASFBA.org.
A New Name, The Same Mission: Josh Westerberg on CREDA's Road Ahead
CREDA’s incoming president Josh Westerberg joins the show to talk about the organization’s rebrand from NAIOP, what’s ahead for Bay Area commercial real estate, and why housing, AI, and energy policy top the chapter’s agenda this year. Plus, a surprise encounter with a congressman on Capitol Hill.
13 Jul 2026
Building the Future of Manufacturing: Fremont's Growth Story with Donovan Lazaro
Fremont has become one of California's leading centers for advanced manufacturing, AI infrastructure, and industrial development. In this episode, Drew Hess sits down with Donovan Lazaro, Economic Development Director for the City of Fremont, to explore the city's remarkable growth story and the strategies helping it attract investment, create jobs, and support next-generation industry.
From record leasing activity and advanced manufacturing to power infrastructure, robotics, and economic development, Donovan shares how Fremont's collaborative, business-friendly approach has positioned the city at the forefront of California's manufacturing future. The conversation also examines what it takes to compete for investment in today's market and why manufacturing remains critical to the long-term success of California's economy.
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Chapter Timestamps
0:00 – Introduction to Donovan Lazaro
1:35 – Fremont's Record Industrial Leasing Activity
3:20 – Manufacturing Roots and the Tesla Transformation
5:00 – Building a Culture of Economic Development
7:20 – Planning, Permitting, and Hazardous Materials Programs
10:45 – California Manufacturing and Industry Retention
12:00 – Fremont's Manufacturing Ecosystem
13:00 – AI Infrastructure and Server Manufacturing Growth
15:00 – Why Power Has Become Critical Infrastructure
18:45 – Working with PG&E and Microgrid Solutions
23:00 – Fremont's Competitive Advantage
24:30 – Industrial Development and Flexible Zoning
26:45 – Retail-to-Industrial Conversions
31:45 – Workforce Housing and Growth Challenges
33:30 – Office-to-Industrial Conversions
35:30 – AI, Robotics, and Fremont's Future
38:30 – What California Needs to Do Better
41:45 – Career Advice and Leadership Lessons
43:10 – Closing Thoughts
16 May 2026
Finding Your “Just Right” in Real Estate with Catherine Minor
In this episode, we sit down with Catherine Minor, Senior Portfolio Manager at DWS, to talk about the long game in commercial real estate—and what it really takes to build a career that lasts.
Catherine’s path didn’t follow a straight line. She started in civil engineering and construction, moved into development, and ultimately found her place on the investment side of the business, where she now leads portfolio strategy at the intersection of global capital and local market insight. Along the way, she made intentional pivots, navigated challenging market cycles, and learned how to recognize when something wasn’t the right fit.
A central theme throughout the conversation is the idea of finding your “just right.” From roles that were “too hot” or “too cold” to the environments and opportunities that ultimately clicked, Catherine shares how trial, risk-taking, and self-awareness shaped her career.
We also dig into what a portfolio manager actually does day-to-day, the realities of today’s fundraising environment, and where she’s seeing opportunity as the next real estate cycle begins to take shape. She offers a candid perspective on mentorship versus sponsorship, the importance of having true allies in your career, and how technology—especially AI—is beginning to influence the industry.
It’s an honest and thoughtful conversation about growth, resilience, and building a career with intention in an ever-changing market.
Timestamps0:00 – Intro & career overview 3:00 – Finding your “just right” 4:30 – Starting in construction 6:00 – Business school & career pivot 7:00 – Walking away from the wrong opportunity 8:00 – Finding the right fit 11:00 – Global Financial Crisis lessons 12:30 – Google & large-scale development 14:30 – Transition to investment management 15:00 – What a portfolio manager does 16:00 – Market conditions & fundraising 18:00 – Where the market is heading 19:30 – NAIOP & leadership 22:00 – Work culture & AI 25:00 – Lightning round & closing
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5.0 / 5
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Podcast Authority Score: 31 / 100
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Quality
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YouTube
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Engagement
60
Contact NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
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