Preliminary Agenda Topics

• Evaluating how current rates affect borrowers, banks, and loan performance
• Assessing the effectiveness of interventions, recession indicators, and alternative economic scenarios
• Identifying emerging risks, high-risk vs. attractive loan categories, and regional market dynamics, especially in the Midwest
• Analyzing national vs. regional institutions, competitive positioning, and evolving banking models
• Assessing the impact of tariffs on construction costs, asset valuations, and loan performance
• Reviewing upcoming regulations and compliance implications across banking segments
• Exploring potential acquisitions, stability concerns, and consolidation drivers
• Applying modern risk assessment and portfolio optimization strategies in today’s environment
• Reflecting on key market shifts over the past six months and their strategic implications

• Key risks affecting commercial real estate loans and their implications for special servicing
• Shifts in relationships between borrowers, lenders, and servicers, including enforcement trends
• Creative workout discussions vs. actual agreements. What happens when reserves are depleted?
• How does workout and turnaround activity differ by asset type and geography?
• Expectations for distressed deal flow, default rates, and their impact on risk strategies
• The role of federal tax considerations in structuring distressed asset resolutions
• The art of the turnaround: Strategic approaches to loan defaults and forbearance

• What’s driving the influx of private capital into CRE finance?
• What happens when private lenders step into a higher-rate, higher risk environment? What are the impacts on the market as a whole?
• The private lending toolkit: Bridge loans, mezz and rescue capital
• How private lenders are approaching special assets, workouts, and transitional assets
• Which asset classes are attracting private capital—and which are being avoided?
• What challenges exist in underwriting, borrower expectations, and asset pricing
• How has bank retrenchments created space for alternative lenders?
• How are banks and private lenders coexisting? Sometimes as collaborators, sometimes as competitors

• What strategic value do specialists bring to distressed asset scenarios?
• When is a specialist turnaround manager necessary? How do you vet a specialist?
• Early detection and intervention: minimizing losses through expert insight
• Tailored workout strategies informed by sector-specific expertise
• Strengthening lender-specialist collaboration for optimal outcomes
• Which markets are turnaround specialists most active in?
• Navigating legal and regulatory complexities
• Leveraging market intelligence to guide turnaround decisions
• Takeaways from some more challenging workaround scenarios
• Embracing technology to enhance transparency and execution efficiency

• Where are current issuance volumes and what’s driving activity?
• Breaking down distressed debt by asset class and market
• Where are we seeing shifts in forbearance, defaults, and discounted loan sales?
• What has been the workout strategy evolution over the last few years? Where is it headed?
• Lender Flexibility: What asset classes are seeing the most borrower cooperation?
• How trends in office and hybrid work are reshaping CMBS exposure
• Lease Term Risk: Handling valuation and risk for properties with short leases
• Valuation oversight, appraiser selection, scope setting, payment, and legal considerations

• What’s new in current deal activity and sourcing strategies?
• Preferred asset types, target markets (hospitality, retail, office), and sectors to avoid
• Are sellers pricing in risk? Are discounts expected on legacy loans? What pricing trends are emerging?
• Success Stories: Standout acquisitions and what made them successful
• Key risks shaping acquisition strategies and long-term positioning
• Approaches to negotiating with banks of different sizes
• Are you partnering with non-bank lenders?

• Understanding the legal criteria, timing considerations, and potential rewards—and pitfalls—of initiating an involuntary bankruptcy
• Exploring how debtors may resist filings, the legal and reputational risks of failed attempts, and the possibility of sanctions
• Best practices for coordinating creditor actions, minimizing conflict, and avoiding unintended consequences during bankruptcy proceedings
• How has the use of receiverships shifted in today’s market? When is it a more viable alternative to bankruptcy?
• Which sectors and geographies have been most affected by distress? How does this impact receivership strategy?
• Leveraging Article 9 structured exits as an alternative to foreclosure or bankruptcy
• Lesser-known execution hurdles, success factors, and the importance of selecting the right receiver for the asset and situation
• Key elements of the initial court order and powers granted to the receiver
• Ongoing reporting obligations
• Insights from difficult receiverships—what went wrong? What could have been done differently?

Analyzing current shifts in SBA loan demand and origination patterns

Regional & Sector Insights: Identifying geographic and industry-specific lending dynamics

Enhancing credit risk assessment and borrower vetting strategies

Approaches for handling distressed and underperforming SBA loans

What are some creative restructuring tactics that are being tailored to today’s market?

Assessing the impact of recent and upcoming SBA rule changes

Compliance & Risk Management: Navigating evolving risk landscapes and regulatory obligations

Leveraging technology to streamline lending and gain a competitive edge

How are you implementing proactive strategies to stay ahead of economic shifts?

• How is AI being used for asset surveillance? Early warning systems, portfolio monitoring, and predictive analytics
• Exploring how machine learning is being used to evaluate borrower risk, collateral quality, and market trends
• Using AI to analyze comps, market shifts, and real-time data to inform asset values
• Identifying risk signals across sectors before loans go into distress
• Using technology to automate lease abstracting, loan docs review, and servicing workflows
• Achieving operational efficiency by streamlining special servicing tasks, reporting, and asset management through AI tools
• Human vs. Machine: Where AI enhances decision-making vs. where judgment still rules
• What regulatory and reputational considerations should be considered when using AI in lending and special assets?

• How bank consolidation has impacted borrowers, especially in underserved or transitional markets
• Special Assets in a Consolidated System: How asset management strategies differ by bank size and structure
• Is the private capital boom a reaction to limited access from mega-banks?
• Why can smaller banks outperform in managing distressed assets and complex loan resolutions?
• In the future, will we see a more decentralized, resilient financial system with CRE in mind?
• The Role of Regional and Community Banks: Unique advantages in underwriting, relationship lending, and special asset management
• How do large-bank risk profiles ripple into the CRE ecosystem
• How can regulatory and policy changes incentivize or hinder the proliferation of smaller banks?

• Analyzing volume, pricing trends, and investor appetite
• Identifying potential liability issues in auction processes and where the next wave of opportunity may arise geographically or by asset class
• Evaluating the relative value, complexity, and strategic fit of OREO assets compared to distressed note acquisitions
• Looking beyond the bid: Exploring creative resolutions such as loan modifications, joint ventures, or structured workouts
• Who are the most active institutions, funds, and special servicers currently driving note and asset sale activity?
• Tax considerations: Cancellation of debt income, basis adjustments, and entity structuring
• Best practices for maximizing participation, minimizing risk, and ensuring transparency in digital auction platforms
• Insights gained from transactions that didn’t close. What made recent successful deals stand out in terms of structure, timing, or execution?

• What is an Article 9 structured exit - and what it isn't
• Legal mechanics: private vs public; notice requirements and valuation strategy
• The four-party incentive structure: senior lender, borrower, buyer and new lender
• How lenders recover more outside of court - and maintain banking relationships
• How to mitigate risk: successor liability, fraudulent conveyance, and lender liability
• What are the ideal fact patterns for when this strategy makes the most sense
• When is it time to pivot: regulatory issues, real estate, numerous individual leases or high-litigation scenarios
• How this strategy applies in the lower and middle market where Chapter 11 can be unworkable

• Tracking changes in litigation volume, where distress is surfacing, and what types of deals are still closing
• Understanding the financial and time commitments of litigation, how to prepare, and lessons learned from past cases
• When litigation is necessary, what outcomes should you expect? What non-litigious options may be more effective?
• How are lenders collaborating with borrowers to avoid foreclosure or note sales through innovative solutions?
• How legal teams and Special Assets departments align on selecting and managing external counsel
• What to do when collection efforts evolve into broader disputes, counterclaims, or liability risks
• Legal thresholds, strategic risks, and debtor tactics that can complicate or derail filings
• Keys to success in receiverships, questions to ask your receiver, and legal nuances that can impact outcomes

• Current credit availability, spread movements, and what they signal for broader market trends
• Shifts in lender risk tolerance, liquidity in secondary markets, and borrower motivations around capital improvements
• Evaluating borrower appetite for alternative financing sources and current trends in refinancing activity
• Exploring consumer mortgage demand, rate sensitivity, and lending behavior
• Projected rate movements and their implications for C&I loan demand
• How are institutions scaling C&I exposure and positioning for rate-driven margin pressures?
• Identifying new risks from rising rates and margin compression in existing C&I portfolios
• Trends in enforcement, use of third-party turnaround professionals, and evolving exit strategies

• Who has influence and authority? Special assets officers, credit committees, servicers, legal and external advisors
• How does decision-making vary between regional banks, large institutions, and CMBS structures?
• What are the frameworks that guide liquidation vs. workout decisions?
• Are the special servicers always aligned with the original lender’s goals?
• To what extent are liquidation decisions driven by analytics, appraisals, or gut feel?
• Regulatory & Legal Considerations: How external forces can tip the scales
• How to resolve conflicts between capital providers, borrowers, or even departments
• Who owns the outcome—good or bad?

• Examiner hot buttons: CRE concentrations, classified assets, reserves
• Impact of upcoming Basel III Endgame or FDIC guidance
• Preparing for audits and managing internal documentation
• Working within regulatory constraints on workouts, extensions, and foreclosures
• Communication strategies between special assets teams and compliance
• Stress testing and scenario analysis for distressed portfolios under evolving economic conditions
• Navigating environmental and climate-related regulatory risks into underwriting
• Leveraging technology and data analytics to enhance regulatory compliance and risk monitoring
• Will AI and machine learning soon replace traditional risk management models?
• Building institutional awareness of regulatory shifts and risk appetite

• Could blockchain provide transparency in distressed loans and asset sales?
• How are non-bank lenders stepping in, including private equity firms and family offices?
• Could new technologies lead to a more efficient, streamlined workout process? What does this mean for special servicers?
• The role of platforms like peer-to-peer lending, crowdfunding, and automated underwriting in the CRE space
• Are traditional institutions adaptable enough to survive alongside new models, or will they eventually be displaced?
• How might these changes change the job description for bankers and special assets professionals? What new skills will they have to learn?

• Forecasting office and hotel distress over the next 6–12 months
• What strategies are investors and lenders using to uncover value in a volatile market?
• What are the most attractive capital sources? How are terms shifting across the capital stack?
• Hotel Recovery: Performance trends across brands, independents, luxury, and economy segments
• What is the current landscape for hotel receivership deals and restructuring activity?
• Exploring value-add opportunities
• Identifying and underwriting repositioning plays in hospitality
• Which office markets are stabilizing? Which are still under pressure?
• Comparing performance across Class A, suburban vs. urban, and primary vs. secondary markets
• How necessity-based and experiential retail are performing amid shifting consumer behavior
• Creative reuse and conversions of underperforming retail assets in mixed-use and community-driven formats

As the financial landscape evolves, so must our approach to talent. This interactive small-group session will explore how the industry can attract and retain the next generation of leaders. We'll dive into best practices for mentorship and recruitment, strategies for fostering professional growth, and the value of partnerships with external organizations. With younger generations shaping the future of real estate and finance, how can we better understand their aspirations—and design programs that inspire them to lead?

Open to bankers and special assets professionals only, this interactive, dynamic discussion will tackle some of the most pressing issues facing the distressed banking environment today. Participants will share insights into their current banking climate and lessons learned, while exploring defensive and distressed strategies in uncertain times. Attendees will reflect on what keeps them up at night, the evolving role of AI in the banking industry, and the practical realities of enforcing guarantees in today’s market. This is a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, challenges, and forward-looking strategies in a candid, peer-driven setting.