Design Development 178: Celeste Tanner, President and Chief Development Officer @ Confluent Development
Nothing in Celeste Tanner's background suggested a future in real estate. Before rising to President and Chief Development Officer of Confluent Development, she majored in English in college, had no ties to the industry, and was starting in an administrative role at Opus Northwest.
Her first assignment - reorganizing the paper filing system - became an unexpected introduction into CRE. By reading every document that crossed her desk, she transformed a routine task into a self-taught immersion in the workings of real estate development.
That same curiosity propelled her through a decade at Opus, where she advanced to Director of Real Estate Development and led the ground-up development of more than 5 million square feet. In 2014, she co-founded Confluent Development with her business partner, Marshall Burton.
Over the past twelve years, Confluent has delivered more than 100 projects across the United States, completing over $1 billion in development in Colorado alone and carrying nearly $500 million in committed development nationwide. The firm builds for clients like Target, FedEx, Starbucks, and Charter Communications across a portfolio spanning industrial, retail, multifamily, mixed-use, and senior living.
Celeste currently serves as Chair of NAIOP and has been recognized by the Denver Business Journal, CREW, and Bisnow for her contributions to the industry.
Inside this week's episode:
- What Celeste has learned about trust, empowerment, and building a team
- The demand for senior living development, and how the industry is not building fast enough to meet that demand
- How Confluent went from two people and zero capital to over 100 projects across the country
- Why Confluent bets on diversification and how cross-asset knowledge gives them an edge in new markets
- Where the development industry falls short in communicating its impact on communities, and what Celeste believes needs to change
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