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2025 ULI Fall Meeting 2025 ULI Fall Meeting
, November 04 – 06, 2025
Presenter

Ms. Connie Gonzalez

Chief Strategy Officer Brooks

Connie Gonzalez Chief Strategy Officer Chief Strategy Officer Connie Gonzalez is responsible for establishing strategic direction to further advance Brooks' growth, expanding on the success of the last 20 years. In addition, she leads business development, public affairs, community engagement, and project management initiatives. Connie is also the Executive Director of Brooks Gives Back, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that serves as the vehicle by which all members of the Brooks community can invest in nonprofit initiatives impacting people in the neighborhoods surrounding Brooks, which has distributed more than $710,000 since 2019. Connie joined the Brooks team in November 2015 and previously served as the Director of Strategy & Community Relations and Director of Public Relations. Prior to joining the Brooks team, Connie was a weekend anchor and reporter for both KNWA and KFTA in Fayetteville, Arkansas and KSAN in San Angelo, Texas. Raised in San Antonio, she began her professional career as an intern with News 4 WOAI and worked in public affairs at Spurs Sports & Entertainment. An advocate for community involvement, Gonzalez serves as an Executive Committee member of the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) Foundation and the San Antonio Mobility Coalition (SAMCo). She also serves on the CAST Med High School Advisory Board of Directors, the Texas A&M University – San Antonio Mays Center Community Advisory Council, and on the City of San Antonio' Removing Barriers to Housing Technical Group. Connie previously served as Chair for the City of San Antonio's Planning Commission and Chair for the South Texas Business Partnership Board of Directors, formerly known as the South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. In addition, she participated in the 2021 Harvard Business School Young American Leaders Program. A graduate of Leadership San Antonio Class 44, the City South Leadership Class 30 and the North Chamber Innovative Leadership Program, Gonzalez also served on the Leadership San Antonio Class 45 Steering Committee. Connie was recognized as the "Texas 100 Influential Professionals to Watch in 2023" and as San Antonio Business Journal's 40 Under 40 "Woman of the Year". Watch Connie's feature on ¡Salud! on KLRN TV (start at 13:07). Education: Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication Electronic Media, Texas State University.

Speaking at

Tue Oct 29 2:30 PM — 3:30 PM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time Resorts World Las Vegas - Level 2, Blossom ABC

Driving the Data to Spur Redevelopment

This session will showcase the journey of transforming a former Air Force Base into a national model for redevelopment. Brooks' transformation is not just a story of urban renewal; it's a testament to what's possible, turning a 1,308-acre shuttered military installation into a thriving mixed-use community with more than $2.2 billion in investment and counting. The session will unpack strategic insights and decisions that led to Brooks' success, highlighting how the team navigated complex challenges associated with maintaining the site's historical character while updating it with modern infrastructure and amenities suited for current community needs. A key aspect of Brooks' success story is its impact on employment and regional investment, creating more jobs than the Air Force Base previously supported and catalyzing economic growth in a previously overlooked region. The Brooks regional area (7,500-acres) has seen a 36 percent increase in household income, outpacing the City of San Antonio's 32 percent increase over the same period. Attendees will explore the economic strategies and community engagement practices that contributed to surpassing job creation goals while also developing a vibrant community. This session will provide a valuable blueprint for similar urban development projects, emphasizing how underutilized installations can be transformed.