About the Conference

Hosted by the Entrepreneurship & Strategy Department at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business, sponsored by the Sorenson Center for Discovery & Innovation.

An Invitation-Only Gathering of Strategy Scholars. The Winter Strategy at Black Desert Conference brings together a global community of scholars to share, debate, and advance cutting-edge research in corporate strategy, organizational design, leadership, and transparency. This intimate, in-person event is designed to foster deep intellectual exchange and spark ideas that shape the future of management science.

Event Details

Date: March 12–14, 2026
Location: Black Desert Resort
1275 E Black Desert Circle Ivins, UT

Event Contact: Deb Coffey
Agenda: coming soon

Call for Papers

We invite submissions from scholars working at the forefront of corporate strategy, leadership, organizational design, and related fields. Selected presenters will be notified in Fall 2025.

Submissions: open September 8

Paper Guidelines (.docx)

Accommodations & Travel

Rooms have been reserved at the Black Desert Resort.

Guests are also welcome to call our reservations team at 855-241-6781 to confirm their stay.

Travel Tips: Click Here

Advisory Board

Todd Zenger
Teppo Felin
Victor Bennett
Bill Hesterly
Jason Snyder

Program / Agenda Coming Soon

8:30 a.m. – Breakfast

9:00 a.m. – Keynote: The US Department of Housing and Urban Development Offsite Construction Research Roadmap Speakers / Presenters: Dan Hardcastle (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development); Ivan Rupnik (Northeastern University, MOD X); Tyler Schmetterer (MOD X); Ryan Smith (University of Arizona, MOD X)

10:00 a.m. – Research Briefing Speakers / Presenters: Dejan Eskic (University of Utah)

10:30 a.m. – Break

10:45 a.m. – The State of Offsite Regulations Across the Country Speakers / Presenters: Ryan Colker (International Code Council); Representative Thomas Peterson (Utah House of Representatives); Justin Stewart (Synergy Modular) Moderator: Chris Gamvroulas (Ivory Development)

11:30 a.m. – Case Study: Scattered Site Affordable Modular Development Project Speakers / Presenters: Mary Tingerthal (Tingerthal Group)

12:00 p.m. – Lunch

12:45 p.m. – Student Housing Innovation Pitches Speakers / Presenters: Student teams from Ivory Innovations’ 2023 Hack-A-House Competition will be invited to pitch their ideas to the audience

1:15 p.m. – Industrialized Construction: Lessons Learned from California Speakers / Presenters: Amanda Gatenby (CRATE Modular); Sasha Kergan (California Department of Housing and Community Development); Jan Lindenthal (San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund); Matt Smith (Factory_OS) Moderator: Tyler Pullen (Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley)

2:00 p.m. – Offsite Construction Financing and Investment Speakers / Presenters: Matthew Haas (KeyBank); John Herzog (Washington Federal); Zeeshan Mirza (US Modular Capital) Moderator: JP Ackerman (Techo Real Estate Capital)

2:50 p.m. – Break

3:00 p.m. – Offsite Construction in the Mountain West Speakers / Presenters: Rick Murdock (Autovol); Eric Schaefer (Fading West); Justin Stewart (Synergy Modular); Bob Worsley (ZenniHome) Moderator: Eric Holt (University of Denver)

4:00 PM – MOD X Panel Discussion: Offsite in the Wasatch Front Speakers / Presenters: Cindy Davis (State of Virginia); Dan Hardcastle (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development); Blake Thomas (Director of Salt Lake City Community and Neighborhoods Department); Mary Tingerthal (Tingerthal Group) Moderator: Ryan Smith (University of Arizona, MOD X)

8:30 a.m. – Breakfast

9:00 a.m. – Keynote: The US Department of Housing and Urban Development Offsite Construction Research Roadmap Speakers / Presenters: Dan Hardcastle (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development); Ivan Rupnik (Northeastern University, MOD X); Tyler Schmetterer (MOD X); Ryan Smith (University of Arizona, MOD X)

10:00 a.m. – Research Briefing Speakers / Presenters: Dejan Eskic (University of Utah)

10:30 a.m. – Break

10:45 a.m. – The State of Offsite Regulations Across the Country Speakers / Presenters: Ryan Colker (International Code Council); Representative Thomas Peterson (Utah House of Representatives); Justin Stewart (Synergy Modular) Moderator: Chris Gamvroulas (Ivory Development)

11:30 a.m. – Case Study: Scattered Site Affordable Modular Development Project Speakers / Presenters: Mary Tingerthal (Tingerthal Group)

12:00 p.m. – Lunch

12:45 p.m. – Student Housing Innovation Pitches Speakers / Presenters: Student teams from Ivory Innovations’ 2023 Hack-A-House Competition will be invited to pitch their ideas to the audience

1:15 p.m. – Industrialized Construction: Lessons Learned from California Speakers / Presenters: Amanda Gatenby (CRATE Modular); Sasha Kergan (California Department of Housing and Community Development); Jan Lindenthal (San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund); Matt Smith (Factory_OS) Moderator: Tyler Pullen (Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley)

2:00 p.m. – Offsite Construction Financing and Investment Speakers / Presenters: Matthew Haas (KeyBank); John Herzog (Washington Federal); Zeeshan Mirza (US Modular Capital) Moderator: JP Ackerman (Techo Real Estate Capital)

2:50 p.m. – Break

3:00 p.m. – Offsite Construction in the Mountain West Speakers / Presenters: Rick Murdock (Autovol); Eric Schaefer (Fading West); Justin Stewart (Synergy Modular); Bob Worsley (ZenniHome) Moderator: Eric Holt (University of Denver)

4:00 PM – MOD X Panel Discussion: Offsite in the Wasatch Front Speakers / Presenters: Cindy Davis (State of Virginia); Dan Hardcastle (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development); Blake Thomas (Director of Salt Lake City Community and Neighborhoods Department); Mary Tingerthal (Tingerthal Group) Moderator: Ryan Smith (University of Arizona, MOD X)

Presenters

Team not found