Santa Ana, CA (April 1, 2026) – NAIOP SoCal is pleased to announce the honorary captains for its 5th Annual OC Real Estate Challenge to be held April 15th. This year’s industry leaders are Jason Krotts, Co-Founder & Principal, Real Estate Development Associates (REDA), along with Chris Tipre, Principal, Trammell Crow Company. The annual Orange County Challenge brings together five-member student teams from the Chapman University George L. Argyros College of Business and Economics, Alexander E. Hayden School of Real Estate (Chapman) and the University of California, Irvine, Paul Merage School of Business, Center for Real Estate (UCI) to compete head-to-head. Each team will present its vision for the highest and best use for this year’s challenge site in pursuit of the coveted Orange Cup. Chapman’s Honorary Captain, Jason Krotts, is the co-founder and managing principal of REDA, a development and investment company focused on the ground-up construction of logistics properties. Since its formation, REDA has invested approximately $500 million in equity, which equates to a stabilized project value of more than $2.5 billion. Krotts received his bachelor’s degree from Chapman University, where he is a Founding Board Member of the Argyros School of Business and Economics’ Masters in Real Estate Development Program. In 2021, Krotts received Chapman University’s Distinguished Alumni Award. Krotts is also a NAIOP SoCal Young Professionals Group (YPG) alumnus, having been part of the first class in 2005. UCI’s Honorary Captain Chris Tipre is Principal for Trammell Crow Company’s Southern California office in San Diego and leads the firm’s new pursuits and development projects throughout San Diego County. In this capacity, he has created a pipeline of over 1.2 million square feet of off-market development opportunities equating to over $1 billion expected total project costs. Prior to leading the San Diego development platform, Tipre served as the team leader for Trammell Crow’s The Boardwalk, a 555,600 square foot speculative Class A office campus in Irvine. He has been involved in 1.1 million square feet of total office/life science development, and nearly 6 million square feet of industrial development. Tipre received his bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara and his master’s degree from UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Tipre is also a YPG alumnus. For 2026, the two university teams will compete on an 8.3-acre redevelopment opportunity located at 1280 S. Anaheim Blvd. in Anaheim. It comprises six separate vacant parcels formerly used for various automotive-related services. The site was acquired by Anaheim’s former Redevelopment Agency and identified in the city’s long-range property management plan as a strategic location for future market-rate development. The students will present a proposal to the City of Anaheim to revitalize this site and introduce a vibrant mix of new uses that will offer economic benefits and enhance community vibrancy. The challenge event begins at 5:00 p.m. on the Chapman University campus. Sponsorship opportunities are still available, and tickets can be purchased here. About: NAIOP SoCal represents over 1,100 members and is the leading commercial real estate trade association in Southern California. NAIOP SoCal’s mission is to provide a unified voice to protect and enhance the commercial real estate industry and quality of life in Southern California through superior education, proactive public policy engagement, and meaningful business connections. For more information on the OC Real Estate Challenge, click here. | 
