Big Things Happen at Big Events: eXpCON 2026 Brings People, Purpose and a Powerful New Collaboration Together
From Austin, Texas, to Salt Lake City, Utah — the Christi Davidson Real Estate Group celebrates a growing collaboration connecting Folds of Honor, eXp Extend a Hand and the eXp Military Network.
Salt Lake City, Utah | October 8, 2026
They say big things happen at big events. But sometimes, the biggest things aren't the announcements, the technology or the business opportunities.
Sometimes, they're the relationships that bring people together — and what those relationships can accomplish when everyone shares a common purpose.
That's exactly what we're experiencing this week at eXpCON 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
For Bob and me, this year's annual eXp Realty gathering has become something particularly meaningful. Beyond the excitement of connecting with fellow real estate professionals, we're celebrating a growing collaboration involving three remarkable organizations and communities:
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Folds of Honor
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eXp Extend a Hand
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eXp Military Network
Each serves a distinct mission. Together, they represent an opportunity to expand awareness, strengthen relationships and make a lasting difference in the lives of people who need our support.
And we're honored to play a part in bringing these relationships together.
Where It All Began: Relationships, Conversations and a Shared Vision
Great collaborations rarely begin with elaborate presentations or formal announcements.
More often, they begin with conversations between people who recognize that they share similar values.
Our involvement with Folds of Honor has given us an appreciation for the organization's commitment to providing educational scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen or disabled military service members and first responders.
As a military veteran myself, this mission is especially personal. We understand that the sacrifices made in service to our country don't end with the individual wearing the uniform. Those sacrifices often extend to spouses, children and entire families.
For Bob and me, supporting those families is both a privilege and a responsibility.
Through our involvement with Folds of Honor, we've developed meaningful relationships with people who share that commitment, including Bradley Allen, Folds of Honor Impact Officer, and Heather Allen.
As conversations continued, we began exploring how we might connect that mission with the extraordinary network of people and resources available through eXp Realty.
That led us to Garrett Howell and Iesha Padilla of the eXp Military Network, whose enthusiasm and willingness to collaborate helped move the conversation forward.
What started as introductions and discussions evolved into a shared vision: bringing together people and organizations whose missions complement one another.
And eXpCON 2026 presented a wonderful opportunity to begin bringing that vision to life.
Three Missions. One Shared Commitment to Making a Difference.
Although these organizations serve different communities, they share something fundamental: a commitment to helping people.
🇺🇸 Folds of Honor: Honoring Their Sacrifice. Educating Their Legacy.
Folds of Honor provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of America's fallen or disabled military service members and first responders.
The organization's mission recognizes that education can help create opportunity, stability and brighter futures for families who have already sacrificed so much.
For us, this is about more than financial assistance. It's about honoring service, remembering sacrifice and ensuring that the families left behind are not forgotten.
The Christi Davidson Real Estate Group is a proud sponsor of Folds of Honor, and we look forward to continuing to support its mission for years to come.
Learn more: https://foldsofhonor.org
❤️ eXp Extend a Hand: Supporting Our Own Community
Real estate is a relationship-driven profession, and the people working within it face the same unexpected challenges as anyone else.
Illness, accidents, family emergencies and other difficult circumstances can place enormous burdens on individuals and families.
eXp Extend a Hand reflects a spirit of compassion and support within the eXp community, helping agents and their families navigate extraordinary hardships.
It's a reminder that being part of a professional organization should mean more than sharing business opportunities.
It should also mean having a community that cares when life becomes difficult.
🤝 eXp Military Network: Connecting Those Who Serve and Have Served
The eXp Military Network brings together military-affiliated real estate professionals and supporters who understand the experiences, challenges and strengths of the military community.
Veterans, military spouses and others connected to military service bring extraordinary leadership, resilience and dedication to the real estate industry.
The Military Network provides opportunities for connection, mentorship, professional development and community engagement.
Its participation in this growing collaboration creates an opportunity to extend those relationships into broader service and philanthropic initiatives.
Together, these three communities have the potential to accomplish far more than any one could achieve alone.
October 6: The People Behind the Partnership
One of our favorite moments of the week actually happened before the formal announcement.
On the evening of October 6, we had the pleasure of gathering in Salt Lake City with Bradley and Heather Allen, Garrett Howell, Eisha Padilla and friends who had helped bring these conversations together.
It wasn't a boardroom meeting or a formal presentation.
It was simply a group of people spending time together, strengthening friendships and sharing excitement about what might be possible.
For Bob and me, that evening captured something we've always believed:
The strongest business relationships are built on trust, shared values and genuine friendships.
The photograph from that evening tells a story of its own. Before the conference presentations and announcements, there were real people connecting around a mission that matters.
And those relationships are what we hope will sustain this effort long after eXpCON concludes.
October 7: An Exciting Announcement at eXpCON 2026
On Wednesday, October 7, the collaboration received an important moment of visibility during eXpCON.
Attendees saw Folds of Honor featured alongside eXp Extend a Hand and the eXp Military Network, with an opportunity to learn about the mission and participate through a dedicated donation campaign.
The message displayed during the presentation was simple and powerful:
"Together, we make a difference."
For those of us who had been involved in the conversations leading up to this moment, seeing these organizations represented together was particularly rewarding.
It was an opportunity to introduce the mission of Folds of Honor to additional members of the eXp community while reinforcing the importance of supporting agents, veterans, military families and first responders' families.
The announcement represents an encouraging beginning.
The greater opportunity lies in what we can build together over time.
October 7: Starting the Morning With Purpose — The eXpCON 5K and Partnership Announcement
If Wednesday was about sharing the vision, Thursday morning was about bringing people together in action.
The eXpCON 5K Run/Walk provided an energetic start to the day, with participants gathering to celebrate community, connection and giving back.
Christi and I were delighted to participate alongside friends and colleagues, including Glenn Sanford, Wendy Forsythe, Mindy Grubb, Rachael Salveter and members of the eXp Military Network, eXp Extend a Hand and Folds of Honor communities.
There is something special about an early-morning gathering where professional titles and business responsibilities take a back seat to a shared experience.
Highlight of the day was the eXp MilNet Luncheon where this new collaboration was officially announced! Thank you Michelle Martin for including this in your presentation!
People show up, encourage one another, share stories and build friendships.
And when those relationships are connected to a meaningful cause, the experience becomes even more rewarding.
The 5K and Announcement are wonderful reminders that building community doesn't always happen in conference rooms. Sometimes, it happens one step at a time and while breaking bread with Friends.
Recognizing the People Making This Possible
While organizations provide the platforms and resources necessary for meaningful impact, it's the people behind them who bring a mission to life.
We want to extend our appreciation to several individuals who have made this experience especially meaningful.
Bradley Allen — Folds of Honor Impact Officer
Bradley's commitment to the Folds of Honor mission and his willingness to explore new opportunities for collaboration have been central to our involvement. We're grateful for his friendship and excited about the possibilities ahead.
Heather Allen
Heather has been a wonderful part of this journey, and we're grateful for the friendship, encouragement and enthusiasm she brings to the relationships we've developed.
Garrett Howell — eXp Military Network
Garrett's involvement and willingness to engage in these conversations have helped create important connections between the Folds of Honor and eXp communities.
Iesha Padilla — eXp Military Network
Eisha's enthusiasm, collaboration and commitment to the military community have been invaluable as we've explored ways to bring people together around a shared purpose.
Glenn Sanford, Wendy Forsythe, Mindy Grubb and Rachael Salveter
We appreciate the opportunity to participate in an eXp community where leadership, entrepreneurship and service can intersect. Sharing the 5K experience alongside Glenn, Wendy and so many colleagues was a highlight of the week.
And, of course, thank you to the volunteers, organizers, donors and members of the broader Folds of Honor, eXp Extend a Hand and eXp Military Network communities who contribute their time and energy to making these efforts possible.
Meaningful change is always a team effort.
Looking Beyond eXpCON: Where Do We Go From Here?
While we're celebrating the excitement of this week's events, our greatest enthusiasm is for what lies ahead.
For Bob and me, this is not intended to be a one-time conference initiative.
We see the opportunity to develop long-term relationships that can help increase awareness, encourage participation and create sustainable support for these important missions.
Imagine what becomes possible when a large network of real estate professionals is introduced to an organization like Folds of Honor.
Consider the opportunities to bring together military-affiliated agents, local communities, clients, business partners and philanthropic supporters.
And think about the difference that could be made by combining the relationship-building strengths of the real estate industry with organizations already dedicated to serving families in need.
The possibilities are exciting.
Over time, we'd love to see this collaboration create opportunities for:
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Greater awareness of the Folds of Honor mission throughout the real estate community.
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Additional fundraising and scholarship support for military and first responder families.
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Stronger relationships between the eXp Military Network and charitable organizations serving veterans.
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Continued support for agents and their families through eXp Extend a Hand.
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More opportunities for local real estate professionals and community partners to participate in service-oriented initiatives.
These are aspirations for the future, not announcements of programs already established.
But every meaningful initiative begins somewhere.
And we believe eXpCON 2026 represents an exciting starting point.
Why This Matters to the Christi Davidson Real Estate Group
Our business has always been grounded in relationships.
Christi's deep roots in Central Texas, our years of experience in real estate, and our relationships with clients, friends and community organizations have reinforced something we believe strongly:
A successful real estate business should create value beyond the transaction itself.
Yes, we are passionate about helping clients buy, sell and invest in real estate.
We're proud of our association with eXp Realty Luxury and our involvement as a founding member of Sports & Entertainment.
But we also believe that the professional platform we've built creates opportunities to support causes that matter.
For us, Folds of Honor is one of those causes.
And supporting eXp Extend a Hand and the eXp Military Network is a natural extension of that commitment.
Our hope is that the relationships being strengthened this week will continue to grow, creating opportunities to serve others and make a meaningful difference for many years to come.
How You Can Help: Join Us in Supporting Folds of Honor
One of the most exciting aspects of this week's collaboration is that participation isn't limited to those attending eXpCON.
Our clients, friends, colleagues and community supporters can join us in making a difference.
A dedicated donation page has been established for the eXpCON effort, giving supporters an opportunity to contribute to the mission.
🇺🇸 Support the Folds of Honor eXpCON Donation Campaign
Whether you're able to make a contribution, share the campaign with friends or simply help spread awareness, your participation is appreciated.
Every act of generosity helps build momentum.
And every opportunity to introduce someone to the mission of Folds of Honor is an opportunity to honor the sacrifices made by our military members, first responders and their families.
Big Things Happen at Big Events. Greater Things Happen When We Work Together.
As eXpCON 2026 continues here in Salt Lake City, we're grateful for the experiences, friendships and opportunities this week has brought.
What began with conversations has grown into meaningful connections between people and organizations committed to service.
We've celebrated an exciting announcement, participated in a memorable 5K and seen firsthand the enthusiasm surrounding this growing collaboration.
But the real measure of success won't be the number of photographs taken or announcements made this week.
It will be the relationships we continue to build, the families we help support and the lasting impact we create together.
To Bradley, Heather, Garrett, Iesha, Glenn, Wendy and everyone who has contributed to this effort — thank you.
And to our clients, friends and supporters back home in Austin, Taylor and throughout Central Texas — thank you for allowing us to be part of a profession and community that can make opportunities like this possible.
Big things happen at big events.
But truly great things happen when great people come together for a purpose bigger than themselves.
And from where we're standing today, we're just getting started. 🇺🇸
With gratitude,
Christi & Bob
Christi Davidson Real Estate Group
Brokered by eXp Realty | eXp Luxury
Sports & Entertainment Founding Member
Proud Sponsor of Folds of Honor
Proud Supporter of eXp Extend a Hand and the eXp Military Network
Website: https://www.callchristi.com
Contact Christi: 512-426-7399
Serving Austin, Taylor, Central Texas and beyond.
Real Estate. Relationships. Community. Service. A Brighter Future.
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