ATLANTA, GA – Navigating the world of commercial real estate is no easy task. Fortunately, it’s a task you don’t have to undertake on your own. Numerous associations help industry members network, grow their businesses and stay up to date on emerging issues.
The most recent episode of the “Commercial Real Estate Show” examined four of the leading commercial real estate associations: the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) Institute and the CREW Network. Topics included the associations’ recent initiatives, upcoming events and their members’ concerns.
Randi Glass (top right photo), director of membership and volunteer development for ICSC, said the council has received a lot of positive feedback from its special industry groups. ICSC launched the groups, which allow members with similar specialties to share best practices, about a year ago.
ICSC also has fully embraced social media, Glass added. “We encourage our members to tweet their deals and space requirements, and our social media manager retweets those to all our followers,” she said, adding that ICSC has 12,000 followers on Twitter. ICSC will have a booth at its upcoming RECon show in Las Vegas in May that will provide brief tutorials on social media.
As 2012 unfolds, BOMA International will spend much of its time advocating against what its chair-elect described as excessive regulation from federal, state and local governments seeking to create “green” communities.
“While we agree with the concept, the overregulation, the mandates from governmental agencies are the things we’re trying to mitigate a little bit,” said Joseph W. Markling (middle left photo), chair-elect of the organization.
Gail S. Ayers (middle right photo), CEO and president of the CREW Network, said her organization’s annual conference, to be held in Chicago in October, will focus on making choices in a tough economy. “When you’re looking at an uncertain economy, you have to focus constantly on what you do, how you do it and whom you do it with,” she said.
CREW is dedicated to advancing the achievements of women in commercial real estate.
Vast networking, abundant educational opportunities and even increased income are among the benefits of belonging to the CCIM Institute, said Leil Koch (lower left photo), president of the organization, which awards the CCIM designation to members who takes a series of classes and pass a comprehensive exam. “CCIMs earn, on average, 79 percent higher incomes than non-affiliated professionals,” he said.
The Institute has emphasized more case studies in its course work and also has launched monthly property marketing webinars to allow members to showcase their sites to a national audience.
The next “Commercial Real Estate Show” will be available March 22 and will examine best practices for the social media network LinkedIn.
Contact
Stephen Ursery
Wilbert News Strategies
404.965.5026
sursery@wnspr.com
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