Dear SIOR Members and Friends,
We're back from another fabulous SIOR Global conference in DC. I truly enjoyed seeing so many of you recently at the always fantastic SIOR Spring World Conference, and I’m looking forward to connecting again in Portland, Ore. this fall!
I am so excited about the direction our SIOR Foundation is heading. In addition to sponsoring exciting programs like the SIOR Florida University Challenge and the NEXUS Summer Program, we are developing new programs that we hope will encourage local SIOR Chapters to become more involved with real estate students and clubs at their local universities. These new programs will give SIORs an opportunity to encourage, mentor, and support students as they begin their journey into the world of commercial real estate.
These programs would not be possible without you! Many of you participated in our Great Escape Giveaway this April during the conference. On behalf of the SIOR Foundation Board of Trustees, THANK YOU! The Giveaway was a huge success and netted the Foundation $45,600 to support its programs and initiatives.
A special thanks to our sponsors Atisa Industrial and SparrowHawk Real Estate Strategists, as well as the dynamic duo, Peter Hanson and Herb Krumsick! Without their support, our efforts to Educate, Enhance and Expand the commercial real estate industry would not be possible!
The winners, who will each receive a $5000 travel voucher to create their own great escape, were David Branding, SIOR; Tom McCormick, SIOR; and Lindy Mitchell, wife of Maury Mitchell, SIOR.
While in Washington, D.C., the Foundation had the honor of hosting eight (8) outstanding students through the Student Real Estate Experience Program. The SIOR Foundation is very excited to be able to introduce the best and brightest to SIOR and the world of commercial real estate, and to show them that CRE is a viable, lucrative, and exciting career option. Thank you to all those who took the time to talk to the students and show them the ropes.
I want to take this moment to give a special thanks to a select group of SIOR Chapters that recently gave very generous donations to the Foundation. The SIOR members of the Northeast Regional Chapters, along with the SIOR Philadelphia and SIOR Pittsburgh/Western Pennsylvania/Northern West Virginia Chapter, donated a total of over $6,000 to the SIOR Foundation during their regional meeting held in November. We also received $10,000 from the SIOR Southern Nevada Chapter in memory of two outstanding former members of the Chapter: Chuck Witters, SIOR, and Mike Hillis, SIOR. We are honored that these Chapters and their members have put their trust in the Foundation to be good stewards of their donations while advancing the commercial real estate industry.
If you have any questions on how you can become more involved in the SIOR Foundation, or any one of our many programs, please don’t hesitate to contact me or one of our many trustees!
Sincerely,
Aaron (A-A-Ron) Barnard, SIOR
952.465.3372
aaron.barnard@cushwake.com