Can you feel it? Can you feel the increased speed of business and the demands placed on your resources? We are entering into another period of economic growth fueled by capital that was sitting on the sidelines during the recession, advances in technology, leveraging of big data and a world that seems to get smaller and more interconnected each day.
As the President of the Carolinas Chapter of CoreNet Global (CNG), I am proud to be a part of the single most important trade association for Corporate Real Estate (CRE) industry professionals and partners throughout the world. CoreNet Global is alive and well in 23 countries and is 9,000 members strong. Given the pace of change, CoreNet’s mission is to provide its members with a resource to help them stay connected, informed and prepared for whatever the markets may bring.
This year will be known as one that saw tremendous consolidation in our industry as the largest Real Estate service providers expanded through merger/acquisition to better meet the demands of their clients. The challenges we all face in today’s market are so much more complex than even a few years ago:
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Driving down cost without sacrificing productivity
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Invest while managing risk
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Think Globally
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Engaging our most valuable asset: our people
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Innovate or die
It is clear that CoreNet Global is focused on delivering value to its membership, by helping to address these CRE needs. The theme of this year’s Global Summit in Los Angeles, Ca (October 18-20) is Disruptive Innovation: The Business of Change. Over 2,500 CRE professionals will be on-hand to learn about cutting edge technologies, new and creative CRE solutions, and networking with colleagues.
In the spirit of thinking globally and acting locally, I am proud to work with such an esteemed group of CRE professionals serving as CoreNet Carolinas board members who lead our committees and a group of dedicated volunteers who deliver value day in and day out in our community. In our 2014 Chapter survey, 98% of respondents stated that the chapter is meeting or exceeding their expectations. This is something that we are proud of and we need to build upon moving forward by attracting and developing the next group of chapter leaders. In addition, our member retention rate of 83% is one of the highest of any chapter around the globe. Our committees are able to drive value, year in and year out, through our strict adherence to our Balanced Scorecard, enclosed in this report.
In preparation for this term as chapter president, I used the past year to connect with as many chapter members and sponsors as I could. I brought my discussion findings to our board planning session this past September. In order to further our mission in 2015, we have a few objectives on which we want to focus:
Put the “Net” back in CoreNet…many members I spoke with are looking forward to a revitalized networking schedule. I hope that our members and sponsors will take ownership in our chapter advancement by inviting an industry friend or client to attend a networking event and share the value of belonging to the chapter.
Continue to Build the Brand…as a board we have done some good benchmarking with other chapters who excel in their website/communication strategy. The board is working hard to create improved communication tools that will make connecting and accessing information much easier for our membership.
Increase alignment with the CoreNet Global Atlanta headquarters…we are a truly global professional group, 9000+ members strong. Leveraging this strength as well as forming partnerships with our regional institutions of higher education will help build the talent pipeline for our industry and create value for our chapter for years to come.
Another exciting initiative that received board approval this fall was the creation of an Innovation Budget. We are very fortunate that the chapter is in the best financial health in our history due to the work of previous board members and the dedication of our sponsors. Our thought is that great ideas can come from anywhere and we need to be flexible enough in our annual budget to be able to act on great ideas. So my challenge to you, our members, sponsors and to the board of directors this year is to bring forth your great ideas. It is through this sharing and risk taking that we will be able to innovate and deliver unique value to our membership.
It is an honor to serve as Chapter President this year and I look forward to building upon the tremendous success that our chapter has achieved. Thank you for being engaged.
Sincerely,
Chris LaPata, MCR
President