President's Message May 2013

Janet Johnson, CREW Chicago President

CREW Chicago Members:

Exciting Summer Programs/Networking Opportunities
Before you get away for summer, plan to attend our June 26 open luncheon at the East Bank Club.  As with the other successful programs we have had so far in 2013, thanks to our great Programs Committee, this luncheon will be outstanding and cutting edge.  We will hear from experts who are bringing “hydroponic farming” to the City of Chicago.  This new industry assists in providing jobs, fighting hunger and addressing food deserts that regrettably still exist in our City.  Our speakers are also doing this work in a way that is friendly to the environment.  They will focus on business operations, sustainability, job creation prospects, capital raising, real estate needs, and distribution channels for the produce that is grown in year-round indoor greenhouses.  Watch for the registration information to be coming out soon.  Our 2013 programs have been close to capacity, and this one will be no exception so plan to register early.

If you simply want to meet your fellow CREW Members and enjoy a cocktail or two with ample time for conversation or finding ways to do business with your fellow members, join us for our Members Only “Mugshots and Martinis” Happy Hour this summer.  Part of the experience will be to allow our members to have their headshot taken by our CREW Chicago professional photographer so you can post it on our Membership Directory and the Network’s CREWBiz.

On July 9 CREW Chicago members will have the opportunity to participate in the first of our 2013 leadership programs.  The topic will be on “Challenges in Leadership – Herding the Cats:  Solving Conflict Among Project Team Members.”  Unlike most of our open programs, our leadership programs are held in the evening so those who cannot get away during the middle of the day will have an opportunity to participate.  There is no cost for our members.  Watch for registration information.

Golf Outing
On September 10 we will have our annual Golf Outing at The Glen Club.  Rather than schedule it during the summer when people are away and there are many other industry outings, this year our Golf Committee, headed by Marilyn Brooks and Lisa Metzler have opted for a date just after Labor Day when everyone should be back from vacation and ready to do deals before the end of the year.  Sponsorship opportunities still exist.  Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or check what is available on our website.  It isn’t too early to register your foursome either.  Those who don’t golf can attend the dinner only or volunteer to assist the Committee with logistics on the day of the outing.

Strategic Alliance With The John Marshall Law School’s Center for Real Estate Law
I am very pleased to announce to all CREW Members that the Board of Directors of CREW Chicago approved a two-year strategic alliance with The John Marshall Law School’s Center for Real Estate Law.  Through this strategic alliance, members of CREW Chicago who are accepted into the L.L.M. (for lawyers) or M.S. (for non-lawyers) in Real Estate Law programs will be eligible to apply for a 20% discount on their tuition for degree courses beginning in the Fall 2013 semester.  CREW Chicago member, Celeste Hammond is the Director of the Center for Real Estate Law and a Professor at the Law School.  I serve on the Advisory Board for the Center and have taught as an adjunct professor in the program which is geared toward providing practicing lawyers and real estate professional with a strong background in many aspects of commercial real estate law.  If you are thinking about an advance degree and an MBA is not what you are looking for, check out the Center for Real Estate Law’s program.  For more information click here.  The deadline for applications for Fall 2013 M.S. degree students is June 16, 2013.

CREW Network 2013 Convention
It isn’t too soon to mark your calendars for the 2013 CREW Network Convention in Dallas on October 9-12 and plan to attend.  Online registration opens May 20, 2013.  It will be held at the new Omni Dallas Hotel, which was built to U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold Certification standards.

The theme for this year’s convention will be “The Power of Perspective – Shaping the Future of Commercial Real Estate.”  Keynote speakers include Barbara Corcoran, entrepreneur and regular on Shark Tank, David Houle, Futurist and author of “The Shift Age,” Tom Friedman, columnist for the New York Times and author of “The World is Flat,” Charlotte Jones Anderson, Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President of Brand Management, and Mark D. Gibson, Executive Managing Director and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of HFF, Inc.  One of our newer CREW Chicago members, Amber Strang of Cushman & Wakefield (who transferred from CREW Denver and was also a member of CREW Dallas), served on the Member Education Committee for CREW Network and she assures us there are many other educational opportunities for those wanting to learn more about current issues and trends in the commercial real estate industry.

Grant Available for CREW Network Convention
Because our Board and our new CREW Network Committee believe attendance at CREW Network conventions and events is a very rewarding and unique experience, the Committee has been hard at work raising dollars to fund a $1,500 grant for an active CREW Chicago member attendee to the convention.  Because our funds for this purpose are limited, there will be an application process, the recipient must have a complete CREWBiz profile, and the chosen recipient will be required to write a short report on their convention experience for posting on our website and sharing with our other members.  Watch for the details on the application form, which should be available around June 1.  The recipient will be chosen by August 1.

Convention Planning Includes Updating and Using CREWBiz
When preparing to attend the CREW Network convention, check out CREW Network’s CREWBiz directory to identify members of other chapters you would like to meet and contact them in advance to set up a meeting.  Even if your services are offered or your business operates largely in the Chicago metropolitan area, there are times when another CREW Network member from a chapter outside of Chicago will need someone with your expertise in our area. 

There are 76 chapters in CREW Network in all major markets in the US and Canada and a total of around 8,000 members.  Your fellow CREW Network members won’t be able to find you in Chicago if your CREW Biz profile is not up-to-date and filled with information on your expertise because they do not have access to our local chapter directory.  If your profile is not complete or is no longer accurate, please take the time to update it now.  Also, verify your information on your CREW Chicago profile is accurate and up-to-date.

Volunteer for a Committee for 2013
There are always an opportunities to become more active in CREW Chicago.  Maybe your first volunteer role was as a member of one of our 2012 CREW Network Convention committees and you are now thinking about doing more.  The excitement can continue! 

Everyone who volunteers for one of our Committees serving our local chapter knows you will receive much more than you give.  The rewards are life-long friendships with other members, professional contacts that will serve you well in your career, and (last but, certainly not least) sources of new business.  At the risk of over-simplifying the issue, studies show that women are different than men in how they network for new business.  Women want to have a personal relationship with the individuals with whom they do business or to whom they refer others for business.  Those personal relationships are much easier to develop when you work side-by-side with another CREW Chicago member on something for the benefit of the organization. 

Opportunities to volunteer are many – click here or visit our website tabs “About-Our Committees” to find a committee that might be of interest to you.  Some require monthly commitments, some short-term event planning and some have greater commitments at different times during the year.  Some Committees help us raise funds (Last Call for Fall) for our scholarships, the CREW Foundation and our chapter and others provide the great programs we all love.  Still others keep our chapter news up to date and assist the other committees in their work.  There is room for everyone.  The chair or co-chair for each committee will be happy to answer your questions or invite you to a meeting to find out more about the opportunities they offer. 

Prospective Members for 2013
New members are the lifeblood of any organization.  It is up to each and every one of us to be ambassadors for CREW Chicago and CREW Network and to remind others in our professions of the benefits a CREW membership can provide both personally and professionally.  To that end, the Membership Committee is looking for names of individuals who have not yet joined CREW Chicago, but who you think would be valuable contributors to the organization.  Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (co-chairs of our Membership Committee) with the names and email addresses of those you are suggesting be invited to one of our Prospective Members events.

Ideas and Suggestions Are Welcome
Please also feel free to call me, email me or stop by to meet with me.  I am always ready, willing and able to hear your ideas for how CREW Chicago can continue to be the premier real estate industry organization in the Chicago metropolitan area.  

Sincerely,
Janet M. Johnson, President CREW Chicago