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20/20 Update from CCIM Institute Leadership
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Dear CCIM Chapter and Regional Leaders:
As the federal government sorts out the problems on Wall Street, commercial real estate professionals should turn their attention back home to Main Street where their influence and actions can have the greatest effect. As chapter leaders, you can leverage this opportunity by investing your time, expertise, and financial resources in your local market and economy. It’s a plan of action that starts with you. I begin my term as CCIM Institute President recalling how this organization and its members have stepped up to the challenges of past economic downturns. It’s a scenario that is being repeated: We’re producing a new national advertising campaign to bring more business to CCIMs in their local markets. “Wall Street to Main Street” will emphasize hiring CCIMs in local communities and making investments where clients can see them every day. The campaign is in final development and will hit the streets in December. Look for more details soon. Also, some of you CCIM veterans will recall that during the Tax Reform Act in the late eighties, the CCIM Institute developed quality educational programs that we taught to the RTC, FSLIC, and the General Accounting Office. We showed them how to deal with the massive amounts of commercial real estate—REO property—that was on the financial institutions’ books. We’re now encouraging the Department of the Treasury to leverage the CCIM nationwide network in the disposition of assets that are securing the mortgages the government may be purchasing in conjunction with the $700 billion rescue plan. As commercial real estate professionals, we must stand up and assume leadership positions where we live. We are uniquely positioned to leverage our expertise to help our cities and towns face the difficult years ahead. Look for opportunities to do business in your local community and rediscover the resources available close to home. Reaffirm your business connections with local banks, vendors, and affiliated professionals. Volunteer in your schools and service organizations. Patronize your local merchants. Finally, use your status as a CCIM as a springboard to community leadership. This country is built on small business and the entrepreneurial spirit. We need to get back to making loans in the local community for the entrepreneurs that are the plumbers and the engineers and the people that really make this country go. During the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, America’s colleges and universities were producing a number of civil and mechanical engineers that helped build our communities. Today we have financial engineers who have modeled collateralized debt offerings that have proven to be the downfall of a number of major brokerage houses and banks in this country. Clearly these are monumental times for the Institute, our industry, and our nation. But in my mind it's also a very interesting time. The next two or three years are going to go down as one of the great opportunities of the decade and probably the century. How we come out of this “financial engineered crisis” is up to us. Believe in your community, believe in your fellow CCIM’s and our Institute, and believe in the people around you. We must make the most of today’s opportunities on Main Street as we rebuild America and fulfill the dreams of our country and our citizens. I hope this email finds you all well. Madeline Williams at the CCIM Institute (800-621-7027) is ready to schedule visits from your Management Team to your chapter as we lead the charge of rebuilding our country. We are here to help you and want you to call on us. We can all do this together. P.S. For some interesting history of our Institute and our future, please see the podcast with an interview from one the New York Times writers. http://podcast.ccim.com/2008/11/10/perspectives1/ Charles A. McClure, CCIM, CRE 2009 President - CCIM Institute Chairman - McClure Partners P.O. Box 802047 Dallas, Texas 75380-2047 972-663-3738 Office 214-384-9862 Mobile mmcclure@mcclureusa.com |
