Chapter Check-Ins: Summer 2024

Highlights from the 2024 First Place Winners

The CCIM Institute’s Presidents Cup Award is held annually during the Midyear Governance Meeting. This award recognizes The CCIM Institute's chapters that exhibit exceptional creativity and innovation in promoting membership and programs at the local level. This year's first place winners were the Georgia CCIM Chapter (Tier 1), the PA/NJ/DE CCIM Chapter (Tier 2), and the New Mexico CCIM Chapter (Tier 3).

Second Place Winners
Tier 1  |  Houston/Gulf Coast CCIM Chapter
Tier 2  |  Southern California CCIM Chapter
Tier 3  |  San Diego CCIM Chapter

Third Place Winners
Tier 1 | St. Louis CCIM Chapter
Tier 2 | Central Arizona CCIM Chapter
Tier 3 | Mississippi CCIM Chapter

Chapters of Excellence
Most Improved Chapter  |  San Diego CCIM Chapter
Best Industry Event  |  Northern Nevada CCIM Chapter
Best Networking Event  |  PA/NJ/DE CCIM Chapter
Best Education Program  |  Georgia CCIM Chapter
Designation Promotion  |  New England CCIM Chapter
University Outreach  |  Connecticut CCIM Chapter
 

The Georgia CCIM Chapter was pleased to be announced as the President’s Cup Tier 1 first place winner after previous years of narrowly missing the award. The chapter effectively leveraged its education and networking initiatives to build alliances with local and state entities, increase sponsorships, and engaged Designee and candidate members.

The chapter’s leadership aimed to expand its brand in underserved commercial real estate markets across the state while enhancing the value proposition for members. They achieved state certification as a real estate school in Georgia, enabling them to offer continuing education credits through The CCIM Institute's courses. 

The chapter focused on engaging members statewide and regionally, connecting commercial real estate professionals living and working outside the Atlanta MSA.

The Georgia CCIM Chapter outlined four key initiatives for 2023: expand, engage, elevate, and excite. Their goals include increasing attendance at in-person Designation courses and those offered by the Robert L. Ward Center for Commercial Real Estate Studies, engaging members across the state to connect with those outside of Atlanta, elevating the value proposition for sponsors, and fostering community partnerships through expanded programs and enhanced social media presence.

The PA/NJ/DE (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware) CCIM Chapter was honored to be announced as the President’s Cup Tier 2 first place winner. The recognition was a testament to their growth and efforts in 2023. The chapter hosted various educational events alongside Designation promotion initiatives, leading to a 36% increase in attendance. They also successfully launched a DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiative with informative webinars.

2023 brought significant changes to the chapter, including the appointment of a new Membership Chair, Monika Polakevic, CCIM, and a reinvigoration of the membership committee. The chapter introduced a more substantive onboarding process, providing new members multiple touchpoints with chapter leaders, the Membership Chair, the Executive Director, and the local regional chair within the first 60 days. This initiative has helped new members connect and network  with other commercial real estate professionals in their local area faster than before.

To enhance member engagement, the membership committee collaborated with the Executive Director on several campaigns to recruit new members and re-engage lapsed ones. As a result of their email and social media campaigns, and targeted outreach, membership grew from 136 members in 2022 to 185 members in 2023, a 36% increase.

The PA/NJ/DE CCIM Chapter focused on four key initiatives in 2023: university outreach/mentorship, sponsorship, excellence and innovation, events, and DEI. After laying the groundwork for university outreach in late 2022, the chapter dedicated significant time to relationship building. By focusing on these efforts, they reached new audiences and better reflected the diversity of the community and industry in their region.

The New Mexico CCIM Chapter was honored to be chosen as the President's Cup Tier 3 first place winner. This achievement resulted from a comprehensive strategy focused on succession planning and member engagement. Participation and engagement grew significantly through guided paths to the Pin, education, portfolio review courses, and numerous networking opportunities. These efforts reflect the chapter's growth and dedication, recently celebrating its 50th anniversary.

In their membership drive, the New Mexico CCIM Chapter showcased ingenuity and innovation by creating an interactive online platform that boosted member engagement and attracted new members. They organized workshops and seminars featuring industry experts, ensured inclusivity and value, increased community outreach through partnerships with local businesses and educational institutions, and successfully promoted the CCIM Designation to young professionals.

The New Mexico CCIM Chapter provided a clear path to the Pin with targeted education and portfolio review courses, helping members feel well-prepared and confident. They also prioritized creating numerous networking opportunities to foster a strong sense of community and collaboration. ■