Dear members and readers;
NAIOP Southern Nevada, a chapter of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, represents the interests of commercial real estate professionals throughout Southern Nevada including the Las Vegas valley. Among the most active professional organizations in Nevada, the local chapter of NAIOP is committed to the success and growth of its members and their firms. We provide our members with many opportunities to stay informed, educated and connected.
One of the areas we consistently focus on is enhancing the public’s awareness and providing our elected officials’ the information required to further their understanding of the economic and fiscal benefits, and other impacts to the community and state, that are generated by the commercial real estate development industry. In the coming years, this is going to be more important than ever before. The following is but a sampling of the many benefits NAIOP provides to its membership:
NAIOP provides effective government affairs communication and implementation in advocating support of local and state legislative issues affecting the industry with the goal having an overall positive effect with respect to economic diversity.
NAIOP is the primary resource that helps our members stay informed on relevant issues and changes that our industry will undergo as the economy continues through this cycle.
NAIOP provides a very unique opportunity to network and develop connections with business professionals in all aspects of the real estate development, construction, design and leasing processes.
It’s evident to me that we are faced with unprecedented changes and challenges in both our businesses and our industry as a whole. Therefore, it’s in these unprecedented times that involvement in NAIOP is more important than ever.
This 2010 special report of NAIOP focuses on the concept and values the organization continues to embrace, NAIOP Works. In this publication, you will hear from NAIOP members and leading professionals who give their personal accounts of how NAIOP Works for their businesses, as well as individuals.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our dedicated members who continue to remain active in NAIOP. The success of NAIOP has been, and will continue to be, based on its members and volunteers. As we look to the future, and consider the challenges facing our industry, it’s important that we continue to work together as an organization to understand and develop the ideas and strategies that are inevitable in this changing environment. It’s through our collective efforts that we will be successful and continue to be the leading commercial real estate organization. NAIOP Works!
Sincerely,
Brad Schnepf
NAIOP Southern Nevada Chapter President
NAIOP Works
Providing Resources and Connections in Any Economy
Through good times and bad, commercial real estate professionals in Southern Nevada turn to NAIOP Southern Nevada, a chapter of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association.
Networking opportunities, free education classes and legislative advocacy rank among the top benefits enjoyed by the more than 500 members of the local chapter.
“It’s evident to me that we are faced with unprecedented changes and challenges in both our businesses and our industry as a whole,” said Brad Schnepf, Chapter President of NAIOP Southern Nevada and President of Marnell Properties. “Therefore, it’s in these unprecedented times that involvement in NAIOP is more important than ever.
“The networking opportunities, coupled with consistent and timely communication about the changes occurring, as well as the effectiveness of our government affairs outreach, keep our members on the leading edge.”
Linking up with associates in the commercial real estate community becomes an easier task through NAIOP, said Christine Girardin, Chair of the Membership Committee and Business Development Manager for Nevada and Utah with Securitas.
“Even when times are down, it’s important to keep the connections in the community,” Girardin said. “It’s a big town, but it’s a small town.”
Girardin and her committee work not only to recruit and retain professionals to NAIOP, but also to ensure both new and continuing members receive maximum fulfillment. New members receive a call welcoming them to NAIOP, as well as letting them know about upcoming events and helping identify target clientele to form great relationships within the organization.
Additionally, members receive a quarterly newsletter, NAIOPNow detailing everything that’s going on with the organization as well as with commercial real estate in Southern Nevada. The newsletter is sent digitally three times a year with one edition printed annually. Issues are also available on the NAIOP website for those who may have missed it.
Kristine Shattuck, Chair of the Programs Committee and Partner with Shattuck Enterprises Public Relations and Marketing, works to develop the breakfast programs that are so well known to members.
“We work to provide programs that are fresh and relevant for the NAIOP membership,” Shattuck said. “We have partnered with sustainability and education and government affairs to sort of brainstorm about some new ways to go about it.”
Educational opportunities – which are free to and only open to members – feature a philosophy of getting back to basics, said Jennifer Levine, Chair of the Education Committee and Senior Associate-Industrial with Commerce Real Estate Solutions.
“Those of us working in the commercial real estate industry during the boom didn’t always have enough time to continue the lifelong learning process,” Levine said. “Now that we can all take a moment to breathe, the education committee designed a series of intimate workshops where our seasoned members could refresh their knowledge and skill sets and our junior members could expand theirs.”
Levine pointed in particular to last year’s introduction of the Summer School Field Trip series. Each session consisted of a “field trip” to a different commercial property type: Land, Industrial, Retail, Office, and Green Building. Summer school “instructors” were typically the actual developers of those projects, so they provided firsthand anecdotes, including both successes and challenges, of the project’s development. The instructors led their “students” on a walking tour of each site, explained each building’s physical features, and described the development process for that product type. Students learned everything from site selection to the marketing of the project for sale or lease.
Legislative advocacy ranks among the most valuable benefits of NAIOP membership. John Ramous, Chair of the Government Affairs Committee and Vice President of Regional Operations with Harsch Investment Properties, highlights the group’s top state and local issue areas: economic development; tax and spending policies; land use and growth management; development fees; project approvals; sustainable development; transportation infrastructure; and community quality of life.
“NAIOP is the largest commercial real estate organization in Nevada that has the wherewithal to address the most critical issues facing the industry and which has the credibility from both the business community and public sector to ‘be at the table with versus being on the menu,’” Ramous said.
“One of the areas we consistently focus on is enhancing the public’s awareness and providing our elected officials the information required to further their understanding of the economic and fiscal benefits and other impacts to the community and state that are generated by the commercial real estate development industry,” Schnepf said. “In the coming years, this is going to be more important than ever before.”
How has being a part of NAIOP helped you get your properties sold or leased?
“It’s through relationships established by our association with NAIOP that we are able to understand and meet the needs of other businesses that are members of NAIOP. Many of the introductions to some of our leasing opportunities were sourced through the relationships we developed though our association with NAIOP.
In addition to establishing relationships with the brokerage community and tenants, we are also introduced to the construction, architectural, and engineering firms that have designed and built many of our projects. Over the last several years, I’ve personally experienced the benefits and concepts that the organization embraces, which is proof that NAIOP Works.”
Brad Schnepf, President, Marnell Properties
What prompted you to join NAIOP?
“I found that the organization has a very diverse membership that would benefit me personally and professionally. They are extremely active and politically in-touch with what is happening in the community and how it affects our lives and livelihood and I wanted to be part of it. One of the best benefits is the quality of the members that have become my acquaintances. If you want to know what is going on in the commercial real estate field, you must join NAIOP. NAIOP is an important tool and provides a wealth of information that will help you succeed.”
Ken Hanifan, Principal, Slater Hanifan Group
Why have you continued with NAIOP through thick and thin?
“On a national basis, we always have to make sure that our industry is well protected and NAIOP does that for the development industry. It is an excellent networking tool, plus it gives the added benefit of having many resources at your disposal. The local involvement is critical as well. Many times NAIOP and Associated General Contractors (AGC) are on the same page and can attack an issue in the legislature jointly.”
Frank Martin, President and CEO, Martin-Harris Construction
How has the Developing Leaders Institute (DLI) helped you professionally?
“The DLI is one of the best programs for developing the skills necessary in a professional organization for those who desire to make a professional difference, gain skills and knowledge, and partner with others in the business community. In this group, I have not only established long-lasting friendships but have also had some of the biggest, best, and well known real estate professionals teaching us skills it took them a career to learn. NAIOP provides tremendous opportunities to share technical skills and development knowledge that support the business case for sustainable development. My involvement in NAIOP has provided an opportunity to promote sustainability in Southern Nevada and to educate others as to the advantages of green building.”
Jennifer Turchin, Project Manager, Energy & Environmental Solutions, 2009 DLI Graduate
Why do you encourage your employees and peers to get involved with NAIOP?
“JMA provides professional design services to the Commercial Development Community, NAIOP membership allows the opportunity for us to meet our client base. Additionally NAIOP is a great source of information on trends in Commercial Design and Development. The primary benefit we gain from our involvement with NAIOP is the ability to meet the full spectrum of professionals required to bring a project from vision to reality. The complexities of development today require sophisticated teaming for project realization; NAIOP brings together all the elements of that team. Not being a member of NAIOP leaves you outside the future team.”
TJ Schoeman, President and CEO, JMA Architecture Studios
How does NAIOP help with your business?
“NAIOP is a good organization to be affiliated with in our industry and over time has proven to help root our company into the business community. Probably the most important benefit of NAIOP involvement, besides the networking aspects and informative meetings, is having an organization looking out for the best interests and welfare of the real estate development/commercial leasing industry. NAIOP’s advocacy on legislative issues is a key benefit. NAIOP is a good resource for yourself or your company. It is an organization that connects you with others in the same field and provides a forum to hear and discuss pertinent issues facing the industry.”
Jay Heller, Principal, Heller Companies
Why do you stay with NAIOP and how does it help your business?
“NAIOP offers every level of involvement from committee interaction, education, community, networking and much more which allows you to participate in a way that enhances your personal business style while gaining exposure to the real estate community. NAIOP allows us to tailor our membership to our needs and constantly evolving time constraints yet still gain from the multitude of programs available. Education regarding the local real estate market is a key benefit. NAIOP consistently provides programs to educate about what is happening in our local and national real estate and financial markets. The networking opportunities are also a primary benefit as the membership includes individuals and businesses from all aspects of the industry. [Members benefit from] exposure to key players in the industry, opportunities to build business through contacts made at events, and opportunities to introduce yourself to the wide range of members through sponsorship, speaking events, or committee involvement.”
Jeff LaPour, President and CEO, LaPour
Why do you encourage your employees and peers to get involved with NAIOP?
“As a company and corporate citizen, it is important to Southwest Gas that we build and maintain business relationships across a broad spectrum that includes individuals and other companies. NAIOP is an organization that provides this diversity, and the ability to build relationships and cultivate business opportunities. Because of the size of the local NAIOP organization and the diversity of its membership, it would be difficult to accomplish our goals with a single individual. We have chosen instead to involve a number of people with various skill sets working simultaneously in conjunction with the NAIOP organization. Southwest Gas believes that we can benefit more from NAIOP by getting involved and working alongside other companies to make it better. For commercial real estate professionals who are not members of NAIOP, and this is my personal opinion as a development professional, if they have the luxury of having more business contacts than they can possibly handle, then we can understand why NAIOP may not be for them. But, if you’re like the vast majority of the commercial business community it’s difficult for me to understand why they would avoid being a member.”
Crayton Jones, Director of Service Planning, Southwest Gas
How does NAIOP help with your business?
“NAIOP provides a tremendous networking opportunity with the prominent players in the commercial real estate field – developers, brokers, architects, engineers and contractors. NAIOP represents the interests of its members on a national basis and is a voice on behalf of these constituents nationally.”
Ed Schiel, Senior Vice President, American Nevada Company
CM Capital Services, LLC
Keeping Projects on Track
When banks are lending…and when banks are not…development and construction projects must continue. With that in mind, more and more builders and developers are turning to private or “hard money” lenders like CM Capital Services, to keep their future projects on track.
In 1977, CM Capital Services, LLC (CMCS) a private real estate investment firm headquartered in Henderson, was founded. More than three decades ago, its founders saw promise and tremendous growth opportunity in Southern Nevada, and the same holds true with respect to today’s challenged, yet dynamic, real estate market.
CMCS, a division of the CM Group of Companies, is dedicated to underwriting quality real estate projects, while creating and maintaining a partnership of trust and respect with each of its private investors who assist with funding loans to builders and developers.
The CMCS Underwriting Division primarily focuses on residential and commercial development and construction projects that are in the “reset value” stage of the acquisition cycle. CMCS’ team of individuals with in-depth real estate development backgrounds, focuses on enabling buyers to take advantage of today’s market opportunities in Southern Nevada and throughout the Western United States.
Once a project is approved for funding, it is presented to CMCS’ private client base of over 4,000 investors worldwide. This provides options for investors to diversify their portfolios with high-yield, short-term investments backed by real property.
Currently managing more than $450 million in loans, CMCS has gained the experience and sophistication essential for operating through ever-changing market conditions, while providing a platform for its borrowers and investors alike to enhance their financial futures.
