by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
Though women have definitely made their mark on the commercial real estate world on their own, one organization has been helping them find their way since the early 1980’s.
According to the Commercial Real Estate Women Network Web site, several independent organizations were formed in various cities, each sharing the common goal of bringing together women involved in the many aspects of commercial real estate to exchange information, develop business contacts, and to help each other succeed professionally.
“We had a drive to support other women’s success in this business and an understanding that peer-to-peer networking works extremely well,” said Gail Ayers, CEO of CREW Network. “As more and more women began entering the commercial real estate industry 20 years ago, they found themselves excluded from male social activities where many deals and business connections are made. This wasn’t done conscientiously, but rather was born out of the trust and familiarity men have with one another.
“CREW Network members represent all areas of commercial real estate, which provides them the unique opportunity to assemble teams to work on deals together; as the name implies, this is their business Network.
“Today, men and women are becoming increasingly more aware of the benefits mixed-gender work teams bring to the deal table and we are seeing more men joining CREW Network. Our members find CREW Network to be a serious business networking organization vital to their careers.”
The unique element of the east and west coast groups was not that they were oriented toward women in a predominantly male industry (men were also welcomed as members,) but that the groups brought together representatives from a wide variety of professions, all involved in some way with commercial real estate.
As the groups were coming together on the east coast and created CREW-National (Commercial Real Estate Women – National) comprised of professionals from Baltimore, Northern Virginia, Suburban Maryland, Philadelphia, Detroit and Washington D.C., they learned that another group had formed on the west coast, WICRE - National Network (Women in Commercial Real Estate - National Network) in Los Angeles, Orange County, Phoenix, San Diego and San Francisco.
According to the CREW National Web site, at the WICRE-NN convention in Los Angeles in 1988, the board of directors from the east and west coast federations signed the bylaws of NNCREW - the National Network of Commercial Real Estate Women. NNCREW officially began operations on January 1, 1989 with 11 Chapters and 1,100 members. By the end of its first year, CREW Network was 17 chapters strong.
CREW Jacksonville was formed in 2001.
“It was formed to meet the growing needs of women in the commercial real estate market in Jacksonville,” said Laura Head of Compass Bank, one of the founders. “We had guidance and assistance from our sister organization, CREW Orlando. We applied for and were accepted as a Chapter with 75 members in 2002.
“CREW Jacksonville’s mission is enhancing the success and fostering the development of professional women in the commercial real estate industry. CREW Jacksonville provides the environment for its members to advance their careers by promoting member-to-member business, providing leadership and educational opportunities and enriching members through mentoring and philanthropic experiences.”
Even though women are still the minority in the commercial real estate realm, they have CREW to help them change that in the future.
“When CREW Network was established, there were fewer women in commercial real estate professions and we remain a minority in almost all specialties,” said Ayers. “Through our extensive career outreach initiative, we hope to see that change in the next 20 years.”
CREW gives its members a chance to network and build their business.
“Business networking in an environment that is friendly, expansive and responsive,” said Ayers. “Our success is based upon the fact that we foster leadership development, believe in our members’ success and stand by them as they grow their careers.
“Our organization’s continued growth is indicative of the value women and men in the industry place on CREW Network.
What do they look for in members?
“The quality of membership is vetted carefully by local chapters and we look for women and men who are top notch, reliable, team players with very high professional standards and share a commitment to seeing other women succeed,” said Ayers. “The end result is that our members trust one another to deliver quality results and make their deals happen. Not everyone is a potential ‘CREW’ leader or member and I have heard many senior women say they will only give work to a CREW Network member because of the ‘trust’ factor.”
There are other commercial real estate group including International Council of Shopping Centers, Building Owners and Managers Association, Society of Industrial and Office Realtors, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties and Certified Commercial Investment Member that have primarily male members.
So, why was it important for CREW to have its own group instead of just joining one that already existed?
“CREW Network serves a very different purpose,” said Ayers. “ICSC, BOMA, NAIOP, SIOR and CCIM are all effective organizations and have been sponsors of our diversity initiatives. We value these organizations’ respect for our work and our outstanding growth is our best testimony for why CREW Network. (8-9 percent member growth each year for the past three years)
“In addition to business networking, CREW Network is the only organization devoted specifically to advancing the success of women in commercial real estate. We conduct a very aggressive industry research initiative to help us as well, as the industry as a whole, gain a better understanding of the success and satisfaction issues impacting the careers of women in the industry.
“We use this research to deliver education and professional development specifically targeted to the unique needs of women. Our members know that their career success is at the forefront of everything CREW Network offers.”
How does it empower women to belong to this group?
“While CREW Network is primarily made up of women, it is important to note that we do have male members, which is very important to us,” said Ayers. “Our research indicates that men and women form very powerful work teams when the work together as they each bring important skills and perspectives to the deal table.
“CREW Network is a very active business network and our members find they can get information from many markets to craft the best response for their clients. California brokers may have dealt with the same problem that Florida brokers are just encountering and it is helpful to learn from each other’s successes.
“Also, the work of leading a chapter and serving as a delegate builds significant leadership and speaking skills that bring respect and connections to our members.”
Working smart, staying sharp and finding the competitive edge does not belong to one gender or another.
“Our members are professionals and evaluate a partner based on the skill they bring to the deal — not their gender,” said Ayers. “CREW Network members know they need strong business connections with men and women, and they keep their balance and focus centered squarely on developing contacts, skills and talents to advance their career.
In spite of a challenging economy, CREW Network continued to experience steady growth and welcomed CREW Southwest Florida as its 66th chapter earlier this year, bringing its membership total to more than 8,000.