PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - December 2009

Greetings,

The Holidays may be filled with hustle and bustle but I particularly enjoy this season as a way to celebrate so many gifts. Family certainly comes to mind, but I also count my friends at CREW-St. Louis as part of my extended family. Thank you for all you do as members of this great organization and for your support, encouragement and friendship.

Two years ago, I had the honor and privilege of starting my leadership of this group. It seems as if it was just yesterday, though. I owe a deep debt of gratitude to all of you for making this seem so short and so sweet in so many ways. My role was easy because of the heavy lifting done by so many others. I have been witness to the amazing power of dedication, hard work, spirit, camaraderie and a lot of laughs. In short, I’ve had two tremendous years made possible by your inspiring generosity of time, talent and treasure. Thank you so much.

I also want to say that the best is yet to come. Nancy Rodney has not only the good fortune of leading us in 2010 but also the fire to keep our torch burning brightly. I welcome and look forward to her leadership. And I assure you that Nancy will receive my support and commitment as we Build Together In 2010.

Let’s start the New Year off with a bang by making plans to attend our program on Jan. 12. You’ll have an opportunity to see Delmar Gardens’ newest retirement community -  Delmar Gardens of O’Fallon (info/register).

Also, mark your calendars for pizza, pasta and salads on January 27!  Il Vincino in Clayton is donating 15% of each order to benefit Safe Connections.  As you all know, there's nothing better than leftover pizza so order enough to get you through the week.  (Reminds me of my college days….)

We also are just two months away from our Fifth Annual Networking Awards Luncheon. This is your chance to honor members for living CREW’s mission to advance the success of women in commercial real estate. Please send your nominations to Lisa Prinster at lprinster@gateway-commercial.com. You can also call Lisa with any questions at 314-584-6292.

You can further support our mission by taking advantage of our new Sponsorship opportunities. The Sponsorship Committee has done an outstanding job in providing affordable ways to sponsor specific activities and programs and earn valuable exposure to our members and the industry. The details and Sponsorship Commitment Form are on our Web site. You may also contact Lynn Goessling, our Sponsorship Chair, for more information. She can be reached at (314) 231-6700 or at ltg@herzogcrebs.com.

If you know of anyone wanting to pursue a career in commercial real estate, there’s a great opportunity from CREW Network. Applications are now being accepted for up to ten $10,000 scholarships annually to juniors or seniors enrolled in undergraduate, accredited real estate programs. Deadline for applications is Friday, April 30, 2010. Complete details can be found at www.crewcareerzone.org.

Thanks for your gift of friendship. Warm wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season and Prosperous New Year.

Best regards,
Amy Garrison
CREW-St. Louis Chapter President