CREW Network President Smith Proclaims 2009 Year of the Member
Denise Kahler
CREW Network Marketing and Communications Director

During the recent Winter Meeting held in San Diego on January 30, 2009 CREW Network President Jane Snoddy Smith asked CREW Network Delegates to take back one message to their chapters: “There is never a cold call in CREW Network. “ And with that simple message, Smith proclaimed 2009 the Year of the Member.

With members facing one of the most difficult years in decades, CREW Network is working harder than ever to provide chapters and members with the tools, programs and services they need to be successful.  President Smith’s goal is for every CREW Network member to be able to point to ways in which CREW Network, through its programs, services and training, was able to make a difference in their individual careers and lives.

Delegates were reminded about the many programs currently offered through CREW Network including Chapter Visits that are available to chapters free of charge every third year.  These visits provide the opportunity for chapter boards and members to interface with a CREW Network Board member to discuss and showcase the national/local connection.  Also in support of its chapter success, CREW Network hosts monthly Board Hosted Best Practices Calls that address leadership development, membership, programs, sponsorship and more.  Many chapter related tools are also available in the Chapter Resources section of the CREW Network Web site.

CREW Network supports its members’ success through services such as the CREW Network Career Center, which provides members with access to positions with more than 4,700 of the industry’s premier real estate employers.  Additionally, the Career Center allows members to manage job searches, post resumes and more.  

New this year, CREW Network will launch its 20th Anniversary Professional Lecture Series. These monthly presentations, delivered as either teleconferences or webinars, will focus on leadership strategies and timely industry issues that provide key insights to help members stay competitive.  More information about this series will be sent to all members soon.

Also new for 2009, CREW Network will roll out its eMentoring program; an email-based program designed to provide mentoring support to college age students and women considering a career change to commercial real estate.

Delegates were also reminded about CREW Network’s aggressive industry research initiative.  To date, CREW Network has published its first benchmarking study in 2005 of the status and achievement of women in the industry and is gearing up for its second study to be published in 2010; a follow-up report titled “Minding the Gap,” that provides strategies for women to close the gap on the advancement and compensation disparities that exist within the industry; a 2008 white paper providing an introduction to compensation in commercial real estate; and a preview of CREW Network’s most recent white paper (to be published in April 2009) titled “Repositioning Your Career to Succeed in an Era of Change.”  CREW Network is committed to funding research that supports the careers of women in commercial real estate and serves as a catalyst for positive change in the industry.

CREW Network continues its expansion into new markets as delegates approved the applications of two new chapters.  CREW Alaska and Piedmont Triad CREW (serving Greensboro, North Carolina) are the newest additions to the Network family, bringing CREW Network’s North American-wide chapter representation to 68 markets.  All members are encouraged to reach out to these new chapters to identify new business opportunities.

Directly following the council meeting, delegates were introduced to CREW Network’s newest networking tool called CREWnet.  Delegates were broken out into work groups and asked to post a professional or chapter-related “request” on their CREWnet board.  Each member of the work group was then asked to think about some way to assist that individual with her request such as providing the name of an individual who could help with the issue or project or pointing the individual towards a certain resource available that addresses the issue.  Members then posted their ideas for assistance under the related request on the CREWnet board.  At the end of the exercise the member who posted the request walked away with a series of ideas for assistance. 

The exercise was very well received and delegates were encouraged to take this networking tool back to their chapters and implement it.  Instructions for implementing CREWnet will be posted on the CREW Network Web site in the Chapter Resources area located in the Members Only portion of the site.

Delegates finished out the day by participating in afternoon leadership and professional development sessions.  The first session featured round table discussions regarding public relations and marketing for chapters.  Six CREW Network presenters facilitated discussions about marketing chapters in challenging economic times, forming an effective marketing/public relations committee, using your Web site to market your chapter and members, how to write a superior news release, marketing on a shoestring and how to establish media partnerships.  Handouts from this session are posted in the Chapter Resources section of the CREW Network Web site.

The second afternoon session focused on “Meeting Leadership Challenges in Uncertain Economic Times.”  2009 CREW Network Board members provided brief presentations on:

Following the brief presentations, participants broke out into smaller work groups to discuss best practices for each of these areas.  A compilation of Best Practices collected from this section are posted on the CREW Network Web site in the Chapter Resources Section.

While 2009 will no doubt be one of the toughest economic years many of us has every experienced, know that CREW Network is putting all of its energy towards one priority: your success. 2009 is the Year of the Member.  Stay strong. Stay committed.  CREW Network is here for you.