News from the Chicago Chapter

President’s Message: A Blueprint to Grow, Network and Learn in 2017

 
By Angela  Aeschliman, CPM®
IREM Chicago 2017 President

For 2017 IREM Chicago Chapter 23 seeks to provide unique opportunities for our members to grow, network and learn. Here are five key ways we plan to reach those goals:

• Offer the highest quality programs on interesting topics spread throughout the Chicagoland area.
• Host networking opportunities with Industry Partners and professionals interested in getting involved in the property management field.
• Develop relationships with property management firms large to small and partner with them to help provide the needed resources and training to their team members.
• Collaborate and offer our expertise to students through Universities and reach the newest generations learning real estate.
• And, to always be the source of support to all engaged in our industry. We will empower, educate, motivate and recruit more members as well as involve more members in chapter and industry leadership roles. 

In 2016 the Chapter focused on providing new and unique programs and outreach. Additionally, we worked on creating ongoing and new educational opportunities for property management companies and partnered with Roosevelt University, ComEd, USGBC, our Industry Partners and Industry leaders to offer programs to reach a broader audience. Some examples of these accomplishments were:

• Understanding Energy Data, a National IREM pilot program offered at Roosevelt University with the USGBC.
• The WELL Building certification program luncheon.
• Learning how rebates can impact your IRR and the return on cash from those programs, held in partnership with DIRTT and ComED;
• Networking supported by our Industry Partners at Top Golf and on the impact of medical marijuana, one year after it became law in Illinois.  

All of these events pulled cross functional industry professionals and attendees in some cases that had never been to an IREM event.

In terms of objectives for 2017, we want to continue to develop additional educational offerings in smaller settings. Topics under consideration include budgeting, understanding your management agreement, setting up a maintenance plan and others; additionally, we are working on rolling out a National IREM educational offering at Roosevelt and DePaul universities. This “Property Management 101” level course will teach the basics of property management from multiple managers view points -- Residential, Condo, Commercial, Small Owner and Institutional type Commercial management.

We will also continue to do outreach to property management firms to offer the support they need to train, educate and evolve their management teams. As a chapter, it is also our focus for 2017 to partner with other associations and work on group events and programs.

In terms of challenges facing the property management industry next year, we will keep up to date on the growth of home sharing services like Airbnb, medical marijuana, overbuilding in the multifamily and office sectors, the state of the economy and the ongoing budget crisis in Illinois and Chicago.

To encourage and nurture the next generation of property managers, the leadership team of IREM Chicago has identified several membership and educational goals. But one of the most important things we are implementing is working with the professors at the universities to come into their class rooms and share real life experiences and be available as a resource and guidance to those who are just learning the industry, whether those people will be managers, engineers or leasing professionals.