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This Thursday would have been our big CREATE Gala, but our large gathering is not possible during current Shelter-In-Place restrictions.  However, the show must go on and our work purposefully continues, despite COVID. And COVID-19 is not all that we are tending to.  We have not paused on other critical work, and we will not rest. CREATE continues to make good progress tackling our talent drought! For six years, we've relied on the Gala to highlight the achievements of our workforce development initiative, showcase our student graduates, honor an Industry Partner for their support (this year, Tishman-Speyer), and importantly, to raise funds for the Commercial Real Estate Alliance for Tomorrow's Employees (CREATE).

Wayne Strom, PhD, the founder and visionary behind the Young Professionals Group Program (YPG) has recently passed away at the age of 85. Strom was instrumental in bringing the YPG program to the Bay Area from southern California, and he personally led the program here from 2013-2016. 

NAIOP SFBA’s third weekly ZOOM-IN webinar: The Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Commercial Real Estate Debt Markets took place on Thursday 4/23 with a virtual crowd of over 100 participating. Jordan Angel, Managing Director, JLL moderated a top notch panel with representatives of three different types of lenders all active in the market and managing large books of business. Panelists included Jake Lehmkuhl, Executive Vice President, California Bank & Trust, John Lippmann, Head of Structuring, New York Life Real Estate Investors and Chris Tokarski, Founder and Managing Director, ACORE Capital.

NAIOP SFBA hosted its second weekly ZOOM-IN webinar on Thursday April 16th, Market Update: San Francisco Office Leasing.  The event drew a virtual crowd of close to 120 and featured a panel discussion moderated by Kathryn Collins, Partner, Harvest Properties.  Panelists included Mark Anderson, Vice Chairman, Cushman & Wakefield, Conor Famulener, Executive Vice President, CBRE and Chris Roeder, Managing Director, Brokerage, JLL.

NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (SFBA) kicked off its weekly members-only Zoom-In series on Thursday April 9th with over 100 registrants. The inaugural session, Leases and Loans: Feeling the Effects of the COVID-19 Crisis was moderated by Chapter President David Karol, Principal, Ridge Capital Investors, and featured Phillip Wang, Partner, Rimon Law and NAIOP SFBA Board Member.

NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (NAIOP SFBA), the premier commercial real estate development association announced that Lauren Young, Partner with PCCP, LLC won a National NAIOP Chapter Merit Award (CMA) for Outstanding Leadership by a Chapter President.

James Nearon is a real estate professional who loves seeing communities benefit from thoughtful and creative development. Just last fall, after 15 years at PCCP, he joined New York Life Real Estate Investors. In his new role as Director, Nearon heads up originations in the Western Region for the company’s structured lending platform which includes bridge, construction and high yield debt. His group focuses on office, industrial, retail and multi-family for transitional and value-add real estate. His primary markets include California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. “I love what I do,” said Nearon. “I have the privilege of working with some of the smartest and most creative people as they find ways to improve real estate and the environments where people live, work and play.”

The NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area Chapter hosted its 8th Annual Best of the Bay Awards on Wednesday, February 19, 2020. Over 300 members and guests gathered at The Four Season Hotel in San Francisco for the lively gala event. Back for another command performance as master of ceremonies was Luis Belmonte, along with his infamous NAIOP gong. Unique among real estate awards competitions, the Best of the Bay features live “pitches” by nominees and interactive voting with attendees selecting winners in real time. Like the 1970’s TV Gong Show, Belmonte gongs those whose pitches fail to entertain.

NAIOP SF Bay Area is excited to announce that 18 individuals are now participating in the inaugural class of the NAIOP Executive Development (NED) program. The program began in January with a 3-day intensive retreat in Sonoma, where they met fellow participants, instructors, and advisors and began an introspective look at themselves. The class will continue meeting each month through June 2020.

Justin Shapiro is a real estate investor and developer with a passion for aviation and a penchant for politics. He is Principal of Long Market Property Partners, LLC. a San Francisco-based real estate investment firm that focuses on value-add and core-plus office and retail projects in the San Francisco and East Bay markets.