Remembering the Visionary Behind the YPG Program
Wayne Strom, PhD, the founder and visionary behind the Young Professionals Group Program (YPG) 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.
Dr. Strom had a profound and unforgettable impact on the YPG students and program leadership that he worked with directly. The program that he designed has changed the lives of hundreds of commercial real estate professionals here in the San Francisco Bay Area, and will continue to do so for years to come in the exceptional hands of his mentee and colleague Dr. Julie Chesley.
"Wayne taught us that “it is not necessary to react”. He introduced me to the art of mindfulness and encouraged our YPG class to slow down in order to achieve better outcomes. I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him." - Ann Montilla, JLL, Class of 2014
"He was such a great guy and the heart of the (YPG) program." - Mike Sample, JLL, Class of 2014
To honor his legacy, the NAIOP San Francisco chapter is naming our annual YPG cup "The Wayne Strom Cup". This trophy is presented each year during the final class to the winning team for their work on a final group project that employs teams to assess a specifically assigned commercial real estate development opportunity and formulate a “highest and best use” strategic plan and recommendations. As part of this process, the teams are able to continue to build and solidify many of the personal development skills and methodologies that Strom's curriculum helped them to develop during the YPG program.
Kevin Saavedra, Seventh Wave Investment Partners, said "I got to know Wayne very well during the time that we worked together to organize and launch our program. He helped me personally and this tribute to him means a lot to me."
Read Wayne Strom's obituary here>>
