14th Annual NYS Commercial Real Estate Conference - A Home Run!

By John Lavelle Many thanks to conference chairman Brian DiNardo and the planning committee for another great event! 170 attendees participated in the 14th Annual NYS Commercial Real Estate Conference, sponsored by the New York State Commercial Association of Realtors, NYS CCIM and the Society of Exchange Counselors, held June 8-10 at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona. There were attendees from New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Ohio, Colorado, Kentucky, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, Nevada and Ontario, Canada. Whether participants attended the marketing investment session or commercial education classes, or both, there was something for everyone. Jim Wilson, SEC (Florida) and Chuck Sutherland, SEC (Texas) did an outstanding job moderating the quick-moving session. Jim Walker, CCIM and Nick DeMarte assisted with the moderating and organizing of the session. As always, the organization is grateful to education chairman Bob Giniecki, CCIM for planning the Investment Marketing Session and commercial education programs along with the Annual Conference Planning Committee. Round table moderators: Tim Halligan, Nick DeMarte, Ed Gallacher, CCIM and Joe Larkin, CCIM, SIOR did a great job chairing current topics during breakfast on marketing day. Many thanks to Nick DeMarte for organizing the keynote session this year! We had a terrific panel with Wade Beltramo - general counsel to the New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials (NYCOM), William Bingham - Small Business Development Center, Kathleen Bronson - executive director of Albany County Land Bank, Honora Spillane - Economic Development Specialist with the Onondaga County Office of Economic Development, moderated by Anthhony Capece, Central Ave. BID. This was a great interactive session to discuss community services. Attendees also had updates from Bryan Atherton, 1st Regional VP for Region 11 (CCIM), Jean Maday and Stephanie Spear, National Association of Realtors commercial division and Michael Kelly, director of government affairs. For our education day, Maine Shafter, JD presented a tax program showing participants ways to save money! Tim Conley's Due Diligence course was a great hit with the audience as well as Joe Larkin's leasing and negotiations programs. A course was presented the day before the marketing session by Jim Wilson, SEC to prepare attendees to participate in the session. This was a great class and we thank Jim for doing such a outstanding job. All of the instructors received terrific evaluations from the participants. Each year we have a great group of sponsors and we appreciate them stepping up to the plate to support the commercial real estate industry. We applaud this year's sponsors: Diamond Sponsor: Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Co.; Platinum Sponsor: Exchange Authority; Gold Sponsors: Buckingham Properties, New York Real Estate Journal; Silver Sponsors: Beardsley Architects & Engineers, CIREB, CoStar Group, DiNardo Realty Corp., Dutchess Co. Economic Development & Hudson Valley Economic Development, Empower Federal Credit Union, Jason Roberts Insurance, Key Bank, LaBella Associates, LLD Enterprises, Monroe Capital, Inc., NYSAR, Orange County Partnership, Power Mngt., RJ Smith Realty, The Chazen Companies, Wells Fargo, the WNY Chapter of NYSCAR and Fortna Auctioneers & Marketing. We hope you enjoyed the conference and look forward to seeing you next June (dates, tba)! John Lavelle is the president of NYSCAR and is an associate broker, commercial at RJ Smith Realty, Pine Bush, N.Y.