As I write this article, we are making the final preparations for the 7th Annual NYS Commercial Real Estate Conference to be held June 16-18 at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, hosted by the NYS Commercial Association of Realtors, Inc. (NYSCAR), the northern New Jersey/NYS chapter of CCIM, the NYS upstate and downstate chapters of SIOR and the Society of Exchange Counselors (SEC).
Conference chairman Joseph Rowley, Jr., (CB Richard Ellis-Rochester) and his planning committee have organized another outstanding event this year! The conference will bring together commercial practitioners from NYS as well as other states including Ohio, South Carolina, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, and Kansas. This year we also have a representative from Canada.
We are deeply appreciative of our sponsors who are supporting the conference and commercial real estate industry.  Our thanks go out to:
* Platinum sponsor: Pyramid Brokerage Co.
* Gold sponsors: CB Richard Ellis-upstate offices and OREXCO 1031
* Silver sponsors: GE Real Estate, Key Bank, LaBella Associates, PC, Maser Consulting, PA, SYNAPSE Partners, LLC, Wilber National Bank, New York Real Estate Journal, northern New Jersey/NYS chapter of CCIM, NYS upstate and downstate chapters of SIOR.
We are fortunate to have an outstanding cadre of instructors for the conference who I would like to thank on behalf of the hosting organizations: Jim Wilson, CCIM, SEC, and Bill Stonaker, CCIM, SEC who will be serving as moderators for the commercial marketing session which is always a great networking event.  Instructors for June 18 include: Tim Conley, CCIM; Patrick Reilly, RCE; Robert Giniecki, CCIM, SEC; Jim Wilson, CCIM, SEC; Joseph Larkin, CCIM, SIOR; William Burgess, CCIM, SIOR; James Runko; and Jacqueline Conti, MAI.  Special thanks goes to Herbert Krumsick, SIOR, senior vice president, J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc., (Wichita, Kansas) as the keynote speaker for the networking lunch on June 18, as well as Michael Kelly, director of governmental affairs of NYSCAR; Charles McClure, CCIM, first vice president of CCIM; and Steve Eustis, SEC, CCIM, president of the Society of Exchange Counselors.
We hope you don't miss this premier conference which will offer a half day marketing session, a golf event, six three-hour commercial courses (most of which will carry continuing education credit) a networking lunch and a leasing roundtable event which is new this year. Several of the sponsoring organizations will also hold an organizational meeting during the conference.
Chartered in 1995, as a commercial overlay board by the National Association of Realtors, the NYSCAR is a specialty local board of Realtors with statewide jurisdiction. NYSCAR was formed by commercial practitioners who had a vision of a board of Realtors dedicated specifically to commercial issues. In succeeding years, NYSCAR has implemented that vision by creating opportunities for members to enhance their professional education, to network with colleagues across the state, and to market commercial property in statewide forums with events such as the Annual Conference held at Turning Stone Resort and Casino.
NYSCAR membership has grown to 702 at the beginning of this year, including almost 400 primary and secondary board members, approximately 40 affiliate, or non-Realtors members, and 289 institute affiliate members who hold the prestigious CCIM, SIOR, and CPM designations. There are six active NYSCAR chapters throughout the state, including Greater Capital, Hudson Valley, Metro L.I., Rochester Area, Western New York and Southern Tier. The association is governed by a board of governors with representation from constituent groups across the state.
Annually, NYSCAR is the sole or joint sponsor of other educational programs, such as Chet Allen's real estate syndication course, Jim Brondino's "Counseling for Action" course and regional events like Yankee Stadium Day, and the Groundhog Day economic forecasting breakfast organized by the Metro L.I. chapter, and SIOR and CCIM chapters.
In 2007, NYSCAR placed an emphasis on providing its members with the best technological tools. This was evident in the course offerings at Turning Stone. The board of directors also directed its technology committee to reformulate the organization's web site to better serve its members in a business that is becoming increasingly Internet based. The totally revamped NYSCAR web site is in production and will feature member searches on several key parameters, event and membership information, on line registration and payment for events and membership, broadcast emails, NYSCAR developed forms, including a commercial property listing agreement, and links to member web sites for listing information. A link to a national listing service is a likely future enhancement.
NYSCAR's future goals are under review by the board's strategic planning committee. These are likely to include a focus on enhancing upstate/downstate relations and more effective use of RPAC funds and other means to promote the organization's legislative priorities.

Maureen Wilson, CCIM, SIOR, is the 2008 president of NYSCAR, Albany, N.Y. Tags: