N.Y.C. area professionals meet to form new New York Metro CCIM chapter

More than 75 commercial real estate professionals from the tri-state area took the first step in formation of a New York metro chapter of CCIM Institute March 19 at a formal organizational meeting where they elected officers, secured signatures from charter members and selected a chapter name-the New York City Metro Chapter of the CCIM Institute. Creation of a New York City-based chapter, an objective established by CCIM leadership five years ago, will provide members in New York and surrounding markets with enhanced opportunities to do business through networking, education and cooperative programs with existing New York real estate and business organizations. The meeting was held at the Saloon at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Terminal. These area professionals were elected to the board of directors: * President: Paul Fetscher, CCIM, Great American Brokerage, Long Beach, N.Y.; * Vice President-Alfonso Holloman, CCIM, Massey Knakal Realty Services, Forest Hills, N.Y.; * Secretary-Robert Kafarski, CCIM, Kafarski Equities, New York, N.Y.; and * Treasurer-Jordan Spiegel, CCIM, Sunburst Advisors, New York, N.Y. CCIM Institute is the governing body of the largest commercial real estate brokerage network in the world. Headquartered in Chicago, CCIM Institute has more than 19,000 members in all 50 states, in Canada and in more than 30 nations overseas. Incorporation of the chapter is expected to take place by mid 2008, following approval of the CCIM institute executive committee. The institute maintains 60 chapters, including one serving New York state. Chapter boundaries will include the five boroughs and Long Island, as well as selected counties in New York and Northern New Jersey. Commercial real estate professionals interested in learning more about the CCIM chapter should contact Edward Bury, CCIM Institute director of public relations, at 312-321-4481 or [email protected]. The CCIM Institute confers the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation to commercial real estate professionals through an extensive curriculum of 200 classroom hours, in addition to professional experience requirements. Currently, there are more than 9,500 CCIMs in 1,000 markets worldwide. An additional 9,500 practitioners are pursuing the designation.