President's message: Time flies when you are having fun

By Patricia Collins It must be a case of "time sure flies when you are having fun" because this summer sure has flown by. Now it is back to business. The WNY chapter actually stayed fairly active through the summer months with several well attended events. In June we had Craig Zinserling speak on Mold Remediation and Asbestos Abatement. On July 9 we had a tour of Uniland Development's newest suburban properties at Sheridan Meadows and Airborne Business parks. Our hosts provided a wonderful lunch for all our attendees following the tour. Our annual summer social was held on the second floor patio at the Pearl St. Grill and Brewery in August. The weather was absolutely spectacular on this day to enjoy some sunshine, networking and a few cold drinks. Our fall calendar kicks into full gear on September 24 with another tour at the growing Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Another well attended event with lots of new faces. Our monthly meetings for October and November will have representatives from the Alleghany IDA and city of Niagara Falls Business Development offices respectively. Another tour sponsored by the Uniland Development Co. is also scheduled for October. We will be seeing the new AVANT building in downtown Buffalo first hand, including the Embassy Suites hotel, class A office and penthouse condominiums. We are told the view from the upper floors will be breathtaking. Let's hope for a nice clear day! Finally, in December we will have Erie County Legislator Edward Rath speak on issues relevant to all our members, realtors and non-realtors alike. Our committees have also stayed busy over the summer implementing a new software system for our financial reporting, starting to establish a Policy & Procedures Manual, choosing and scheduling a Continuing Ed class for 2010, beginning work on a strategic marketing plan, making website updates, and working to continually grow our Buffalo Niagara Commercial Listing System (BNCLS) by adding two area developers' properties to the system. WNYSCAR will debut our new table top display in a booth at the Greater Buffalo BOMA trade show on October 5. We hope this event will spur some new interest in membership for both our chapter as well as the BNCLS. Several members will be volunteering their time taking a shift during the day to promote the benefits of our organization. Thank you to all my board and committee members for continually making the WNY chapter of NYSCAR the successful organization it is today. Happy fall! Patricia Collins is the 2009 chapter president of WNY NYSCAR and is broker/owner of Coldwell Banker Commercial Meridian, Buffalo, N.Y.