I’m sure it’s no surprise that my year as SIOR Florida Chapter has not gone as I had envisioned.
First, I hope and pray that none of you have lost loved ones or friends to the COVID 19 Virus and that you and your families are staying safe and well.
Next, from an empty Gaylord Palms Hotel in March with a lighter Spring Conference crowd to the Palm Springs, CA World Conference being canceled to no Fall Florida Chapter Conference in Tampa this past August to the Fall World Conference starting online next week, definitely not how I hoped to represent the Florida Chapter!
Late this past summer, SIOR Headquarters announced that the current global leadership team led by Mark Duclos, SIOR, CRE, FRICS and President of Sentry Commercial, will remain in place for 2021 so that they may have the opportunity to truly lead our organization during hopefully more normal times.
Shortly thereafter, several of our Florida Chapter Board members asked if I would consider staying as our President for the 2021 term to which I said that I would be honored.
After making sure that Ted Konigsberg and Melanie Jackson were OK delaying their tenure for a year, the Florida Chapter Board voted to keep our leadership team in place for one more year.
I am very honored to serve as your President and truly hope that 2021 will be a “normal” year for our families, businesses and world.
I would also like to thank our members and sponsors for working hard through the pandemic and enduring endless Zoom calls to keep Florida CRE moving!
When Mark Duclos was recently asked why he agreed to continue serving, here is what he said:
“People ask me why so many of us commit so much time and energy into an industry organization like SIOR Global. For me it’s simple, I am giving back to an organization of extraordinary people I owe so much to. Being an SIOR connects me to the very best people and the very best knowledge our industry has to offer. Being an SIOR tells others who I am and that I am good at what I do and I do it the right way. It connects me to markets and it connects me to opportunities. Through this it has helped me and my colleagues establish some of the very best relationships, both professional and personal.”
I could not agree more and the opportunity to serve the SIOR Florida Chapter as your President for 2021 is absolutely a BLESSING!
Onward upward higher and higher!
