ISELIN, N.J., May 19, 2010 – Commercial real estate is an industry in transition, a changing face clearly mirrored by IOREBA as an organization – younger in both the age and experience of its professionals, and broader in their backgrounds. And there's a new dynamic because the world has changed; it is more global, more technology-driven. In the past we've talked about professionals as veterans, intermediates and beginners in terms of their respective levels of real estate industry experience. But when it comes to technology, the reality is that the industry "beginner" is the veteran, the "intermediate" is still the intermediate, and the "veteran" is the beginner.

Consequently, networking is changing and evolving in terms of what everyone can bring to the table. The juniors are better-versed in technology communication through e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, or text messaging, but not as much through face time, while the reverse is true of the veterans. With the two philosophies at play, the industry's "intermediates" are taking a major role in blending the two. They are the ones helping both the veterans become acclimated to technology and the juniors to the importance of old-fashioned face time, because they can explain both sides of it. It is a fascinating dynamic that we are seeing.

In any case, bringing new blood into commercial real estate or any industry is a matter of fueling the fire. It is vitally important to bring in people who are going to lift your business, help grow it, and ultimately replace you. It is important to have someone who is going to have the desire, the drive, to want to learn and grow.

At the same time, you, the veteran, will learn and grow from the newcomers because as you teach them, you will better understand the intricacies of the business yourself. Perhaps there are some things you've forgotten about – opportunities and ideas rekindled through your own teaching. In turn, the newcomers challenge you because as a different generation they may have a very different perspective. Indeed, teaching always works both ways.

In general, the people we see coming into the industry now understand the process of dealing with and servicing clients. It's all about service, and that is where sharing comes into play because the way a banker does business on the servicing side is similar to what a property manager does, or a developer, or an architect. You still have to service your client, and speed and accuracy of communication is so important. And it's got to be a combination of electronic, paper and face time – beginner, intermediate and veteran.

In this economy, this is an industry in transition in another sense for those who already have experience. The given, here, is that every downturn has seen people who have waffled from what they thought was their career intent and either found it difficult to get there, or decided to try something else. The reality is that if someone has the opportunity to make a change, sometimes it's smart to make that change.

For example, we have heard of brokers who have moved away from the consulting side to the account management side, representing the user and vice versa. Some developers, on the other hand, have restructured, consolidated, or joined forces. Attorneys have gone to development. Lawyers and accountants as well have made changes from their initial career track. But that can be a good thing. Everyone needs to be challenged, and challenging times are, for many, that opportunity. Many people are asking themselves that question: "Is this something I want to do, or would something else be more stimulating?"

In terms of IOREBA, our membership certainly reflects those changes we have discussed here, and that is where the networking, the interaction between generations relating industry vs. technology expertise, comes into play. IOREBA is an organization that was set up specifically for networking. That is our mantra. The idea of sharing knowledge of what the issues are in within the field is what drives the organization.

From attorneys talking about how brokers can protect themselves, to urban builders talking about the intricacies of the urban marketplace, to developers talking about attracting and protecting tenants and obtaining financing, it is all about sharing knowledge and information. In this or any economic cycle, interaction for the purpose of sharing information is so crucial. Many in this industry compete against one another, of course, but the bottom line is that it's all about the success of this industry as a whole.

We continue to bring new blood – new thoughts, new ideas and experiences – into our ranks. IOREBA has a campaign in which all of our board, executive committee and senior council members actively recruit new members. We are constantly creating more opportunities to exchange information and continue to have events at different locations to spread the word and familiarize people with the individual markets throughout the metropolitan area. It is extremely important to be pertinent to what is going on in the marketplace. We want people to walk away from an event with that one piece of information, one tool that they can apply to something they are working on and benefit from it.

In the end, there is a positive attitude that comes of this sharing. No man is an island. If you are working together as a team, there is camaraderie, an energy that is developed. If you don't share, you won't have that stimulation. It creates a positive air, in good times and bad. Ultimately, growth as professionals, as business concerns and as an industry at large, it is the product of creating that positive air.

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