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A letter from IREM President Barry Blanton, CPM

A look inside this issue of JPM

By Barry Blanton, CPM
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Barry Blanton, CPM

Hello, and welcome to JPM! As winter begins to give way to spring, the season of rejuvenation, we’ll be looking at our own source of growth in this issue: knowledge sharing.

By taking on and overcoming the challenges that we face every day as real estate managers, we’re able to reach new levels of excellence in our careers. But we’re never alone in our journeys. We all have folks around us who have been exactly where we find ourselves and who can offer a roadmap (and a hand) for getting us where we want to go. In one feature, industry expert Shannon Alter, CPM, outlines some best practices for finding a career mentor (or mentee) and how to make sure your organization isn’t missing out on the benefits of weaving mentorship into company culture.

Throughout the pandemic, IREM members have demonstrated time and again that we’re prepared and able to adapt to new property technology to meet safety requirements and keep property operations on track.

The Institute is well positioned to navigate such unprecedented periods of change, thanks in part to our Technology Advisory Board, which helps guide IREM’s strategy for addressing technology issues that impact property and asset management. In the Committee Central column, you’ll see some of the results of the 2022 Proptech Insights survey, a board project, and read about their plans for the rest of 2022.

Knowledge sharing doesn’t stop at studying the best practices of our fellow real estate managers. We’re a critical part of a community of real estate professionals involved in different phases of the building life cycle. For example, property managers can add significant value to the market by offering our input early in the building design process. We bring a unique and informed perspective on the day-to-day operations of a building. In this edition of our Global Practices column, Wendy Sun, AIA, LEED AP, ASC, NCARB, of TSK Architects explores the question of how and when a real estate manager should become involved in the architectural design phase of a new construction project.

April is Fair Housing Month in the U.S., a time when we commemorate the signing of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The legislation was a milestone in the struggle to end housing discrimination and expand equal access to housing for everyone everywhere. Read more as we look at one of the best examples of these principles of equity put into practice: mixed-income communities. Read along as Waddell Wright, CPM, CCIM, walks us through the unique challenges and opportunities for real estate managers working with mixed-income housing.

Our industry is more aware than ever of the impact of climate change on the properties we manage, and ESG practices are in high demand. Sustainability services analyst Fiona Zhang shares her experiences working with companies to successfully integrate environmental, social, and governance initiatives into their day-to-day operations. A quick preview that I think you’ll appreciate: Sustainability measures at your property don’t need to be overly complicated to be effective.

Whether it’s lending your hard-earned life lessons to a young protégé or leveraging your expertise to add value to a client’s operations, knowledge sharing is what allows us to grow as real estate professionals. It’s one of the five core values of IREM. It’s a best practice in and of itself—one that will always be available to us along every step of our career journeys.

Journal of Property Management

Barry Blanton, CPM, is the 2022 IREM president as well as a founding principal of Blanton Turner, AMO, in Seattle, Washington.

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