Set up for success

IREM has a rich legacy of volunteer engagement—we have passionate members who believe in the organization and what we do, and they’re dedicated to continuing to build upon our foundation. We also live in a world that is ever-changing—the real estate management profession, technology, and the business environment, in general, are all continually evolving.

To ensure that IREM’s structure and protocols remain relevant today and into the future, the 2021 Volunteer Leadership Task Force (VLTF) spent the whole of 2021 understanding and evaluating leading practices in the association world. The VLTF was formed for the purpose of continuing the work already begun by two 2020 Presidential Task Forces. In October 2020, the Governing Council approved adjusting new volunteer terms to be calendar-year rather than annual-meeting-to-annual-meeting terms. It also modified the role and composition of Governing Council (effective 2022). In addition, the 2020 Governing Council changed the name of Executive Committee to Board of Directors and refined the roles, composition, terms, required qualifications, and selection process (effective 2022). And lastly, it implemented the required qualifications for IREM Officer positions (effective 2022).

The 2021 VLTF followed the same guiding principles set forth by the 2020 task forces and set out to design a new and improved governing structure for 2023 that:

• Supports IREM’s strategic direction
• Provides organizational alignment enterprise-wide, leading to future growth
• Drives efficient and effective decision-making
• Is transparent and flexible to allow for institutional adaptability as may be needed to meet current demands and an ever-changing environment
• Optimizes volunteer resources—time, knowledge, passions—allowing members to engage as they desire
• Provides clearly defined roles and responsibilities
• Builds on successes and implements lessons learned from what didn’t work as intended

On Oct. 14, 2021, Governing Council approved* the recommendations, resulting in a new and improved governance structure beginning Jan. 1, 2023. Here’s a summary of what’s changed:

• 22 total governance bodies (“bodies”) in 2023, down from 23 previously
• 8 bodies have new names to more accurately reflect their purpose and align with the definitions of governance bodies; no substantial changes in their purposes
• 2 bodies continue as they did previously
• 7 bodies have more substantial refinements in purpose
• 5 new bodies align with leading practices and support the work that needs to be done within IREM’s culture
• 5 bodies sunset, as their responsibilities shifted to other committees, advisory councils, or ad hoc groups

* The 2021 Governing Council did not approve revisions to the Nominating Committee. However, the 2022 Governing Council approved revisions to the Nominating Committee’s purpose and composition, effective Jan. 1, 2023.

The main changes you’ll see within the new 2023 governance structure include:

1. Codified definitions of IREM governance bodies for clarity and consistency

• Standing Committees. Listed in Bylaws, and focus on IREM business; authority to make recommendations for action and report to Board of Directors and Governing Council as appropriate
• Advisory Councils. Replacing what were previously called “Advisory Boards;” defined in Statement of Policies as groups that focus on the industry/profession and serving members; authority to make recommendations for action and report to Board of Directors and Governing Council as appropriate
• Ad Hoc Groups. Formed when needed for a specific purpose; various types of groups were defined, including task forces, work groups, SMEs, and influencers
• Panels. For IREM ethics enforcement only; replacing what were previously “Ethics Boards;” the three groups—Ethics Inquiry Panel, Ethics Hearing and Discipline Panel, and Ethics Appeal Panel—have the same roles as they had previously

2. Modified IREM governance group names and purposes for clarity and relevancy; modified groups’ compositions, terms, and desired qualifications for consistency and continuity. In addition, DEI was added to each group’s purpose to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are always kept at the forefront.

3. Modified voting rights for members who serve

• Allow Associate members, Student members, and Academic members to vote (currently, they can serve but not vote)
• Continue allowing non-IREM members to serve as defined in compositions without voting rights
• Continue allowing IAEs who are not also IREM members to serve without a vote. (Note that IAEs would not qualify for some governance bodies based on the composition and/or desired skills/qualifications)

4. An attendance policy that provides for continuity, helps ensure quorums so that official business can be conducted, and allows members to demonstrate accountability for serving in a volunteer capacity. The proposed new Leadership Development Advisory Council will be charged with developing and implementing assessment and evaluation tools.

Applications were open from May 15–July 15, 2022, for those interested in serving as a volunteer on one of the new 2023 groups with terms beginning January 1, 2023. Appointment invitations were sent to those selected to serve in November 2022. For the governance bodies that have staggered, two-year terms, appointments in this first year were adjusted so that half of the members serve one-year terms and the other half serve two-year terms, thus allowing us to stagger terms on a regular cycle beginning in 2024. Applications to serve on a 2024 standing committee, advisory council, or ethics panel will open in Spring 2023.

A holistic, comprehensive review of the new 2023 governance structure will take place annually, beginning with the new 2023 Governance Committee. This group will monitor any inconsistencies, gaps, or processes/procedures currently in place but not necessarily working as well as they could be to keep IREM in alignment with our mission, vision, and core values.