Designations of Achievement

The Member Experience: CCIM & SIOR

International commercial real estate institutions Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) and CCIM Institute provide an authoritative voice and leadership platform in the CRE field. SIOR has 3,400 members in 686 cities and 38 countries, and CCIM Institute has given out the distinguished Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation to 20,000 industry experts in 50 centers around the world since 1967. “The benefit to those in CRE who want to obtain the SIOR designation is being a part of the leading global CRE network in the world,” says John Soldo, Arizona chapter president, SIOR, and vice president, Commercial Properties, Inc. “The CCIM curriculum is an in-depth and comprehensive journey through the investment cycle of commercial real estate,” says Marina Hammersmith, president, Central AZ CCIM Chapter, and senior vice president, ORION Investment Real Estate.

Marina Hammersmith, President, Central AZ CCIM Chapter and John Soldo, President, Arizona SIOR

SIOR

Founded in 1941, SIOR credentialed professionals “are the most knowledgeable, experienced and successful CRE brokerage specialists,” says Soldo. The Arizona Chapter emerged in 1970 and currently boasts 61 renowned office and industrial experts. “The most rewarding part of being a member of SIOR is the organization’s integral involvement and high esteem in the CRE industry in Arizona,” says Mike Garlick, vice president, SIOR, and executive managing director at Newmark Knight Frank. “SIOR designees must qualify and be selected for membership, and that is a big differentiator.”

Background

Both men joined SIOR roughly a decade ago, while in the midst of the inchoate recovery from the Great Recession. “I became involved in the Arizona Chapter the very moment that I received my designation,” says Soldo. “The same day that I received my SIOR designation, I also was accepted to serve on the SIOR Arizona Board of Directors.” For Garlick, his tenure at SIOR has involved a sixyear stint serving on the Arizona Board. “Now as vice president, the most important part of my role is working to support John (Soldo) in ensuring that we are excelling as a leading organization in the CRE industry,” he says.

CCIM Leadership: Marina Hammersmith, Todd Hamilton

Requirements

Earning the SIOR certification requires a broker’s deep commitment to their craft. Professionals must demonstrate robust field activity as measured by both transaction volume and Gross Fee Income over the last 48 months, excel in a rigorous educational program, produce two endorsements from SIOR credentialed peers, and demonstrate an unwavering dedication to ethical conduct, as codified in SIOR’s Code of Ethical Principles. “The SIOR designation is a respected professional title and, in addition to signifying a high level of achievement, it broadens its members’ nationwide network of industry professionals outside of one’s own firm,” says Garlick. “The designation represents another layer of education, certification and self-improvement for a brokerage professional.”

Goals

The endeavors of each of the 48 SIOR chapters ladder up to fulfil the mission and vision of the organization: “To inspire the industrial and office real estate industry by connecting people, knowledge, markets and opportunities, globally. Recognized as the standard of excellence in industrial and office real estate.”

“The goals of the SIOR Arizona Chapter is to attract new members and sponsors and to serve the local industry and community,” says Soldo. “I do believe that the Arizona Chapter is one of the best chapters in the SIOR network.”

To this end, members participate in a range of offerings including board and committee service, education seminars and networking events and conferences. “Because it is up to individual SIOR chapters to raise money and support its chosen causes, chapters are somewhat autonomous,” says Garlick. “It is rewarding to guide the chapter’s charitable and industry activities alongside John, making sure funds are well-spent on behalf of our sponsors, our membership is educated, and every event is valuable, meaningful and worth attending.” The event planning and logistics have become increasingly complicated with the onslaught from the recent health pandemic. “The one major challenge that I am currently facing is the coronavirus and the effect it is having on our industry,” Soldo says. “So far, we have had to cancel our annual service day at Feed My Starving Children and our Spring TransACT 360 conference in Indian Wells, California.”

SIOR Leadership: John Soldo, Mike Garlick

Benefits

Soldo and Garlick champion the advantages of SIOR membership at every opportunity. “Having the SIOR designation has greatly helped me in obtaining business – both locally and nationally,” says Soldo. “As the saying goes, you get out what you put in. The more you actually engage via board positions or attendance at chapter events and national conferences, the greater the opportunities will be to connect with the group of esteemed SIOR members,” says Garlick. “In CRE, participating and networking through industry organizations and reaching out beyond your usual network will pay dividends in the long run.”

CCIM

Rivaling in stature and prominence, CCIM’s respective mission and vision statements demonstrate the organizational commitment to excellence. CCIM Institute says its goal is “to elevate our members to the highest levels of success in the commercial real estate profession. To shape the commercial real estate industry by being the most influential, innovative and internationally recognized organization.”

Working to reach this pinnacle for over half a century, CCIM in many respects is an aspirational brand. Fewer than 10% of CRE practitioners hold the designation. “CCIM is really about the education and being able to understand transactions from different perspectives so you can educate and advise your client,” says Hammersmith. “The CCIM education has definitely helped get deals to the closing table.”

Background

Hammersmith rose to president of the Chapter in 2020 after first serving on the board in 2018. “My former partner, Tracy Altemus, was president in 2018 and she asked if I would join the 11-member team,” she says. “I am so grateful she made the ask; it has truly been an honor to serve our Chapter.”

Since earning his CCIM credential in 2001, serving on the board and now in his role as vice president, Todd Hamilton, CCIM and SIOR, managing partner, Citywide Commercial, enthusiastically advocates for the advantages of CCIM. “The education offers a deep dive into the inner workings of a CRE transaction. Those individuals that possess this knowledge offer a competitive advantage to their clients,” he says. “Our chapter comprises of some of the best CRE professionals in Arizona.”

Curriculum

To wear a CCIM pin is no easy accomplishment. Those hoping to achieve CCIM status must navigate a demanding core and elective educational program, complete ethics training, pass a complex final exam and demonstrate success in the CRE space by fulfilling transaction and monetary guidelines. “The core classes cover site selection, market analytics, negotiations and investment analytics,” she says. “The education is taught by active CRE experts with an emphasis on practical application. The information learned in the classroom is immediately applicable.”

Offerings

Hammersmith and team strive to bring members a broad spectrum of knowledge, tools and engagement opportunities. “In our planning for 2020, we started with the question, ‘What is our value proposition?’,” she says. “Our primary goals are to provide relevant education opportunities for our community and connections within our organization. We also wanted to create opportunities to give back to the community.”

One of the chapter’s most widely attended and informative events is the annual IREM CCIM Economic Forecast in January. “The signature event has become widely known as the place to get the real scoop from industry leaders throughout the Valley,” she says. “Attendance at our Forecast keeps growing from year to year, and while it takes a tremendous amount of effort to plan, it is rewarding to know that our platform has provided invaluable insight to our markets.”

Of course, the coronavirus looms large over the chapter’s ability to constructively deliver offerings. “We have been forced to cancel in-person events. However, we have members and sponsors who have invested in our organization, and we have an obligation to create opportunities for connection,” she says. “That has been extremely difficult in this environment, but we have remained nimble and creative, so we are relying on e-connection for the time being. That means increasing electronic exposure in our community and working to be ‘the source’ of answers to urgent real estate issues that are at the forefront.”

Future

SIOR and CCIM, two of the world’s most prominent CRE institutions, have worked to elevate the industry in their own specialized approaches. While there is always healthy competition, which drives each organization to continuously improve, Soldo and Hammersmith share a deep respect for their peer’s organization. That’s a point noted by Hamilton’s distinction in earning both credentials. “CCIM and SIOR are both working to make our industry better each day,” says Soldo. “There is no question that the two entities desire a thriving CRE vertical and accomplished professionals,” Hamilton says.

“The SIOR designation is a respected professional title and, in addition to signifying a high level of achievement, it broadens its members’ nationwide network of industry professionals outside of one’s own firm, the designation represents another layer of education, certification and selfimprovement for a brokerage professional.” - Mike Garlick, Vice President, SIOR