Since its inception three years ago, the CCIM Institute Deals and Drinks event has grown to become one of the most popular networking events held during CCIM Institute meetings. During the 2018 Midyear Governance Meetings in Tampa, Fla., Deals and Drinks drew its largest crowd to date with an increase in international attendees and its greatest variety of investment opportunities.
“It's been our team's goal to provide additional fun opportunities to network and engage at all of our governance meetings,” says 2018 Networking Subcommittee Chair Carmen Austin, CCIM. “And Deals and Drinks is a relaxed and exciting mix of lively people that want to engage, network, and share their listings, needs, or experiences."
Each presenter has 90 seconds to pitch their deal on stage with CCIM Institute providing a slide template that participants can use to showcase their properties. There is also an open bar available to attendees and presenters alike.
With property types including retail, office, industrial, hospitality, and investment funds, Deals and Drinks is an ideal opportunity to view properties from across the U.S. and globally. The variety of presenters included: Shad Phipps, CCIM, SIOR, of CBRE in Columbus, Ohio; Theresa M. Blauch-Mitchell, CCIM, of Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates in Fort Myers, Fla.; Ernesto Gamboa, CCIM, of Quito, Ecuador; and many others.
“Past Deals and Drinks events incorporated strictly income-producing retail or office investment properties,” Austin says. “But our latest rendition included a much larger variance in property types including wants and needs for hotel properties, national truck stops, and even an income-producing high-end marina in South Florida.”
For the next Deals and Drinks event planned for the CCIM Annual Governance Meetings in October, a call for submissions will be sent to members a month prior to the meetings with the committee reviewing the submissions and selecting participants.
“Even if you are not currently representing a client looking for property in another market, it is always a great opportunity to see what else is going on across the U.S. and internationally,” says Immediate Past Networking Chair Bobbi Miracle, CCIM. “What makes CCIMs stand out is our knowledge, and if you can speak to things you have seen from other markets you become more well-rounded.”