Day One & Two Recap: Spring Forum 2026

Image

DAY 1 – WELCOME TO PHILLY 

Simply The Test 

We arrived in Philadelphia to warm welcomes and a city rich with history. Our candidates were among the first on-site, kicking off the final steps on their Path to The Pin with the Core Concepts Review as they prepare for the exam that stands between them and earning The Designation. At the same time, committee meetings got underway early, setting the bar for a Forum where we work just as hard as we connect. 

The City Tour 
While some were diving into sessions, others took to the streets for the City Tour. Attendees explored Philadelphia’s historic and cultural sights while gaining insight into the city’s commercial real estate landscape on a guided motorcoach tour. Along the way, they connected with fellow professionals, engaged in meaningful discussions, and heard expert perspectives on key developments and trends in of America’s most historic cities. 

Welcome Reception  
We closed out the day with the Welcome Reception, where 2026 Global President Adam Palmer, CCIM, SIOR, greeted members, candidates, and sponsors and set the tone for the week ahead. The energy in the room was undeniable as attendees reconnected, met new faces, and looked ahead to everything still to come. 

DAY 2 – FORUM TAKES FORM 

Rocky Run & Balboa Breakfast 
Starting off the day strong, our CCIMs and Forum attendees rose up to the challenge of their rivals and took to the streets of Philly to re-enact cinema history. The event featured costumes, props, and more than enough good will and cheer to keep spirits high. Especially after retiring to a mimosa service back at the hotel.  

State of the Institute Breakfast/President’s Cup & Chapter of Excellence Awards 
Adam Palmer, CCIM, SIOR, 2026 CCIM Institute Global President, presented the 2026 State of the Institute Address, emphasizing that the CCIM Institute is operating from a position of strength, driven not by favorable market conditions but by the commitment and engagement of its members.  Palmer highlighted significant momentum in the organization’s pipeline, with record-breaking growth in new candidates following strategic pricing changes. However, he underscored that recruitment is only the first step—success now depends on guiding those candidates through to The Designation. Retention, member engagement, and maintaining the value of The CCIM Pin are framed as shared responsibilities between the Institute and its chapters, reinforcing the importance of personal connections and local leadership. 

Read more about The State of the Institute here.

President’s Cup & Chapter of Excellence Awards 
The CCIM Institute’s 2026 Spring Forum in Philadelphia showcased the strength and innovation of its chapter network through the President’s Cup and Chapter of Excellence Awards. These honors recognize chapters that go above and beyond in delivering impactful programming, driving member engagement, and advancing both local and national initiatives.  

Read more about these awards and check out the list of winners here. 

Panel I - Capital Markets in Flux: Opportunity, Risk, and the Return to Fundamentals 
Moderator:  
Chris Jacobson, CCIM (Vice President - Healthcare Real Estate Advisor, Lee & Associates) 

Panelists: 
Kevin Fagan (Senior Director - Head of CRE Capital Market Research, Moody's Analytics) Joe McBride, CFA (Senior Director, SitusAMC)  
Mishra Shruti (Economist, Bank of America)   

Today’s capital markets are defined by contradiction—abundant capital alongside persistent uncertainty.  

As Kevin Fagan noted, “there is an epic amount of capital waiting to be deployed,” yet transaction activity remains constrained by pricing gaps and macroeconomic volatility.  

Panelists emphasized that the market has become highly fragmented, with Fagan observing “we’ve never seen this level of fragmentation… prices are just totally scattered,” forcing investors to adopt more precise, localized strategies.  

While risks tied to inflation, geopolitics, and interest rates continue to create a “wait-and-watch” environment, underlying resilience remains strong, supported by consumer spending and lender flexibility—evident in the “maturity wall” becoming “a movable partition” rather than a crisis. Ultimately, the discussion underscored a return to disciplined underwriting and fundamentals as the key to navigating a complex but opportunity-rich market. 

Panel II - Mission Critical Real Estate: Why Data Centers Are Reshaping the Industry 
Moderator:  
Jay Olshonsky, CCIM, SIOR, FRICS (President & Owner, Forty Two Plus LLC) 

Panelists: 
Robby Eaves, CCIM (Principal, Commercial Industrial Properties)  
Jack Funchion (Vice President of Sales, Global Financial Services, Digital Realty)  
Todd Johnson, CDCDP (Director of Development, Ryan & Companies)  

Data centers have rapidly evolved into one of the most critical sectors in commercial real estate, driven by explosive demand from AI and digital infrastructure. “There is more demand than there is supply,” said Jack Funchion, highlighting a market constrained not by space but by energy capacity. This shift has redefined the asset class, with Robbie Eaves describing it as “an energy play with a real estate jacket on it,” where access to reliable power determines viability. Todd Johnson reinforced the stakes: “If you don’t have power, you don’t have anything.” While community resistance and regulatory hurdles are rising, the long-term economic benefits—especially tax revenue—continue to drive approvals. Still, not every site will succeed, as Eaves cautioned that “not all of them have a reliable pathway to power.” With demand far outpacing supply and the industry still in its “early innings,” the panel made clear that data centers are no longer niche—they are foundational to the global economy. 

CCIM Tech Reveal: A New Era of Intelligence 
With much fanfare, CCIM Technologies retired the tried-and-true 25-year-old brand, now formerly known as  Site To Do Business, for a new name that reflects the future of CRE data. Flanked by a drum corps, old STDB commercials, and- believe it or not- Astronaut Ben Franklin, we proudly revealed the new brand leading us into the future. 

Introducing Intellisite, the future of CRE data technology. We are positive you will be hearing plenty about the new brand, tools, and features as we move forward. Check out the brand reveal video below: 

Panel III - Inside “The Hot Seat”: Leadership, Growth, and the Future of The Institute 
Adam Palmer, CCIM, SIOR (2026 Global President, The CCIM Institute) 
Paul Rumler (CEO & Executive Vice President, The CCIM Institute)  
 
In a candid discussion, CCIM leadership addressed the organization’s growth strategy, operational challenges, and future direction, emphasizing that expansion and excellence must go hand in hand.  

CEO Paul Rumler made it clear that global growth is essential— “you have to do both. This is not a question of either or”—but constrained by system and staffing capacity. While membership could scale significantly, he stressed that “what we shouldn’t do is dilute the value of The Designation,” keeping the focus on quality over quantity.  

Perhaps most striking was his critique of the candidate journey: “we make the candidate experience as bad as possible,” highlighting a major area for improvement despite strong curriculum and instructors.  

Moving forward, the Institute is investing in technology, simplification, and faster decision-making—because, as Rumler puts it, “it can’t take three years to make a decision. It has to be done in three weeks sometimes.” The overarching message: CCIM must operate with greater confidence, clarity, and agility to fully realize its potential. 

An Evening with Michael Litt 
In his much-anticipated return to The CCIM Spring Forum, Michael Litt, Chairman of the Board for Bareburger, and one of the inspirations for the best-selling work “The Big Short,” explored how money, as a foundational technology, has shaped economic systems throughout history—from ancient coinage to modern global finance.  

Read more about Litt’s presentation here.