STATE OF THE CCIM INSTITUTE, SPRING 2025

On the first day of CCIM’s Spring Forum in Miami, Fla., 2025 CCIM Global President, Steve Rich, CCIM took to the stage to welcome an audience full of CCIM Designees, candidates, and other CRE professionals. Rich greeted the crowd, commending them for their commitment to The CCIM Institute, commercial real estate industry at large, and the legacy being built together.  

Rich began with recognizing chapter leaders, highlighting them as the heart of the organization and the cornerstones of the industry - sharpening skills, making deals, and building the next generation of leaders. Most notable of the chapter successes was the 50th Anniversary of the Hawaii Chapter, as well as re-establishing the Alaska Chapter.  

The update kicked off with a reflection of The CCIM Institute’s 23/24 Strategic Plan and mission: To elevate our members to the highest levels of success through education, technology, and networking. Rich emphasized this mission is more than a tagline, it is a commitment to everything The Institute - Designees, mentors, employees -is all about.  

This year marked a turning point for Institute’s international presence, having signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with Kazakhstan, expanding our global efforts, and formalizing our intent to grow the profession in Central Asia. All this being underscored with the fortification of the CCIM Designation for current and future Designees, strengthening our collaboration across the Institute, Foundation, chapters, and CCIM Tech.  

With pride, Rich took a moment to applaud the 2025 Management Team for their thoughtful, strategic, and collaborative approach in the last year, accentuating the bold conversations, spirited debates, and the commitment to doing what is best for The Institute and its members. He celebrated the work that had been accomplished and the trajectory set for the path ahead.  

Regarding The Institute’s growing global influences, we were named the premiere Commercial Real Estate Education Partner of CREA, Canada’s leading real estate association. Rich noted this recognition went beyond just logos on paper, but instead a bridge to opportunity and influence on a global scale. Rich stated, “CCIMs Do More Deals – we have this in the marketing highlights – repurpose or rework.” 

Concerning national marketing campaigns, The Institute saw nothing short of transformation, having launched more than two million ads in August across streaming platforms, reaching more than 10 million people. The focus of the ads: CCIMs do more deals and bring trust and expertise to every transaction. These ads focused less on registration and brand enforcement, instead emphasizing the value of hiring a CCIM.  

“It’s about showing the world what you already know: When you see those four letters after someone’s name, you’re working with a serious professional.” 

When it comes to education and building a community, The Institute’s digital space is booming. However, the real magic is happening in the classrooms, with more people returning to in-person learning, thanks to chapters taking the lead. This has created deeper engagements and more powerful peer-to-peer connections. Rich highlighted that this was not simply about education or content but building a community within our organization.  

Site to Do Business, The Institute’s cutting-edge platform that brings real estate intelligence to our members’ fingertips, also had new features added. These features included a new AI-enhanced geospatial trend visualizer with predictive data-layer forecasting, using real-time market psychographics overlaying APIs with topographic segmentation modeling. These features not only strengthen an already influential tool for our professionals but give CCIMs a powerful advantage in the industry.  

Rich wrapped up his update with an eye on a promising future. “We’re not just preserving a legacy—we’re writing the next chapter of it,” Rich said, citing more than 7,900 Designees, our growing global influence, innovative technology, and more members turning to CCIM education every day. The biggest takeaway: “This is your Institute. And every course you take, every deal you close, every new member you mentor—strengthens it.” Rich’s final words were elevating and powerful, asking everyone in the room to continue to each other up and continue to make CCIM the most trusted, valued, and desired brand in commercial real estate. 

“The value of the CCIM Designation doesn’t live on a certificate or your lapel pin. It lives in you.”