NAIOP New Jersey Honored as Association's Chapter of the Year

March 16, 2011 - PRLog -- NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, has honored its New Jersey Chapter as 2010 Chapter of the Year. The award, announced at the NAIOP Chapter Leadership and Legislative Retreat in Herndon, Va., comes in a year that NAIOP New Jersey celebrated its 40th anniversary. Industry leaders from New Jersey formed NAIOP national in 1970, then founded the first chapter in New Jersey.

"This award is clearly a tribute to the hard-working efforts of the chapter staff headed by chief executive officer Michael McGuinness, the chapter's committees, and its members in general," said Jeffrey Milanaik of Heller Industrial Parks, immediate past president of NAIOP New Jersey. "Despite the slow recovery, over the course of 2010, NAIOP New Jersey members and staff worked together to excel in all of our core mission areas and create more value for our members."

Among the Chapter's accomplishments:

• Government Affairs: NAIOP New Jersey was instrumental in enactment of the 2010 Permit Extension Act and the Time of Application law, and bringing public attention to the critical Bayonne Bridge air draft issue. "Nearly every day that the New Jersey Legislature is in session is a 'day at the capital' for NAIOP New Jersey," said Milanaik.

• Education: The number of events and networking opportunities was increased, including six highly topical educational seminars and expansion of the exclusive programs for developing leaders. The chapter's first-ever Collegiate Commercial Real Estate Case Study Competition involved students from the NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business.

• Membership: With a 92% retention rate, NAIOP New Jersey ranked fifth among all chapters in year-over-year growth, and with 518 members as of October 1, 2010 had moved up from 11th to the 8th largest NAIOP chapter overall.

• Communications: The association launched a new web site designed to put a wealth of information, resources and daily updates at members’ fingertips.

• Corporate Involvement: NAIOP New Jersey remained highly active on the national
NAIOP board and at national functions, including the Development '10 Conference and the 2010 Chapter Leadership and Legislative Retreat, at which the NAIOP New Jersey won Chapter Merit Awards for its Legislative/Government Affairs program and WeekEnder Brief newsletter.

• Community Involvement: The chapter's 2010 Community Action  Project, "Hunger Doesn't Take a Summer Vacation," raised money, collected more than 1,000 pounds of food, and involved countless hours of volunteer time to benefit the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.

"Through the efforts of Jeff Milanaik and his predecessors going back 40 years and the founding of NAIOP national, NAIOP New Jersey has established an outstanding legacy," said George Sowa of Brandywine Realty Trust, recently inducted as President of NAIOP New Jersey, succeeding Milanaik. "With the strength of our members and staff, aided by the recovering economy, we have the opportunity to continue to build on that outstanding legacy."



Photo Caption: (l to r) Jeffrey Milanaik, Immediate Past President, NAIOP New Jersey; Bonnie Sovinee, Director of Programs and Member Services, NAIOP New Jersey; Alex Klatskin, 2011 Chairman, NAIOP; Thomas Bisacquino, President, NAIOP Corporate; Barbara Morford, Director of Policy and Communications, NAIOP New Jersey; Michael McGuinness, CEO NAIOP New Jersey; and George Sowa, President, NAIOP New Jersey.