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Shopping Centers Today -> May 2004
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NEXT GENERATION PROGRAM ATTRACTING NEW TALENT
BY DONNA MITCHELL
ICSC’s Next Generation program continues to grow.
The program was created in 2001 to bring new retail real estate talent into contact with more-experienced industry people. There are now about 40 Next Generation local program committees around the country.
“We’re ecstatic with the phenomenal response,” said Andy Stein, a development associate at Palatine, Ill.-based Joseph Freed & Associates. “It shows there has been demand for those looking to develop their careers in the business.”
Stein and Peter S. Eisenberg, a principal at Chicago-based Lake Shore Development Corp., devised Next Generation. They now serve as co-chairmen of the national Next Generation Advisory Group, which develops growth and enhancement strategies for the program. The first Next Generation gathering, held in downtown Chicago in June 2001, drew more than 100 participants.
Next Generation grew steadily last year. Organizers initially envisioned having about 20 Next Generation programs around the country between May and December 2003; it turned out to be 35.
Next Generation components were included in five idea exchanges last year, including the New York and Western Division conferences and some deal-making meetings. To date, about 5,000 executives have either attended a Next Generation event or lent support to the program, says Juleen McTaggart, ICSC’s manager of development services and Next Generation project leader. “The whole crux is to emphasize the localization for this in the real estate industry,” said McTaggart.
Next Generation was part of the ICSC Spring Convention for the first time last year, with a reception and a session. ICSC will follow up this year with a reception at the Palms Casino Resort and two special sessions.
The increase in the number of meetings is not the only sign of progress; the concept has been refined too. Originally aimed at professionals with five years’ experience or less in retail real estate, Next Generation now caters to those seeking help building their careers and forging relationships within the industry, whether their years in the business be many or few.
The seasoned professionals who support Next Generation don’t merely show up at local meetings to give speeches or lead workshops on getting ahead in the business, as important as that is. They also form mentoring relationships with the newer professionals.
Such a mentor is Judi Lapin, president of Irvine, Calif.-based Lapin Consulting Group, who also serves as ICSC state director for Southern California. Lapin launched her career in marketing, public relations and advertising services to the real estate industry about 10 years ago and painstakingly built her industry knowledge by attending educational programs and other industry events. “I was always impressed with the fact that the professionals gave their time and effort to be instructors,” she said.
Now Lapin is doing that herself. She offers feedback, advice and ideas to professionals such as Scott Burns, vice president of Los Angeles-based Wilson Commercial Real Estate and co-chairman of the Next Generation program’s Western division.
“She’s a great contact,” Burns said, “someone that I can rely on if there is something that I need.”
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