Journal of Property Management

PRESIDENT’S INSIGHTS

A CHANGE IN SEASON

By now most of us are looking forward to spring and all the fresh ideas that come with a change in season. Winter may not be quite over but it’s a good time to look at how the year is progressing and to re-evaluate the goals and plans we set forth just a few short months ago.

At the Institute, we had the opportunity in January to bring together our executive committee and IREM staff to review our goals and discuss what we believe will be the key strategic issues facing us in the years ahead. We came away with fantastic information and a refreshed direction for IREM that will be shared at our May 1-5 meetings in Washington, D.C. I know we will be in an even better position to serve our owners, tenants, residents and clients in the years ahead, while we also build stronger connections to one another through our IREM network.

As IREM Members, one of the ways we can help fulfill our first goal is through word-of-mouth marketing. Engaging with others in the industry about becoming part of the IREM family can only help make our institute bigger and better! You can even be rewarded for getting new members via our Member-Get-A-Member Rewards ( www.irem.org/referral).

To see how we are addressing the challenges many of you face, just turn to the article, “Prepared to Present,” on p. 40 and find out how to deliver great presentations to an owner for new business. Perhaps you’re finding this is the time to focus on retooling your hiring practices. In the feature, “Mind Probe: Using Assessments to Screen Candidates” on p. 24 you will get the details on which screening and hiring tools should be put into play, and which ones you should forego.

In addition to JPM articles and many other resources available from IREM, I encourage you to take the opportunity to network with your peers and to meet your legislators at the annual IREM Leadership and Legislation summit in Washington, D.C., from May 1-5. If you haven’t been to the Hill before, I can tell you it’s an amazing experience.

Spring is a time of rejuvenation and growth, so let’s welcome the new season by continuing to cultivate our plans and to work toward achieving our goals for 2010.

O. RANDALL WOODBURY, CPM® (r_woodbury@ woodburycorp.

com), IREM 2010 PRESIDENT, IS CORPORATE SECRETARY AND VICE PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FOR THE WOODBURY CORPORATION, A FAMILY REAL ESTATE FIRM IN SALT LAKE CITY.