A recent study revealed that in a vast majority of the biggest cities in the United States, full-time salaries of young women are on average 8% higher than men in their peer group. Unfortunately, this reverse gender gap applies only to unmarried, childless women under 30, but the news is promising, as it attributes the earnings reversal overwhelmingly to one factor: education.

As president of CREW Network (http://www.crewnetwork.org/), an organization that aims to advance the success of women in the field of commercial real estate, I’m encouraged by the findings and the fact that a growing knowledge-based economy is feeding the rise in female wages.  CREW Network offers a number of professional development opportunities, as well as a university program (UCREW) that introduces and nurtures young women interested in entering the male-dominated profession of commercial real estate.

At the 2010 CREW Network Convention and Marketplace being held next month, we will be announcing our most recent survey results, which also offer encouraging data about women’s salaries. As women continue to rise in the ranks, I am proud to be a part of an association that helps facilitate their growth and success. I hope to see you in San Francisco and share all of our exciting news!

Kristin Blount is the 2010 President of CREW Network and Senior Vice President, Brokerage, at Colliers, Meredith & Grew in Boston

For more information about CREW Network, visit http://www.crewnetwork.org

Each year, the U.S. Green Building Council hosts its Greenbuild Conference & Expo, the world’s largest green building conference.  Greenbuild 2009 is heading to Phoenix.  The American Southwest is a region with unique environmental and social challenges and opportunities, and the imperative is clear: green building can and must come home to all people, boosting the quality of life on main streets across the country and the world.  Every year, Greenbuild attracts leading architects, building owners, developers, contractors, educators, students, service providers and manufacturers, providing education and networking opportunities for everyone connected to the building industry.

With its humble beginnings of 4,100 attendees in Austin, Texas seven years ago, Greenbuild 2009, held November 11-13, 2009 in Phoenix, AZ is expected to attract 25,000 people and boasts over 100 educational sessions and 1,800 exhibit booths on the tradeshow floor. Former Vice President Al Gore will be the keynote speaker at the Opening Keynote & Celebration, followed by a performance by Grammy Award winning musician and environmental activist Sheryl Crow.  While Greenbuild is known to engage the most progressive discussions of the day, it is good to note that Greenbuild is valuable for everyone, whether you’re a green guru or not. There are educational sessions on topics ranging from green leases and valuation to the business case and technical implementation methods of LEED for Existing Buildings.

With the economic downturn forcing more organizations to focus on the existing building stock, USGBC has seized the opportunity to deliver a host of existing building-specific educational sessions.  Sessions include:

“How the LEED for Existing Buildings Certification Process Transforms Your Operations and Engages People”

“The Value of ENERGY STAR®”

“Economics of Corporate Sustainability”

“Greenwashed or Green … Single or Triple Bottom Line?”

“The Green Lease: A Two-Way Street”

“A Revolution in Existing Buildings – LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance”

“Existing Buildings: Opportunities for Development”

“High Profile Green Operations – Marquee LEED for Existing Building Projects”

Greenbuild is a forum to engage professionals from various industries and sectors and listen to peers talk about their experiences The many networking and educational opportunities, along with a first-ever Greenbuild job fair, are among the top reasons to attend Greenbuild,where you can listen to otherswhile making connections with likeminded  businesses.  Greenbuild is where the industry collaborates on sustainability, finding ways to save money, improve performance and reduce environmental impact.

More information on Greenbuild is available at www.greenbuildexpo.organd I hope to see you in Phoenix! 

It is February 17th, and we are more than half way through the “Winter of our Real Estate Indecision”.  Two or three warmer days teased us earlier this month, only to hear that frigid conditions will be returning to Chicago this week.  However, we have learned that spring does return, and that is what motivates all of us to anticipate baseball, outdoor dining, golf and hot August nights.

Wow, does it not read like a page from the Wall Street Journal, or a current economic overview?  It appears that every piece of good economic news is “blasted” by five pieces sighting layoffs, public companies missing earnings expectations, or one more company filing for bankruptcy protection. 

However, we are seeing encouraging signs such as compromise on the passage of the government’s stimulus package, large tenants making commitments to existing projects in the central business district, and at least one company, Prologis, being reported to having received as many as eighty offers on pieces of the 33.23 million square feet of industrial space that they are marketing for sale nationwide.

I try to read only good news, be realistic of the challenges, but spend more of my time strategizing with colleagues on how best to continue to motivate my young professionals, add value to clients and celebrate successes, rather than dwell on the negativity.

Indecision is not an inherent trait that will last – business leaders have thankfully learned from the past that this is a very good time to reshape their workforce, identify talent, reduce expenditures, efficiently plan their space to be more cost effective, and recruit talent that has not been available in the last decade.

Real estate is still an asset that can be valued.  It has a determinable income stream that can be valued.  Once the future expectations for rent growth are clearly re-established then buildings will be priced accordingly, and product will test the marketplace.  Those values will be very different than prices paid in 2006 and early 2007 but new pricing with clear underwriting will start to bring about re-establishing confidence from debt sources to lend once again.

Bottom line, it is a great time to strategically plan, a great time to seize opportunity during this malaise of indecision, and in our industry a great time to add value to each of your clients in their real estate decision making process.