June Edition
"Carolinas Rise Up!"
By Ben Bailey – Chapter President, CoreNet Global Carolinas
Over the last couple of months, I’ve had the benefit of engaging directly with corporate real estate (CRE) leaders from across our region and around the world. We spoke broadly about near-term and long-term challenges and opportunities. The consistent theme that I take from those conversations is the sense that we are on the cusp of a transformative moment in Corporate America that will have a watershed effect for CRE and the work experience more generally.
The disruption is being driven from several angles and is already impacting strategic decisions that will be felt for years to come. I mentioned some of those trends in my last article, but I omitted the most salient and revolutionary of them all – artificial intelligence (Ai).
Depending on your oracle of choice, Ai is either the savior that will rescue all humanity from the mundane activity that stimies our creative potential or the perfect, 24/7, no breaks-needed, omniscient, white collar worker that has come to displace us all. Wherever you land on that spectrum, I’m sure we can agree that its current and future incarnations are entirely new to humanity and certain to transform the way we work, play and live.
Fortunately, our species has managed unprecedented change relatively well over the course of our history. Our intelligence, ingenuity and agility have proven very effective adaptation tools but always most impactful when paired with our innate ability for collaboration. For instance, the first professional guilds that arose in Medieval Europe following the chaotic fall of the Roman Empire brought stability, quality standards and training that laid the foundation for the Renaissance. More recently during the industrial revolution, where tens of millions moved from rural areas into cities in search of new opportunities within a rapidly transforming economic system, groups of workers banded together to secure safer working conditions, reasonable workday expectations and child labor laws.
These were pivotal and challenging moments in history that required much more than can be expected of one individual. As we navigate the portfolio of complexity and change before us now, communities – professional and personal – are an essential element of the path forward to a prosperous future.
We are working to make CoreNet Carolinas one of those reliably impactful communities that gives you the opportunity to collaborate with peers in shaping the future of CRE.
However, there are a few things we need from you to help us realize our ambitious potential:
First, seek community. Be present at our events, not just as an attendee, but as an active participant. Your perspective is a critical piece of the puzzle, and it is only by sharing our varied experiences that we can map a path forward.
Second, build community. This is where ideas become action. Volunteer for a committee, bring your ideas to our board, or sponsor our cause financially. By contributing your time and resources, you help us pour more value back into the very community that supports us all.
Third, become community. Step into our leadership team, welcome new members with the warmth and hospitality our region is known for, and mentor the next generation. Embody the best of our profession and become a steward of the supportive, collaborative culture we aim to create.
This work is our shared legacy. In the words of anthropologist Robin Dunbar, "All of our success throughout evolution is because we have the capacity to thrive in groups." Let us embrace this idea now as we create a thriving chapter, region and profession for generations to come!
Click here to view full speech from the 2026 CORE Awards highlighting the Chapter Outlook from Ben Bailey.
With Shared Purpose,
Ben Bailey
President CoreNet Global Carolinas