President's Blog

Carolina

September Edition

"Carolinas Rise Up!"

By Ben Bailey – Chapter President, CoreNet Global Carolinas

September is the most transitional month of the year in my experience. Across the Carolinas morning temperatures
begin to cool off and swimming pools close as children return to their studies. Watermelons are traded for pumpkins
at the grocery store and the bright floral blooms of summer surrender to the earthy orange, brown and yellow tones
of leaves changing color. In corporate America, the pace intensifies as summer vacations give way to the sobering
reality of Q4 expectations that are just around the corner.

A similar transition is taking place within our CoreNet Carolinas Chapter and just like the seasons, much of the
change goes unnoticed before the impact is felt. Our leadership team has spent the first half of the year laying our
groundwork – exploring new event formats, listening closely to member feedback, and extending our presence to
cities around our region. Now, as the calendar turns, that groundwork will begin to show its color.

Since the beginning of the year, we have hosted 15 events: 6 programs, 6 networking gatherings and 3 end-user
roundtables. These events took place in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Morrisville and Charlotte, drawing nearly 500
attendees. We have welcomed 50 new members since January 1st, and our end-user representation remains a real
strength at 49% of our 216-member chapter. Our Young Leaders program, while still just 6% of our membership, is
a pipeline we're actively investing in.

We have grand plans to expand but growth in membership count alone isn’t enough. A significant share of our
members have yet to engage meaningfully in our chapter community. So this fall, the Board is deliberately shifting
emphasis — doubling down on content that is worth showing up for, engagement that turns an attendee into an
active participant, and connection that turns active participants into friends and future leaders. The goal isn't simply
adding names to a roster; it's activating the community we already have.

You'll see that come to life with our upcoming program schedule. Mark your calendar for our upcoming events:

• Annual Joint Networking in the Triangle (Sept. 24) — our signature gathering for adjacent professional
organizations in the Triangle region
• Sustainable Conversations: A Live Podcast Experience (also Sept. 24) at the Innovation Barn in
Charlotte— a new format allowing our members to engage with sustainability leaders in an unscripted
conversation. 
• MEGA Event (Oct. 15)— our Chapter’s flagship half-day program hosted in Raleigh including a dynamic
keynote speaker, breakouts, walking tour and networking
• CoreNet Global Americas Summit (Oct. 26 – 28) in Chicago — premier conference headlined by Steve
“Woz” Wozniak (co-founder of Apple) with peers from around the world and 30+ Carolinas members
representing!

Every one of these is a chance to be part of our transition story. So as our season turns, here's my ask: bring us an
idea we haven't tried, tell us honestly what's missing, and most simply — show up. We notice seasonal changes
when the conditions shift. Our Chapter changes the same way, and you can help to drive that shift.

See you out there this fall

With Shared Purpose,

Ben Bailey

President CoreNet Global Carolinas 

July Edition

"Carolinas Rise Up!"

By Ben Bailey – Chapter President, CoreNet Global Carolinas

What an exciting time to be a Carolinian! As I write this, we are on the cusp of celebrating 250
years of independence, our U.S. Men's National Soccer Team is still competing for the World
Cup, and our Carolina Hurricanes are once again Stanley Cup Champions. We are fortunate to
have so much to celebrate this summer.


Watching the Hurricanes’ recent championship parade, I couldn’t help but reflect on what that
level of success requires from individuals and the broader team. In the case of the Hurricanes,
it’s important to note that there was no single superstar carrying the load. They won with a
deep, complementary roster — veteran leadership, a breakout goaltender and timely scoring
from different contributors every night. No one player could have won that trophy alone. It
took the collective effort and talents of the entire team working in collaboration to rise above
the nightly challenges and achieve their goal.


At the risk of “reaching,” I think some similarities can be drawn to our profession as corporate
real estate (CRE) leaders. At the highest level, CRE professionals are the sole voice of expertise
within their organization. They are uniquely responsible for workplace strategy, portfolio
decisions and multi-million-dollar investments. It can be an isolating role as executive
stakeholders rarely appreciate the complexity of our work which spans finance, design,
technology, sustainability, human behavior and more.


That is precisely why our industry “team members” matters so much. When end-users, service
providers, academics and young leaders gather to share ideas, trends and innovation, we create
the depth and breadth of understanding that no individual, however talented, can replicate.
We challenge each other's thinking, share relevant experiences and, over time, we all get better
together. The strength of the individual player is reinforced by the strength of the team
surrounding them.


Another key component of any professional championship team is the front office. General
Management responsible for predicting the evolution of the game and making the right
investments to position the team for success. In our case that “front office” is CoreNet Global
and they are committed to bold actions that will equip our membership with the resources and
understanding to confront any foreseeable challenge. These investments fall into four strategic
pillars that are designed to make us more:

•Credible – Advancing the practice of CRE through cutting-edge research, a new Global
Research Council and expanded professional development.
• Connected – Building a vibrant global community through stronger digital collaboration
platforms, growing chapter connections and a Virtual Chapter model for underserved
geographies.
• Competitive – Boosting CRE careers and developing next-generation talent through university
relations, mentorship, scholarships and a global job board.
• Champion – Serving as the voice of our profession through proactive media presence, a new
CRE Industry Index and stronger industry advocacy.
We are tapping into these pillars to accelerate our progress and the value we deliver to our
members at the Chapter level as well. In fact, we have plans for some very engaging and
innovative events on the horizon for late summer and fall.


Stay tuned and know that whatever position you play in the CRE industry, there's a place for
you on our championship roster. 

With Shared Purpose,

Ben Bailey

President CoreNet Global Carolinas 

August Edition

"Carolinas Rise Up!"

By Ben Bailey – Chapter President, CoreNet Global Carolinas

Last week I joined the ranks of proud parents everywhere, attending my son’s freshman orientation just up the road at NC State University. There, surrounded by several hundred enthusiastic Wolfpack enrollees and their beaming parents, I couldn’t help but absorb the excitement of the moment and feel the anticipation of great things to come for these brilliant young adults.

As that initial mix of group contagion and nostalgia for my own college experience subsided, my mind drifted to more sobering thoughts about whether AI threatens to displace entry-level positions before this generation gets started. It's an interesting question, and one that matters as much for corporate real estate (CRE) as any industry. While there’s no doubt that tools will keep changing and AI fluency is now a critical skill, I maintain that the judgment, relationship skills and leadership our profession requires will ensure gainful employment for people into the foreseeable future. That means we need a steady stream of qualified entrants learning CRE tradecraft to shape the future of workplace and work experience more generally.

Our CoreNet Carolinas Chapter in conjunction with CoreNet Global has set the ambitious goal of serving as the bridge between university students and young leaders making a start in our profession and member organizations that seek talent to breathe new life and perspective that will drive the evolution of work. We are investing in these talent pools while also creating the connectivity and access that companies value. At the chapter and global level, that looks like:

• Campus presence: Over the last year our University Relations and Young Leaders committee has developed strong relationships with several Carolina Universities including NC State, NCCU, UNC Chapel Hill and UNC Charlotte sponsoring networking tables, handing out event passes, and participating in real estate club programming.

• Staff dedicated to University Relations and Career Services: CoreNet Global recently hired it’s first VP of University Relations and Career Services, Kim Sauvageau, who is hosting a Job Search Kick Start Webinar on August 13th.

• Lowering the barrier to entry: The global organization is exploring free student membership and a free first year after graduation, alongside a reintroduced the Academic Challenge to draw students into the profession. More to come on this!

• Building real skills: Mentor-match programs pairing experienced professionals with emerging talent, tracked internship opportunities with our end-user and service-provider members, and career services offering resume support and coaching.

• Funding the path: Scholarships developed through the CNG Foundation, targeted to support underrepresented groups.

• Connecting supply to demand: A global job board designed to create a marketplace for member organizations and skilled talent.

I often ask people how they got started in this industry and no two answers are the same, except for the fact that someone else took a chance on bringing them in; maybe by offering advice, making an introduction or taking them underwing. Now we have an opportunity as individuals and as the Carolinas Chapter to do that for others. Every student we welcome and every young leader we mentor doesn't just fill a seat – they fortify our community, ensuring the strength, continuity and innovation long into he future. That is a legacy worth building together.  

Come join us this Fall to establish your legacy.

With Shared Purpose,

Ben Bailey

President CoreNet Global Carolinas