President Welcome

Presidents Message
David Pennetta

Ten years ago I wouldn’t have seen it happening, but I’m now greeting you once again at the helm of CIBS, starting a new year. My last stint as president was back in 1998-1999. This organization is now approaching the age of 18. Many of you are parents and know that an 18 year old may be a legal adult but still has some growing to do. In a way this holds true for CIBS as it reaches the age of majority. Happy birthday to CIBS – and to all of us.
 
May I offer a tip of the hat to my predecessor, Jeff Schwartzberg. Jeff has become a personal friend and a trusted competitor through our efforts together at CIBS. Jeff made engaging the younger generation a priority for CIBS. Those efforts are bearing fruit this year as Kyle Burkhart joins our executive board and Dan Gazzola and Alberto Fiorini join our general board. We also now have an “Associate Board Member” category designed in which two young brokers, Marisa Kamitz and Mario Assaro, will contribute in 2011.
 
Another change is CIBS’ political stance. This organization has traditionally been neutral regarding individual political candidacies. We will continue that stance. However, in an effort to steer Long Island in what we feel is the right direction, we will be supporting development- friendly legislation and backing sustainable development efforts. We currently have strategic alliances with Association for a Better Long Island (ABLI), Long Island Builders Institute (LIBI) and LIBOR which bring the breadth of our voice to over 30,000 members (read voters).

As you know, the CIBS Board deliberates each month over key issues facing our industry. In order to share the results of these deliberations, in 2011 we plan to distribute the results of these conversations in the form of highlights. These highlights will also be posted on our Web site, itself being thoroughly revamped.  This begins a conversation about important issues. Please join us by forwarding comments you feel would impact others, and posting comments yourself to continue the dialogue.
 
We’re expanding our efforts to communicate more readily and more interactively with our members to better explore the issues facing our industry and communities. We will more fully embrace social media as a communication tool and will seek to produce two to three minute video interviews with Long Island’s movers and shakers concerning commercial real estate, brokerage and the Long Island economy. And off we go…
 
I look forward to working with you throughout the new year!