Leveling Up: Life Lessons on Leadership with The CCIM Institute’s Senior Instructor, Bo Barron, CCIM

Evelyn Ward, CCIM is Senior Vice President for Agency Leasing and Land Services with Transwestern in Houston. With nearly 20 years of commercial brokerage experience, Evelyn focuses on agency leasing for office, as well as tenant and owner/user representation throughout the greater Houston area. Ward’s expertise lies in market knowledge, negotiations, marketing, and finding the best solution for her clients based on their goals and individual needs. She earned her CCIM Designation in 2011 and is a senior instructor for the CCIM Institute for CI 103 Designation courses. In this episode, we dive into the dynamic world of office space leasing and tenant and owner-user representation. Ward uncovers strategies, insights, and her views on vacancies and where she believes office is heading in the future.

Rod Santomassimo, CCIM, is the founder and President of the Massimo Group, CRE Perform, and Co-Founder of CREInvestor.Coach and CRE Listing Launcher. The Massimo Group is the world's #1 commercial real estate broker coaching and consulting organization, assisting over 4,200 commercial real estate professionals in building their desired business and life. Santomassimo is the author of four best-selling books – Brokers Who Dominate, Teams Built to Dominate, and Knowing Isn’t Doing – which became America's #1 sales book when it launched. In this podcast, Santomassimo shares his success strategies for business growth and how AI is transforming commercial real estate.

Kathleen Rose, CCIM, CRE, is a Founder, President, and CEO of Rose and Associates Southeast, Inc. She has combined decades of development and commercial real estate experience to build a boutique woman-owned consulting practice. Rose is a Chief Problem Solver consultant, facilitator, instructor, developer, investor, speaker, and author. She received her CCIM Designation in 1989 and holds the Counselor of Real Estate (CRE) designation. Each year the Counselors of Real Estate identifies current and emerging issues expected to have the most significant impact on all real estate sectors. Now in its 11th year, and with many of the issues interrelated, the 2024 Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate can be grouped into three general categories: Economy & Markets, Government & Regulatory, and Change & Risk Management. Listen now to hear Rose talk more in-depth about some of the most pressing issues in this year’s Top 10.

Heather Kreiger, CCIM, is the Regional Research Director of Lee & Associates of Eastern and Western Pennsylvania. Her expertise spans research, marketing, operations, sales, and leasing, encompassing a diverse range of commercial and industrial projects. Heather's commitment to the industry is evident through her active involvement in local, statewide, and national real estate committees and boards. She earned her CCIM Designation in 2020.

Ellen Hsu, Founder & the Executive Director of Prominent Real Estate Services and Co-Founder & Managing Director of Promont Management, stands as an emerging figure in the real estate domain. She brings a collection of specialized disciplines having worked at eXp Realty (Vice President of Operations, Canada), Ernst & Young LLP (Transaction Real Estate Group), Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Real Estate Division), and Southwestern Oklahoma State University's Small Business Development Center (Head of Research Division). In addition to her real estate practice, she most recently served as President for The CCIM Institute Foundation. Ellen’s story is both inspirational and fraught with challenges and achievements—a story of transcending cultural barriers, dedicated community service, and the enrichment of lives through resilience, innovation, and altruism.

Faith and Family: How Commercial Real Estate Has Paved a Prosperous Future for Candis Pressley, CCIM In this episode, we spoke with Candis Pressley, CCIM, who is Founder and CEO at Trinity Property Advisors. Candis acts as a strategic planner and advisor for her clients in their investment real estate goals. She is also relaunching the Philadelphia Real Estate Entrepreneur Academy, a real estate school in Philadelphia. One of her goals is to introduce commercial real estate as a career path to minorities in the area and as a investment vehicle. Most recently, Candis graduated from the JWL Leadership Development Academy and was featured in the CCIM Spotlight in the fall edition of Commercial Connections magazine.

Landon Williams, CCIM, is a negotiator. From the ballfield to the commercial real estate market, Williams has set his sights on reaching the best deal for his clients. From professional sports stars to investors, throughout his career, Wiliams has enjoyed leveraging hard data and anecdotal feedback to connect the dots and bring the two sides together for a successful transaction. Listen now to hear from Williams about his negotiation playbook and find out why he has an affinity for all things commercial real estate.

In a world where the commercial real estate landscape is complex and ever-changing, Bo Barron, CEO of Barron Commercial Group, serves as a trusted guide. Bo understands clients' challenges and opportunities when navigating commercial real estate decisions. As a third-generation leader in the industry, former Marine, and Senior Instructor with The CCIM Institute, Bo is on a mission to empower investors, owners, and those seeking to learn more about commercial real estate. Listen to the podcast now to hear Bo’s journey from Marine to CCIM Designee and how his past has shaped him into the industry leader he is today.

Faraz Cheema, CCIM, is the Managing Group Principal with Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty. With over 7 years of experience as a financial analyst and 6 years as an asset manager, Faraz has a unique understanding of the investment side of commercial real estate. Recently, Faraz was named top 45 out of 150 LinkedIn influencers in commercial real estate. His approach to social media has garnered thousands of followers in a few short months and has captured a lot of buzz within the industry. Listen to the podcast now to learn how Faraz uses social media to build connections, further his business, and inspire commercial real estate brokers online.

Greg Fitzgerald, CCIM, is the founder of Tri-Oak Consulting Group. Fitzgerald jumped into commercial real estate brokerage in two thousand and two out of a strong desire to take charge of his professional destiny. He’s the author of the book “The Broker Success Formula: Mastering 8 Mindsets to Guarantee Your Success in the Real Estate Brokerage Business.” In his book, Fitzgerald introduces 8 key mindsets that when mastered will help you build a sustainable real estate sales business that constantly grows and gives you endless energy, opportunities, and freedom.