Those who know me know
from time to time
I like to string together
some words that rhyme
And now seemed appropriate
I hope you don’t care
If I use a poem to describe
my year as your chair
I said at the outset
I’d make it my mission
Not to stand up and speak
but to sit down and listen
And nine months in,
as best as I can,
I’ve tried to stay true
to that basic plan
To listen meant visits – a chapter tour
I asked for an invite
and folks said sure
First up Chicago – Illinois
I started this poem
Then I thought “oh boy”
I knew pretty soon that I’d have to try harder
To rhyme Pensacola or Reno, Nevada
Wherever I went
no matter the place
I was always met with kindness and grace
So many great staff I can’t mention them all
like Kathy, or Tracy, or Tamara Small
Soon I got accustomed to boarding a plane
Then another and another
And then one more again
When I hit sixty flights
Some of the crew made a fuss
Others got confused and said
Do you work for us?
With all this travel
To ensure it went went well
I relied on two Kellys
Brow and Lempel
If I couldn’t get help from either Kelly
Then I’d always call Shaine or
Marc Selvitelli
As I’m the first chair from North of the border
I’ve worked to hard to keep
our meetings in order
You all know my theme,
we’re better as one
And I’ll keep promoting that theme
Till my term is done
I’ve seen the energy we bring
From coast to coast
And this is the thing
I’ve come to love most
We’ve got so much to offer
We’ve got so much to share
What an honour it is
To serve as your chair
This is the point
Where my lines must stop
For I’ve used all the rhymes
That I had for NAIOP
Next year’s verse would require inspiration
To rhyme Commercial Real Estate Development Association
