Another great collaboration with ProgressiveAE

Helping Area Non Profits from Home During the COVID-19 Crisis

Our April Virtual Luncheon featured SHARE Charlotte Marketing Director, Melissa Hovey, teaching our members how to #ShareFromHome. Just in time for Do Good Week April 19-25, 40 participants gathered via Zoom on April 21 to learn the many ways we can help area nonprofits from direct donations and purchase of Amazon Wish List Items to virtual volunteering activities.

Since we’re all accustomed to paying a $40 luncheon fee, we asked members to donate that same amount to a local nonprofit. 21 members (that we know of because they reported back) responded to the challenge with donations to 19 different nonprofits totaling $840!  Here’s where those do good dollars went:

1. Katharine Arno, DAR Service to America
2. Alexis Baker, Baby Bundles
3. Colleen Brannan, JDRF
4. Becky Cheney, Salvation Army
5. Patty Drummond, Safe Alliance
6. Robin Haddock, Humane Society
7. Camille Kanofsky, Common Wealth Charlotte
8. Spencer Lueders, Safe Alliance
9. Marie McLucas, American Cancer Society
10. Cristy Nine, Red Cross
11. Anna O’Neal, Pat’s Place
12. Kristen Pleasants, GOTR
13. Ann-Fleming Powell, Loaves and Fishes
14. Nikki Ratchford, Florence Crittenton Services
15. Angela Saladino, Foster Village, Charlotte Black Dogs, Humane Society and Harvest Center
16. Misty Shaffer, Safe Alliance
17. Kelly Steele, Safe Alliance
18. Natalie Stevens, Humane Society
19. Irene Suchoza, Bright Blessings
20. Robin Turner, Ronald McDonald House
21. Sivilay Xayasaene, Loaves & Fishes

In related news, CREW Charlotte sponsored SAFE Alliance’s SHARE SHINE membership fee for the year and appears on its SHARE profile. To learn more about SHARE Charlotte, visit www.sharecharlotte.org

Evolution of Economic Development in the Charlotte Region

Submitted by Colleen Brannan, BRANSTORM PR

The sold out March CREW Luncheon addressed the evolution of economic development in the Charlotte Region. Charlotte Business Journal Real Estate Editor, Ashley Fahey moderated a discussion between Tracy Dodson, Assistant City Manager/Director of Economic Development for the City of Charlotte and Janet LaBar, CEO of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.

The trio covered a lot of ground in 30 minutes including what has changed since the mergers of The Charlotte Chamber and Charlotte Regional Partnership, the City’s role in project management and how collaboration between the two organizations is delivering big results—proving ED is truly a team sport. They wrapped up by highlighting a recent trip to Paris that started with a Hornets game abroad and became a highly successful business recruitment opportunity. Evidently selling Charlotte is easier with Michael Jordan in the mix!

“New Year, New You?”

Submitted by Sara Whitten with Shiel Sexton

On January 14, 2020 Dr. Dawn E. Chanland, Professor of Management, Queens University of Charlotte, kicked off the 2020 CREW monthly luncheons with a presentation on “Personal Change Strategies to Maximize Your Impact in 2020.”

40-60% of people set resolutions at New Year, only 8% achieve them. Change is daunting and you need to diagnose your demons! How can we make change stick and gain maximum impact? You must care about the change you want to make. You must strongly value it and do it differently than you did before. Make small but meaningful behavioral changes:

• do some sit-ups at night
• do arm weights 3 or 4 times a week
• say no to sweets…sometimes!

Write down your goals and tell your people; they will hold you accountable. Pick someone who you can be vulnerable with; who is your “person”?! We change when we strongly care about the change and when we value ourselves. However, don’t have too many goals – achieve them one at a time and say “no” to more. Do Less, Then Obsess.  Wield a Razor on Unnecessary Stuff. What will I look like if I’m at my very best?

How committed are you to this change in 2020?

CREW Charlotte 2019 Impact Awards

Submitted by Diana Quarry, Womble Bond Dickinson

On December 10, 2019, CREW Charlotte members and guests gathered to celebrate the best and brightest of our chapter over the past year.  In Sallie Jarosz’s final luncheon of her presidency, she thanked all members, especially the 2019 Board of Directors, Committee Co-Chairs, past chapter presidents and long-standing members, for their hard work and dedication to CREW Charlotte’s mission.  Attendees also had the honor of hearing from the 2020 CREW Network President, Christine Gorham, about new initiatives and efforts in store for CREW Chapters during the upcoming year. 

Keynote speaker Cindy Wolfe, Chief Banking Officer at Bank OZK and past CREW Charlotte president, spoke to members about the value of investing in oneself and not always asking one’s employer to carry the cost for any professional development programs.  She believes that, while mentors and sponsors at work are valuable resources, there is a special benefit to paying your own way for a coach or program that will push you outside of your comfort zone.  She noted that women are generous with donating their time, talent and money to CREW and other causes, but that it is important to allocate some of that towards one’s own growth and success. 

Finally, Ms. Wolfe announced our 2019 Impact Award Winners.  The award program had been refreshed for 2019, with some new awards being granted.  The esteemed winners were as follows:

• The Ground Breaker Award honors a new CREW Charlotte member who positively impacted CREW Charlotte through active service since joining.  This year’s award went to Nijah Wilson.  Ms. Wilson has been an active member on the Student Outreach committee, assisting with UCREW efforts by participating in several college fairs and building relationships with university faculty.  She was also critical to the reinstatement of the CREW Careers Program.  She was also a graduate of the 2019 CREW Charlotte Authentic Leadership Program and will be sitting on the Leadership Program committee in 2020 to help develop the curriculum for future programs.
• The Carrie Sharp Power Connector Award honors a CREW Charlotte member or sponsor who went beyond networking and actively established or strengthened relationships with fellow members or sponsors.  This year’s award went to Scarlet Powell of Unified Technology Systems.  When collecting nominations for this award, CREW Charlotte received an overwhelming number of nominations for Ms. Powell – a testament to just how many people she has made strong connections with over the past year.  A member since 2009, Ms. Powell has been a constant and reliable presence in the Charlotte chapter, graciously volunteering her time over the years. She has played vital roles on the Board, as well as the Programs, Sponsorship and Communications Committees.
• The Member-to-Member Business Award honors a CREW Charlotte member or sponsor who consistently demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to marshal CREW talent, resulting in measurable business for other CREW members or sponsors. This year’s award went to Dianne Jones of Maxis Advisors.  Ms. Jones has formed a network within CREW that she uses to refer business to others. By always staying informed, she even makes connections on deals in which she’s not involved.  She promotes fellow CREW members, opening doors and assembling member talent whenever possible to provide insight on new projects.
• The Career Advancement for Women Award honors a CREW Charlotte member or sponsor who consistently exemplifies CREW Charlotte’s commitment to elevating the status of women in commercial real estate by working to advance the careers of other women.  This year’s award went to Denise Dexter of JLL. Over the last 18 years, Ms. Dexter has risen through the ranks of commercial real estate, learning from the ground up.  Her entire career has revolved around hard work, being prepared and nurturing others.  As the mother of twin teenage girls, she appreciates the importance of women in the workplace and is an advocate for diversity and inclusion at her firm. She not only nurtures women in the workplace, but all intelligent young professionals, providing the level playing field we all desire.
• The Entrepreneurial Spirit Award honors a CREW Charlotte member or sponsor who achieved a unique career success or milestone in the past 12 months as a result of an exceptional entrepreneurial spirit. This year’s award went to Randy Hopkins, owner of Hopkins Consulting & Review. Ms. Hopkins was already a successful entrepreneur as the president of a boutique appraisal firm. As a result of self-evaluation, she participated in the inaugural CREW Charlotte Authentic Leadership Program, where she realized she wanted to use her innate strengths to re-envision the next phase of her career. Over the past year, she closed her prior company and formed a single-member LLC to showcase her talents as a review appraiser and consultant. Ms. Hopkins has shown that one can always continue to grow and evolve.
• The Circle of Excellence Award is CREW Charlotte’s top honor, and recognizes a member or sponsor who consistently delivers excellence and whose efforts advance the commercial real estate industry and support CREW Charlotte’s mission. Ms. Jarosz presented this year’s award to Katie Barker of Childress Klein. Ms. Jarosz noted all of Ms. Barker’s help in executing on the 2019 strategic vision for the Chapter.  Ms. Barker was also tasked with improving the sponsorship experience, raising money and working tirelessly to be a change agent. She also played a vital role with coordinating sponsorship focus groups, and then organized the overall feedback from those sessions into clear actionable items that became the genesis of new sponsor events.