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October 2009
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"The Deeper the Downturn, the Stronger the Recovery!"
Please mark your calendar for the RCA-KC 2010 Commercial Real Estate Forecast on:
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Registration 2:30 p.m. | Program 3 to 5 p.m.
Reception to follow
Sheraton Overland Park (6000 College Blvd.)
Featured speakers:
- Ross Moore, Director of Market & Economic Research for Colliers International, will talk about the macro-economic landscape of the financial markets, office/industrial leasing markets and investment capital markets nationwide.
- Chris Lester, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, will discuss how current economic research can be used to encourage regional growth, as well as a more localized look at how the regional economy is performing through the downturn and prospects for future growth.
This annual event has a track-record as our best-attended function every year. You'll want to be there for a look forward into 2010 from our featured speakers. The event is free for RCA-KC members and includes a cocktail and hors d'oeuvres reception immediately following the presentation. The cost is $25 for nonmembers.
Members can register here by 10/19/09 or e-mail Nancy Davis to make your registration. You can also see the registration flier here.
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Brownback urges growth for Kansas
U.S. Senator Sam Brownback was the honored guest at an August 31 reception hosted by RCA-KC. The event was held at newly-developed office space in Deer Creek Woods Corporate Centre and Deer Creek Woods Executive Suites in Overland Park.
That venue represented one theme of Brownback's Kansas gubernatorial campaign, as he spoke to the Realtors in attendance about the need for government to support and encourage growth in Johnson County and across the state.
 Other topics Brownback discussed were his concerns with the proposed health care reform and energy efficiency legislations being considered in Washington, D.C.
Grubb & Ellis | The Winbury Group co-hosted the reception along with agents Matt Stover and Pat Coppinger and Property Manager Tom Garvey. "Senator Brownback demonstrated a sincere understanding of the needs of our state on all levels. His years of impactful experience in the Senate make him a tremendous candidate for Governor," said Walt Clements, one of the co-developers of the Deer Creek Woods Corporate Centre.
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 RCA-KC NEEDS YOU: Board of Directors Accepting Applications
Hopefully you've had the opportunity to take advantage of some of the programs and information that the Realtors Commercial Alliance of Kansas City (RCA-KC) has presented this year. Your RCA-KC Board of Directors has worked hard to improve on our products, services and programs in 2009, and looks forward to continuing our commitment to serve the commercial real estate brokerage community in 2010.
Now, here's your chance to get involved in shaping the future direction of the RCA-KC by joining our Board of Directors. Currently the Board meets every other month over lunch, and board members are elected to serve three-year terms. The only requirement is that you be a REALTOR® member in good standing with the association.
If you're interested in becoming a Director for the RCA-KC, please complete the application form here and e-mail to derekr@kcrar.com or fax to 913-498-1110 by Friday, Nov. 6, 2009.
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New CE 
Mark your calendar now for a brand-new Commercial CE course, Introduction to Commercial Real Estate Investing. The course will be held Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 9 a.m. (NOTE: This is a change from the original date.)
Back by popular demand is this very knowledgeable and popular instructor, Dan Sight, with a brand-new course designed for commercial practitioners. Course includes investment characteristics, properties, leases, leverage, terminology, plus analyzing net operating income and more.
Students who have taken Dan Sight's other classes have noted these comments on evaluation forms:
"Best class I have taken in many years!"
"What a great class -- wonderful flow and interactive."
"Excellent instructor -- extremely knowledgeable, calm, humorous."
So mark your calendar now and go here to enroll online.
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Icons in Real Estate:
One-on-One with Hugh Zimmer 
For commercial REALTOR® Hugh Zimmer, CRE, SIOR, real estate is really a family affair.
Zimmer's grandfather and father both worked for a North Kansas City development company, his grandfather from 1908-1937 and his father from 1924-1948. His father left the company to start his own business, which is known now as Zimmer Real Estate Services, one of the largest commercial firms in the Midwest. Hugh went to work for his father in 1953 and never looked back.
Hugh, his brother Bill and his son David have all been president of what would eventually become the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS®. His daughter, Ellen Darling, also works for Zimmer Real Estate Services, and the company "has two other Zimmers coming along (as interns)," Hugh says - so the possibility of a fifth generation of Zimmers in real estate is just around the corner.
Hugh has been extremely active in promoting the overall growth of both Kansas and Missouri and has played an important role in many of the area's economic development organizations. He has served on the boards of directors and executive committees of numerous community, civic and professional organizations.
As a recognized leader in the industry locally, regionally and nationally for more than 55 years, Zimmer no doubt stays busy - but we caught up with him in a recent telephone interview, where he talked about the family business and what it's like to have his name on so many well-known regional projects. See the full interview online here.
What do you love about the real estate business?
I do love the business. I don't believe I've had a day in 56 years that I haven't gotten up and looked forward to going to work. It's the challenge. I think it's the very competitive environment, the opportunity to almost create your own future, the opportunity (particularly in our part of the business) to do something that helps build your community. It's fun to drive by some of (our projects) once in a while. And while this will be the last of the reasons, financially it's been a rewarding career.
Zimmer Real Estate Services has had its name on several high-profile Kansas City projects - including the Sprint World Headquarters and new Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank headquarters. What is it like leaving your mark on the region in this way?
Ego be damned - it certainly is a rewarding feeling to know you've had a hand in some of those things. I think one of those things that has really been a precept of Zimmer from the very start is that we try to involve ourselves in projects that are positive and are good for our community and for our area. I would say to you that there are some projects and opportunities that have come to us that we have chosen not to get into - even though they may have been rewarding financially, for whatever reason, we didn't feel they were right. That has been an important part of our business profile from the very start. The other very important thing to us is that because our name is out in front and our name is on our company, everything we do has to be done with the highest integrity and with the highest moral values. That is very important to us.
I think that is again an outgrowth of our belief that we have a responsibility to help our community move forward. I have as a personal commitment devoted a significant part of my time to civic matters and I encourage all of our people to do the same. That's a way that we can give back to the community that has given much to us.
Are you a real estate icon or do you know a REALTOR® who's been/was in the business a long time and would be willing to share their story with us? We'd LOVE to hear from you! Contact Communications Manager Kelli Bamforth at kellib@kcrar.com or 913-266-5907. Look for more profiles on Icons in Real Estate coming soon.
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Commercial Podcast - September 29, 2009
2009 NAR Treasurer and commercial practitioner Jim Helsel announces new tax rules that will help open up the commercial credit market.
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CommercialSource.com 
Have you registered at CommercialSource.com, NAR's commercial real estate Web site? Post your properties for FREE.
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2009 Commercial Member Profile Released
Learn how REALTORS® are weathering the commercial real estate market.
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Learn a lot without leaving your desk 
RCA and Top Dogs Commercial Real Estate Training have several free educational opportunities scheduled through the end of the year. A quick way to learn a lot!
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