Team Stirling Properties Spreads Holiday Cheer!
In the spirit of the Holiday Season, Stirling Properties participated in the Volunteers of America Christmas Wish “Angel” Project. For the 6th consecutive year, our company donated Christmas gifts, food baskets and other essential items to local families in need across our Gulf South region.
The annual Christmas Wish Project helps bring joy and holiday cheer to families and individuals who might not have a Christmas this year. Through Volunteers of America, participating families submit “wish list” gift items for each individual. The wishes are noted on angels and hung on the company Christmas tree where Stirling Properties and employees can select and grant them. This year, we were able to fulfill every single wish! In all, 18 families and more than 46 children, adults and seniors received Christmas gifts. Additionally, 10 families on the Northshore received food baskets with tasty treats and supplies for the holiday season.
Stirling Properties’ Stewardship Committee organized the company-wide event by partnering with Volunteers of America in Greater New Orleans, Greater Baton Rouge and the Southeast to serve the New Orleans Northshore and Southshore, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Mobile and Shreveport communities.
In addition to donating to the Christmas Wish Project, Stirling Properties hosted its third annual Northpark Christmas Bazaar, Bake Sale & Raffle on Friday, November 17th. Local vendors, as well as employees of the Northpark office complex sold crafts, jewelry, ornaments, artwork, beauty products and many other great gift items.
The Christmas Bazaar raised $2,500, which was also donated in full to Volunteers of America to assist more families in our area with emergency holiday needs.
The Holiday Season is a time for gratitude, generosity and giving back to our region. Stirling Properties is committed to supporting the communities where we live and work, and we will continue to support local nonprofits, community groups and charitable organizations throughout the year and beyond.
Thank you to all of the vendors, donors and shoppers who made this project a huge success. On behalf or Stirling Properties, we wish you and yours a joyous Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!
For more information about Stirling’s Stewardship Committee, please visit stirlingprop.com/about/community-involvement or contact us by email at stewardship@stirlingprop.com.
Stirling Properties Highlights Leading Ladies In Commercial Real Estate!
Last month, several Team Stirling Properties members were acknowledged and awarded for their successes and contributions to the Gulf South commercial real estate industry.
Melissa Warren, CCIM, Sales & Leasing Executive, was selected by the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of REALTORS® (NOMAR) Commercial Investment Division (CID) as a member of its governing Board of Directors. Warren is one of only three women to hold this post. She will assume the position on January 1, 2018, and serve for a two-year term.
Warren has provided commercial real estate advisory services for more than 16 years, with a focus on industrial, office, and retail sales and leasing, as well as tenant and landlord representation. She was awarded the Top Producer Ruby Award by the Gulf Coast Association of Realtors (GCAR) for completing the largest number of commercial transactions on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and inducted into the Top Producer Round Table for lifetime achievement. She is a graduate of Mississippi State University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree. She is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), NOMAR CID, CCIM Institute, Louisiana Chapter of CCIM, and ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers).
Carly Plotkin, Sales & Leasing Executive, was awarded a $1,500 NOMAR CID Education Scholarship. The scholarships are designed to help individual CID members increase their knowledge and education in the fields of commercial and industrial real estate. The scholarship may be applied to courses from many different providers (i.e., CCIM, SIOR, IREM, LR, UNO, etc). She is one of only three recipients awarded this year.
Plotkin joined Stirling Properties in 2016. Her primary focus is on tenant and landlord representation, as well as a strong interest in the retail and hospitality market. She has worked with national, regional, and local clients in both marketing and leasing capacities. She was the recipient of the 2017 “Rising Star Award” at the NOMAR CID Annual Achievement Awards ceremony. She is an active member of ICSC and holds the position of Next Generation State Chair for Louisiana. She is also a member of the Retail Brokers Network (RBN), and serves as RBN’s NextGen Southeast Committee Chair. Plotkin is a graduate of Tulane University with a bachelor’s degree in Consumer Behavior/Marketing and Management.
Rhonda Sharkawy, Senior Retail Leasing & Development Executive, was recognized in New Orleans CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Network’s member spotlight for the month of November. New Orleans CREW Network is the premier commercial real estate association in the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area for women from all disciplines of commercial real estate.
Sharkawy joined Stirling Properties in 1998, and has commercial experience working with new retail developments, redevelopments, and leasing of existing shopping centers. In addition, she represents over a dozen national retailers throughout Louisiana. She is a graduate of Loyola University in New Orleans with a bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree in Land & Real Estate Development. She also completed coursework for a master’s degree in Construction Science from Texas A&M University. Sharkawy is active in ICSC and serves on Loyola University’s Board of Trustees. She has been inducted into the National Association of REALTORS® Commercial Hall of Fame for having the highest volume of transactions in the marketplace for at least 5 years. She is one of only three inductees in the Hall of Fame, and the only woman to achieve this distinguished honor.
These women are truly leaders in the commercial real estate industry and are serving as trailblazers for others in the business. A recent study commissioned by CREW Network tracks 10 years of progress for women in a traditionally male-dominated industry. The report found that women in commercial real estate are more satisfied with their career progression than they were a decade ago, a substantial leap for the industry. Successes included more women filling senior vice president, managing director, and partner positions—even women starting their own real estate companies. Women in commercial real estate have achieved equal or close-to-equal standing as men in many aspects. (Read the full report HERE.)
While there is still much work to do, progress is happening. We are proud of our Stirling Properties’ team and all the women who are making a difference in commercial real estate!
#StirlingProud
Come Celebrate Christmas at the Square!
The magic of Christmas returns to Hammond Square with the 5th Annual Christmas at the Square celebration in Hammond, Louisiana. Join us on Saturday, December 9th from 10am-12pm for a holly, jolly time. This FREE event is open to the public and fun for all ages!
Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to visit with guests, listen to Christmas wishes, and get a start on their naughty or nice list. The celebration will feature a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, a caricature artist, the Bayou Selfie photo booth, a live radio remote with Cajun 107.1, and more.
During the event, Hammond Square will also be collecting nonperishable food items to donate to Our Daily Bread food bank. Each person to donate a food item from 10am-12pm on December 9th will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win a Hammond Square Holiday Prize Pack (prize value of more than $350). The recipient will be selected live on the radio at the conclusion of Christmas at the Square. Winner need not be present to win.
So come out and celebrate Christmas at the Square with us…and Santa Claus! While you’re there, don’t forget to visit some of Hammond Square’s great retail stores and restaurants for all your Christmas shopping and holiday needs.
Visit HammondSquare.com or “like” us on facebook.com/hammondsquare for a complete list of retailers and events.
Happy Holidays from Hammond Square!
National Association of REALTORS® Selects Bradley Cook For Research Committee
Stirling Properties’ Sales and Leasing Executive, Bradley Cook, has been selected by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) as a Member at Large on its Research Committee. He will assume the position on December 1st of this year and serve through November 30th of 2018.
The NAR Research Committee focuses on market conditions in the real estate industry as well as developments in the general economy. It identifies topics on which research and information are needed in order to improve the productivity and profitability of REALTOR® firms, state associations, and local boards, and determines how that data can best be utilized.
The committee holds multiple meetings throughout the year and garners national and regional market data from its respective members to determine industry activity, trends, or topics that need to be the focus for legislative and/or lobbying efforts.
The goals of the 2018 Research Committee include the completion of an in-depth review of current major research reports and advise on needed changes or adjustments; identify new trends/issues related to the real estate industry and provide research support; and explore and develop improved methods of dissemination of, and ease the access to, research for members and stakeholders.
“I am excited to gain the insight that this committee will provide,” said Cook. “The opportunity to receive national and regional industry data, and to help the committee make critical decisions on the proper path forward for our industry is a tremendous responsibility.”
Cook is a member of Stirling Properties’ Commercial Brokerage Division and works from the company’s Northshore office located in Covington, Louisiana. His primary focus includes industrial, urban core, and land development as well as tenant representation in the retail and office markets. He has worked with numerous landlord and tenant clients from multiple industries including fitness, film, a micro-brewery start-up in the Baton Rouge market, and is the lead broker for Louisiana’s premier future industrial mega-site development.
He is a member of both the East and West St. Tammany Chambers of Commerce, the Louisiana CCIM Chapter, the Commercial Investment Division of the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors, and the National Association of REALTORS®. Cook holds a commercial real estate license in Missouri, Kansas, and Louisiana and is a CCIM candidate.
The National Association of Realtors is America’s largest trade association, representing over 1.2 million members, including NAR’s institutes, societies, and councils, involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. Membership is composed of residential and commercial realtors who are brokers, salespeople, property managers, appraisers, counselors, and others engaged in the real estate industry.
Bradley Cook can be reached at (985) 246-3720 or bcook@stirlingprop.com.
Ryan Juneau Earns Certified Retail Property Executive (CRX) Credential
Stirling Properties’ Asset Manager, Ryan Juneau, has earned the ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) Certified Retail Property Executive (CRX) credential.
With designees in 50 countries, ICSC’s certification programs raise the industry’s professional standards globally, and distinguish retail real estate professionals who demonstrate the highest levels of competency in their specialty as proven through solid professional education, experience, ethics, and the passing of a rigorous examination.
ICSC grants CRX certification in recognition of mastering retailing and retail property knowledge related to the performance, profitability, and executive leadership of industry organizations. Only a select group of senior executive leaders are awarded CRX designations each year.
Juneau is a member of Stirling Properties’ Asset & Property Management Division where he is responsible for ancillary development and construction, property operations, leasing, financing, financial reporting, and investor relations for internally owned, joint venture, and third-party managed assets. His portfolio includes both newly opened and mature shopping centers and office buildings in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and Slidell, Louisiana, as well as overseeing management of the PMAT Companies’ portfolio of shopping centers across the southeast and mid-west.
“Congratulations to Ryan for earning the CRX certification. He has a proven record of experience, success, and knowledge—and now joins an elite group of executive professionals in the retail real estate industry,” said Marty Mayer, President & CEO with Stirling Properties. “Stirling Properties is proud to have him as part of our Asset & Property Management team.”
Juneau holds a degree in Finance/Real Estate and graduated from the Executive MBA Program at Louisiana State University. He also achieved the designation of ICSC’s Certified Development, Design, and Construction Professional (CDP). He is active in the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Board of Directors for GaitWay Therapeutic Horsemanship.
Ryan Juneau can be reached at rjuneau@stirlingprop.com or (225) 329-0263.
Stirling Properties Third Annual Christmas Bazaar
Stirling Properties Third Annual Christmas Bazaar is this Friday, November 17 from 11:00AM – 2:00PM at the Northpark Corp. Lobby in Covington, Louisiana.
The Bazaar will feature local vendors selling various items including: Holiday Décor, Mary Kay, Personalized Gifts, Paintings, Handmade Organic Wheat Bags, Beaded Jewelry, Pen Flower Bouquets, Wood Signs, LuLaRoe, Handmade Kitchen Towels & Totes, Etched Glass, Rodan & Fields, Ornaments, Jewelry, Southern Inspired Decor & Accessories, and much more!
In addition to getting a head start in your holiday shopping, make sure you bring your sweet tooth because we will have a bake sale with tasty treats. All items will be $1! We will also be selling Jambalaya Lunches for $5.00.
All vendors have provided an item for raffle. Raffle tickets are $1 each and you can win one of over 20 prizes!
All proceeds from the bake sale, lunch and raffle will be donated to the Volunteers of America’s Christmas Family Program.
Last year’s Bake Sale and Raffle raised nearly $2,000 which was donated in full to Volunteers of America’s Greater New Orleans’ Christmas Family Program! We hope to raise even more this year. Please come out on Friday at 11AM to help support this worthy cause.
Stirling Properties is committed to supporting the communities where we live and work, and we will continue to support local nonprofits, community groups and charitable organizations throughout the year and beyond. #StirlingProud
