Chairman's Letter - January 2011

01/28/2011 16:36

It's hard to believe that 2011 is already here. I hope that you and your families had a wonderful holiday season wherever you were in the world. As the weather gets colder in parts of the Americas, the economy seems to be warming in certain parts. As we hope for a successful 2011, we certainly can look back on the past year with a sense of accomplishment. RICS Americas grew its membership and staff. We now have 12 chapters in the US, three in Canada, a strong presence in the Caribbean and growing sub-chapters throughout the region. Our Councils are more active than just about anywhere else in the RICS world. We are leading the discussion on important property topics from Valuation to Sustainability to BIM. RICS events numbered more than 75 in 2010, and we look to continue enhancing them in content, attendance and number. As we look back on 2010, we've accomplished a lot, but we continue to look ahead and know there is much more that we can do. Our number one goal in 2011 is to enhance brand recognition throughout the marketplace across all of our disciplines. This recognition of our professional, technical and ethical standards will raise your profile as a member, and that of your firm. The ultimate goal for all of us is to have the marketplace demand the mark of property professionalism. I thank you for all of your contributions to that effort in 2010, and look forward to working with you in 2011. Here's wishing you best wishes for the New Year! Tom Justin FRICS Chairmain, RICS Americas