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Reflecting on My Year as NAIOP Chair
It has been my honor and privilege to serve this past year as the 57th chair of the organization. NAIOP has a long history of doing great work on behalf of the industry, and I’m proud to have contributed to all that we do.
Brian Walker
When I accepted the role at our annual meeting the prior fall, I shared that I viewed 2023 as a year of transition, as we studied who we were and evaluated who we wanted — and needed — to be while continuing to emerge from the pandemic and overcome its long-term impacts.
I envisioned 2024 as a year of implementing and executing new strategies and making progress with our association’s goals. We moved the ball forward in so many ways, but there is still work to do to stabilize the industry.
Economically, many sectors of our industry are still in peril with looming tax credit expirations. Similarly, we still have challenges in the capital markets. We’ve seen the beginning of rate cuts, and many executives are leading their employees back to the office five days a week. Our industry is resilient, and we will continue to battle through the headwinds.
Legislatively, NAIOP’s lobbying team is working on Capitol Hill and partnering with chapters across the association to focus on the issues affecting our industry. We were successful in introducing federal tax incentives for adaptive reuse, and the work there continues. We supported NAIOP Colorado in its efforts to challenge the legality of statewide building performance mandates found in Regulation 28 and helped galvanize opposition among California members to flawed anti-warehouse legislation (AB 98). Recently, we held a Mountain West Regional Summit. We continue to support our chapters’ advocacy on state and local issues because real estate is a local business.
The collective voice of our organization is more important than ever. I urge each of you to stay involved and to encourage your fellow chapter members to join you in deepening their engagement.
I feel fortunate to have chaired the organization as it achieved myriad successes this year. These included experiencing tremendous growth beyond 22,000 members, implementing a strategic plan that will lead the association into the future, selling out industrial conferences, and helping to cultivate thriving chapters.
I’m pleased to have visited 26 chapters this year, traveling roughly 74,000 miles and spending almost 100 nights away from home as I attended chapter events and got to know our members. The number of members I’ve met and new connections I’ve made are invaluable. Your stories have motivated me, your markets have impressed me, and your dedication to our organization has inspired me. For these experiences alone, I am grateful.
At CRE.Converge in Las Vegas, I officially passed the gavel to 2025 Chair Alex Thomson, whom I have enjoyed getting to know and working with these past several years. Alex will be our first chair from Canada, and I’m looking forward to all the association will achieve with his leadership and unique perspective.
To our members across North America, thank you for your encouragement and your commitment to this organization. We are a stronger association because of it, and our members and chapters can feel supported by the spirit of teamwork and alliance when we work as one.
Brian Walker, President, Burns Scalo Real Estate
2024 NAIOP Chair
