Commercial Investment Real Estate July/August 2016 | Page 13

way to the CCIM Foundation, which supports and encourages new members and designees. Why do you think it’s important for CCIMs to contribute? Shindleman: It’s a tangible way to give back to the organization and industry. Every foundation requires money to continue and This article is sponsored by the CCIM Foundation @ www.ccimef.org. expand its work. The CCIM Foundation is no different and needs the support of CCIMs. Webb: If you have a “heart” for the CCIM pin and the organization, the logical out- come is to become a donor. Give what you can every year consistently. No matter how much that is, it will grow and you’ll soon find yourself a member of the Leadership Society. Remember that the dona- tion is tax-deductible, so always consider the CCIM Foundation when you’re making your charitable donations for the year. Tesluk: I fondly remember all my instruc- tors and how generous they were with their time and sharing details about transactions. I wanted to be a force in promoting the ben- efit of the CCIM designation. A great way to express gratitude is to share with others; being able to assist individuals with scholar- ships as they pursue the CCIM designation is an impactful way to give back to the industry. Gary Ralston: As I began my career in commercial real estate, I was counseled that “you have to learn to earn.” The CCIM edu- cation program provided that opportunity. As a committed continuous learner, I sup- port education and encourage all of my fel- low successful CCIMs to support education by contributing to the CCIM Foundation. Susan Groeneveld: I give to the Founda- tion because it has been such a big part of my life for the last 30 years, and I want to give back. I donate to the Named Endowed Scholarship that was created in my name because all the alumni of the Jay W. Levine Leadership Development Academy benefit. There are more 100 alumni, so the money spent each year from this fund benefits them. For those of you unfamiliar with the work of the CCIM Foundation, visit www.ccimef. org to learn more. Mary Stark-Hood, JJD, CFP is president of the Hood Group, Inc. and currently serves as a consultant to the CCIM Foundation. Contact her at [email protected] Did you know? THE CCIM FOUNDATION AWARDS MORE THAN 100 SCHOLARSHIPS TO DESERVING STUDENTS EACH YEAR. Half of the funds needed to support these annual scholarships comes from the proceeds of our silent auction. Please help us keep this program going by making a donation. Previously donated items include: • stays at vacation homes • tickets to sporting events • artwork • gift certificates, and more. The silent auction will be held Oct. 25-27 during CCIM Institute’s Annual Governance Meetings in Atlanta. Please submit donations by Sept. 15. Interested in making a donation to the event? Contact Susan Groeneveld, CCIM, Executive Director, at [email protected] to learn more. The CCIM Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization . CCIM.com July | August | 2016 