BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors of the Chapter is the governing body of the Corporation and consists of each of the elected officers provided in the bylaws, ten (10) elected members, the three immediate past-Presidents of the Chapter and any Board Member or Officer of the National Association from the Chapter. Ten (10) elected members of the Board of Directors are selected from and by the Principal and Associate Members in good standing at the Association's Annual Meeting (typically held in November of each year). Elected members are be elected for a term of three (3) years and take office at the beginning of the calendar year immediately following the Chapter Annual Meeting of the membership held for the purpose of election of officers. Members hold office until their successors are elected and qualified.
The Chapter has five (5) standing committees, six (6) subcommittees, and three (3) tasks groups. The Chapter also participates in the incorporated Statewide Alliance whose members also include the Central Pennsylvania and the Greater Philadelphia Chapters of NAIOP.
The Chapter’s Committees include:
Ø Nominating Subcommittee
Ø Regional Development Consortium (Participant)
Ø Political Advocacy Alliance (Subcommittee)
Ø Smart Growth/Environment Subcommittee
Ø Task Groups:
o Transportation Issues Task Force
o Utility Infrastructure Issues Task Force
o State and Local Tax Issues Task Force
Ø Annual Banquet Subcommittee
Ø Night-At-The-Fights Subcommittee
Ø Golf Outing Subcommittee
The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors shall consist of five (5) voting members, comprised of the President, President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, and Public Affairs Chair. The Executive Director of the Chapter shall be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee. The term of office for a member of the Executive Committee shall coincide with the term of office of the Officers elected each year. The Executive Committee shall have full authority to act as and on behalf of the Board of Directors in the interim between scheduled meetings of the Board of Directors. Four (4) voting members shall constitute a quorum. The Secretary or such other person as the Executive Committee may designate shall record and transcribe the minutes of each meeting of the Executive Committee, which shall be circulated only to the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee members and such other persons as the Executive Committee designates for the purpose of carrying on the business of the Chapter.
Ø NOMINATING SUBCOMMITTEE
The Nominating
Committee of the Chapter shall consist of three (3) past-Presidents appointed by
the President, by and with the approval of the Executive Committee, at least
sixty (60) days prior to the date of the Chapter Annual Meeting. It shall be
charged with presenting nominations for Officers and Directors to the Chapter
Annual Meeting of the membership (typically held in November of each year), and
notice of the nominations shall be given to the membership at least twenty-one
(21) days prior to the Chapter Annual Meeting.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
This is the committee responsible for monitoring governmental issues (including legislative action) and creating an awareness of these issues among the chapter membership. The Public Affairs Committee plans and executes NAIOP's legislative objectives and strategies for the year. By hosting legislative forums, participating in grass roots lobbying and organizing important legislative activities, committee members help NAIOP stay in front of important industry issues. The Public Affairs Committee consists of several sub-committees (Political Advocacy Alliance, Regional Development Consortium, and Smart Growth/Environment), and numerous Tasks Groups. The Public Affairs Committee periodically reviews legislative initiatives to ascertain their impact on the commercial real estate industry and recommend positions for NAIOP to take on those initiatives.
The Public Affairs Committee is responsible for monitoring all bills and resolutions concerning the commercial real estate community which are brought before the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The Committee also reviews state regulations and monitors subcommittees and commissions of interest to the industry. The Western Pennsylvania Chapter participates in the Pennsylvania Statewide Alliance is instrumental in developing strategies which the Statewide Alliance pursues at the State Capitol. Members of the Local Affairs Committee monitor local legislative and regulatory issues in five Northern Virginia jurisdictions. The Committee formulates positions which are then taken before the NAIOP Board of Directors for approval.
The Committee identifies policies that should be addressed by legislation and drafts legislative proposals as necessary for consideration by the Board. Public Affairs Committee members actively represent the real estate industry’s interest in the Harrisburg and Washington, DC while keeping members abreast of current legislation occurring on the Federal, State and local levels. Activities will include:
The Public Affairs Committee is responsible for several Task Groups including:
Transportation Infrastructure Issues Task Force – The purpose of this Task Group is to work with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) to develop specific actions to better integrate the development community into the transportation planning process, including having representation on the Commission, participating directly in planning efforts, and attending the SPC policy conference.
· Attend SPC’s Transportation Technical Committee, Finance Committee, and Commission meetings to monitor progress and provide input on priority projects.
· Meet with project managers of key projects regularly to monitor progress and provide input and support.
· For priority projects currently on the four-year Transportation Improvement Program, actively monitor progress and provide necessary assistance to keep projects on schedule.
· For priority projects not currently on the Transportation Improvement Program but on the Long-Range Plan, develop recommendations for a development community role in the projects.
· For priority projects not on the Long Range Plan, develop recommendations for increasing funding to enable additional projects to move forward.
· Promote implementation of recommendations for increasing funding for transportation projects:
o Meet with the Governor to request that he address the issue; ask for support of new financing methods
o Ask legislators to introduce legislation and hold hearings
o Arrange testimony at hearings
o Encourage media coverage of hearings
Utility Infrastructure Issues Task Force – The purpose of this Task Group will be to ensure that the water and sewer infrastructure needs in the Pittsburgh International Airport market area are identified, planned for, prioritized, funded, and the infrastructure built. There is common agreement that the lack of water and sewer infrastructure is a significant deterrent to new development in the airport market area.
· Meet with community leaders and authority operators to convince them to participate in the development of a prioritized comprehensive investment strategy for ware and sewer infrastructure.
· Assemble a coalition of key stakeholders to meet with state and federal officials (PENNVEST, DEP, EPA, etc.) to solicit their support and participation in the prioritization and investment process.
· Meet with key state legislators representing areas that would benefit from the project to ask them to support it with targeted funding (earmarks, state programs, etc.).
· Meet with members of the Congressional delegation representing areas that would benefit from the project to ask them for funding earmarks to accelerate the project.
State and Local Tax Issues Task Force – The purpose of this Task Group will investigate, analyze, and propose advocacy positions to the Public Affairs committee on tax issues that either threaten or benefit the commercial real estate industry. There will be particular focus given to proposed legislation, either local or state, that have the potential for negative financial impacts to owners, investors, and developers.
Ø REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONSORTIUM
The Regional Development Consortium is an unincorporated association of organizations that intend to facilitate high quality development in Southwest Pennsylvania. The Consortium is not be a new incorporated organization, but rather serves as an organizational mechanism through which existing organizations coordinate their services and work jointly to fill gaps in programs and services.
The staffing support for the Consortium, including its Executive Director is contracted from the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce with funding contributed by the Pittsburgh Chapter of NAIOP and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. The Chamber houses the Consortium staff and provides the associated facilities. The funds associated with the Consortium are segregated from the Chamber’s funds and used solely for the support of the Executive Director and any associated staff. The Executive Director reports to an advisory committee, which provides policy direction for the staff. NAIOP has four representatives serving on the advisory committee.
The mission of the Regional Development Consortium is attracting high quality jobs and the residents to the region by:
· Increasing the number of ready to go development sites at desirable locations (both brownfield and greenfield) throughout the region
· Connecting development sites to external markets, the regional workforce, and other key locations within the region through effective transportation systems
· Providing adequate water and sewer infrastructure to preserve regional water quality.
The advisory committee fully developed the organizational, operational, and financial details of the Consortium. The initial members of the Consortium include representatives from:
· Allegheny Conference on Community Development
· NAIOP
· Construction Legislative Council
· Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce.
NAIOP took the leadership role in assembling the partners, developing the mission and goals, identifying initial projects, developing a financing strategy and raising seed money for the project.
Ø POLITICAL ADVOCACY ALLIANCE (SUBCOMMITTEE)
The purpose of the Political Advocacy Alliance (“PAA”) subcommittee is to influence legislators and regulators at all levels of government on issues that are specifically important to the common interest of the commercial real estate industry in Pennsylvania. The PAA is a voluntary alliance of principal and affiliate members from the membership of the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of NAIOP. The PAA functions as a standing subcommittee of the Public Affairs Committee.
The PAA meets a minimum of four times per year. Teleconferencing will be an acceptable form for meetings. Members are admitted to the PAA Committee annually, based on their commitment to make financial contributions as specified in the PAA’s Annual Participation Agreement (the “Participation Agreement”).
The PAA is comprised of individual representatives who have executed the Participation Agreement. The PAA annually elects one chairperson, two vice-chairpersons, and a treasurer. These four individuals will serve in an oversight capacity for the PAA. The chairperson is a member of the Chapter’s Board of Directors.
The members of the PAA administer and manage the resources of the WPA NAIOP Political Action Committee (a State PAC). Approval of any action considered by the PAA requires a two-thirds vote of all members present at the time of the vote. There is one vote per participating member.
The Regional Development Consortium is responsible for staffing the PAA. It provides research documentation on issues; communication tools to be used for advocacy; coordination of meetings; and, scheduling and organizing legislative visits for Harrisburg and Washington DC.
Ø SMART GROWTH/ENVIRONMENT SUBCOMMITTEE
The Smart Growth/Environment Committee works on issues arising from the growing interest on the part of local, regional and the Commonwealth for expanding legislative and regulatory controls regarding land use, commercial and residential development, and business expansion and location decisions.
Acting on the belief that the commercial real estate industry has much to gain or lose as a result of such regulations, the Smart Growth/Environment Committee acts as a legislative monitor and early warning system for NAIOP members; as an educator of members, their clients and customers, as well as legislators and public policy leaders; and as the commercial real estate industry's public voice in response to challenges and proposed public policies which endanger the businesses and livelihoods of NAIOP members and weaken their ability to serve their customers.
NAIOP defines Smart Growth as a dynamic, market-driven ongoing process which anticipates and accommodates growth in response to real market demand and user requirements and desires. Smart Growth planning and legislation must support commercial, industrial and residential development which responds to actual market needs and demands.
Issues of concern to this committee include: land use; Brownfields; development rights and growth controls; open space, zoning and density issues; environmental and pollution regulations; local and regional planning and controls; and property rights.
The Membership Committee is responsible for the recruitment and retention of Chapter members. Committee members participate in monthly Committee meetings and plan membership initiatives (e.g. marketing blitzes, membership discounts, social events, and membership-drive functions). The Committee also hosts new members at Chapter events. This is the committee responsible for retaining existing members, recruiting new members and promoting involvement among all members. The Membership Committee acts to promote membership and retain existing members in NAIOP. The Committee administers organization membership policies and issues membership applications as needed. The Committee initiates selective programs as needed to promote new members and follows up with members who have elected to not renew their membership. The following are the specific responsibilities of the Committee:
This committee is responsible for planning and executing the programs for all of the monthly chapter meetings during the calendar year. Its main objective is to continue building NAIOP’s proud history of providing cutting-edge programs tailored specifically real estate professionals.
The Committee identifies topical issues, recruits presenters, and shapes the program content to appropriately reflect the important issues facing the industry. The Program Committee measures its success based on feedback received from the membership as well as the attendance at monthly meetings. The monthly breakfast programs provided by NAIOP have become one of the most popular services provided by the Chapter, and the Program Committee's primary task is to plan and put together, for the membership and for the general business community at large, informative, interesting, and topical breakfast meetings. To that end, the committee typically meets once a month in order to identify promising program ideas, and to implement them (in teams) once they've been identified as interesting and valuable. The Program Committee is always open to suggestions from the membership. This is the committee responsible for raising additional funds for chapter operations through sponsorship of monthly meetings (the “Gavel Sponsor” program) and through other special events (planned and managed through several subcommittees). The special subcommittees of the Program Committee are: Annual Awards Banquet; Night-At-The-Fights Event; and, the Annual Golf Outing.
The following are the objectives of the Committee:
Ø ANNUAL BANQUET SUBCOMMITTEE
The Banquet Subcommittee is responsible for planning the Chapter’s annual dinner and awards presentation. The Committee, with approval from the Executive Committee, decides what awards will be presented, writes the criteria for each award, formulates all budgetary considerations, and writes and/or supervises all marketing materials concerning the awards call for entries and the awards program. Duties also include the selection of awards judges, judging criteria, and logistics concerning the judging of the awards. The Subcommittee also proposes the format, style and theme for the event and helps with any set-up the day of the function. The following are the objectives of the Banquet Subcommittee:
Ø NIGHT-AT-THE-FIGHTS SUBCOMMITTEE
This is the subcommittee responsible for planning and executing a spectacular event of semi-professional boxing and entertainment which has become the highlight of the NAIOP calendar year.
Ø GOLF OUTING SUBCOMMITTEE
The Golf Subcommittee oversees two tournaments a year, one in the spring and the other in the fall. The Subcommittee is responsible for site selection, marketing materials, prizes, set up the day of the event, and sponsorships (tees, greens, holes-in-one, meals and prizes).
The Communications Committee creates and implements strategies to make certain NAIOP and its members are kept informed and are heard on important issues in the local media. It also works to ensure NAIOP listens and responds to the voices of its members. The Communications Committee oversees the ongoing redesign of the NAIOP website, keeping it on the cutting edge and produces the Bus Tour Guide Book. This is the committee that is responsible for creating informative and necessary verbal/written communications to chapter members utilizing various mediums. The Communications Committee is responsible for NAIOP's outreach, media relations, and Chapter communications.
The Communications Committee is responsible for producing:
· The Chapter’s newsletter
· The Chapter’s annual membership directory
· The Chapter’s website