Gillian Lawrence joining the CREW Network Board in 2017
Thursday, Aug 11, 2016
Congratulations to Gillian Lawrence who will be joining the CREW Network Board as a Director in 2017 for a two-year term. “I am honoured to have been selected to this international board of directors and look forward to my next stage of involvement with CREW. This could not have happened without my active involvement with CREW Calgary,” she asserts. Gillian has been an active volunteer with CREW Calgary since she became a member in 2006 and is just finishing her fourth year on the CREW Calgary Board of Directors as Past President.
Regarding her active approach to involvement in CREW: “I have always been an avid volunteer and my philosophy is that the more you put into things, the more you get out of them. I believe that everyone should give beyond themselves and make a contribution to the communities in which they are involved. CREW Network is one of my communities and I know I can make a contribution to the CREW Network Board, as I have done with the CREW Calgary Board over the last 4 years.”
Gillian has identified two priorities that she felt were important. The first is the growth and development of the Certificate in Leadership program and other learning opportunities. The second is to support the continued expansion of CREW Network in Canada, as well as internationally.
She says about these areas of focus: “I am honoured to be part of the inaugural year of the Certificate in Leadership program as a mentor. The program includes excellent instruction on a wide range of topics. I would like to explore ways to improve the program based on the feedback provided by our first class of participants and their mentors. I would also like to explore ways in which the program could be expanded so participation could include a larger number of participants each year. There is so much that can be done with technology these days. I envision CREW Network facilitating the Certificate in Leadership as a distance learning program so it would not be confined to day-long sessions which are tied to the Leadership Summits. As acknowledged in the CREW Network strategic plan, we need to use technology to allow members to participate in networking and learning opportunities. This will become particularly is important as CREW Network launches onto the international stage. The Certificate in Leadership program provides significant value and benefit to CREW Network members and I would like to support making this professional development opportunity even better. I believe that the Certificate in Leadership is not only a benefit to the CREW Network members who are enrolled in the program, but it has the potential to create direct value for their employers. If that value is experienced and understood by employers, this will garner greater profile and financial support for CREW Network.
More and more business is being done on a global basis with many companies and firms now having offices world-wide. It is significant that CREW Network recognizes this and is pursuing an international strategy. This is one of the many ways that CREW Network will continue to be seen as a leading organization in the commercial real estate industry. CREW Network is known for its second-to-none programs and research. To be successful internationally, the CREW Network Board and staff will need to evaluate and ensure that its programming and research is relevant, valuable and accessible to a diverse range of members from different cultures, business practices and time zones.”
The slate of nominees will be confirmed at the 2016 CREW Network Convention in October. Please join us in recognizing and congratulating Gillian for her outstanding efforts on behalf of CREW Calgary and for her ongoing commitment to CREW!