Newsletter - December 2013

MEMBER NEWS

Graham Allen

I've been asked to update my "Let's retire "retirement'!" item from the December 2012 Member News. So let me tell you the three highlights of the year I've spent "creating a full time career from human rights campaigning":      

     - I went to the Gala Awards Dinner (at the Beverley Hilton, L.A.!) of the California Committee for Proposition 34, to abolish the State's death penalty, an initiative that had been narrowly defeated 52.8% to 47.2%. That result was so close as to be worthy of celebration so we congratulated the Campaign's many heroes. Sitting among us were people who had spent a total of over 500 years in prison before being found innocent! At my own table was Bruce Lisker who'd been convicted of killing his mother when he was 17, and released 261/2 years later (!) when he was found to have been innocent. Suppose he'd been executed instead? See the Michael Morton story on CNN and read John Grisham's powerful "The Innocent Man";      
    
     - I was asked by the Centre for Capital Punishment Studies in London to write an 8000-word summary of my LL.M. thesis for publication. It was a long wait but, at the end of November, I received word that the Essays had been published in three volumes. At the risk of being accused of excessive proselytizing (who me?), here's my citation: "W.Graham Allen (2013), 'A Proposed Strategy for Ending the Death Penalty', in Peter Hodgkinson (ed.), The International Library of Essays on Capital Punishment, Volume II, Farnham: Ashgate, pp. 1`61-78." I have it from a reliable source that Dr. Hamilton will be asking questions about my essay at Certificate-awarding time at the June Dinner - so be prepared!     

     - Finally, I'm delighted to be making some progress with Ron Smith, the man I'd mentioned last year as "the only Canadian known to be on death row anywhere in the world (Montana)". We've established a regular correspondence, and I have a good sense of who he is after an unimaginable 31 years on death row - with, unfortunately, no immediate end in sight. The next step in the torturous legal proceedings is an appeal in 2014 about the constitutionality of Montana's execution process (how lethal injections are required to be administered). It's grim stuff, but Ron Smith's supporters have to keep plugging on - he's remarkably philosophical himself.

If any of you would like to know more about these various campaigns, please contact me at grahamallen@telus.net.  - Graham Allen



On the right is Graham Allen with his two sons

Eugen Klein

Eugen Klein, RI has been selected as a Forty under 40 recipients by Business in Vancouver.  Eugen is Managing broker at Klein Group, Royal LePage City Centre brokerage.  Eugen was also the youngest ever president in the 93 year history of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver.  Congratulations Eugen!

As seen on the picture below is Tracy Wall awarding the Ipad Mini to Tom Pringle who won the draw for completing the Members’ Survey.  Congratulations Tom!

REIBC NEWS

This past September REIBC was asked if the students from the Public Relations program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University could participate in writing for the INPUT magazine so that they could have a real life experience.  Brenda went to the school and spoke to them about the upcoming magazine (BC Land Summit) and they pitched their stories.  We are pleased to note that we will have two of these articles in the next edition of INPUT.  Also, they were asked to do a bio and they contacted our members.  We will not be using these bios for INPUT as there were a number of good ones.  I would like to thank the students at Kwantlen that really took the time to write these great articles and to our members who took the time to work with the students at the University.

Thanks also to Andrew Frank who is the instructor at Kwantlen that got in touch with us.  Andrew wrote for the INPUT in the Pipeline edition on behalf of the Gitga’at Nation.

Cheryl Wirsz

REIBC President’s Luncheon

The 2013 President’s Luncheon held on December 5 at the Four Season’s Hotel was a great success. We had many distinguished guests among our 166 registrants. This included Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin, Honorary Member Stanley Hamilton, three Award of Excellence winners, and 10 of our past presidents. Our guest speaker, Rudy Nielsen, President & CEO of Landcor Data Corporation and NIHO Land & Cattle Company spoke on how with his family, health, knowledge guts and his RI he overcame the market crash and $1.8 million in debt. He went on to make 700 deals in 10 years. He appraised golf courses, subdivisions and ghost towns. He then created his own company NIHO Land & Cattle Company and in 1988 began Landcor. He then finished with an explanation of how Landcor has grown and will continue to grow into the future. He emphasized “I was at the right place, at the right time, but it wouldn’t have mattered if I didn’t have my RI.”

Mr. Nielsen’s experience was inspiring to all those who attended.

We gave away two door prizes at the event. Congratulations to Marshall Cowe, Chair of the Real Estate Council of British who won a night’s stay at the elegant Four Seasons Hotel. The second prize was a pair of Vancouver Canucks Hockey tickets won by Mr. Andrew Young, President of the Planning Institute of British Columbia. Congratulations to them both.

Vancouver Chapter Holiday Reception

The Vancouver Chapter Holiday Reception held on December 11, 2013 at the Terminal City Club gave a chance to meet and greet new and old acquaintances. It was a great networking event.  More than seventy five people attended and had a great time.  The reception started at 4:30 and ended at 7:30. It  was full of excitement; cash bar was open and delicious food was served. People enjoyed the cozy night introducing and sharing business and personal lives. Door prizes were awarded to Rob Reichelt, Nathan Worbets and the grand prize winner was Aaron Chee, Vice President of the Vancouver Structure Mortgage Capital Inc. receiving the Ipad Mini. Congratulations to all the winners!  We thank the sponsors; Altus Group, BC Assessment and Campbell & Pound, for helping to make the event successful.

Award of Excellence

Are you thinking about nominating an RI colleague for the REIBC Award of Excellence?  Nominations close in May so it gives you plenty of time to get the nominations in.  Criteria and nomination forms can be found here.

STUDENT’S CORNER

Every now and then we receive something in our in boxes that actually makes us stop. Not the everyday answer it, send it, forget it attitude. Below is an email that I received from the President of the BCIT Real Estate Association that made me stop. I am including this in the newsletter as this email could not have been written if it was not for the wonderful members that REIBC has that participate in the events held. I sincerely thank "you" for all that participation and I hope that this section of the newsletter lets you stop, even for a minute, and pat yourselves on the back! Thank you to you all. - Brenda Southam, Executive Officer

“Dear Brenda:

We just completed our semester yesterday and it's time for the holiday season! I just wanted to say thank you again for the invite to the President's Luncheon and everything you have done for our class this year. All of my classmates have grown immensely this semester, and REIBC's involvement in our out of class education has attributed to this growth.

My whole class wanted to express their thank - you's to yourself and REIBC for the help this semester. We are a bunch of busy bee's and we wanted to make sure that our appreciation wasn't hidden behind our busy schedules.”

Sean Bagan
President
BCIT Real Estate Association

INDUSTRY NEWS

Blair Hagkull has joined the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria as an executive-in-residence and as a member of Gustavson’s newly established international advisory board.  Blair is a corporate adviser with Jones Lang LaSalle and was our guest speaker at the 2012 President’s Luncheon.  REIBC wishes Blair well in his role at the University of Victoria.

Did you notice this graphic?  This is an ad especially for the newsletter.  Are you interested in having an ad like this in the newsletter?  Contact Maggie at marketing@reibc.org

E&O INSURANCE

Some time ago we conducted a survey to see how many members would be interested in being able to purchase E&O insurance.  We had an overwhelming response and 30% of our members were interested in getting great rates for this type of insurance.

We went to work and got a great plan for our members.  The rates were fabulous.  It is now a year later and we have only five people signed up on the program and the rates are increasing.

If you are interested in E&O insurance don't delay.  Check out our website here to find further details.

UPCOMING REIBC EVENTS:

Cariboo Chapter and AIC members’ Joint Pub Night with Guest Speaker

Time and place to be announced!

North Fraser Chapter Webinar

To be held in March – Details to follow

2nd Annual VIP Theatre Movie Night

To be held in May – Details to follow

2014 BC Land Summit

May 14-16, 2014 Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre
http://www.bclandsummit.com

REIBC AGM

June 12, 2014
5:00 p.m. Terminal City Club, Vancouver
837 West Hastings St., Vancouver

REIBC Recognition Dinner

June 12, 2014 6:00 p.m.
Terminal City Club, Vancouver
837 West Hastings St., Vancouver

INDUSTRY EVENTS

MIABC

The Mortgage Investment Association of BC has agreed to offer a special promotional rate for the upcoming Fall MIABC luncheons to all REIBC members.  REIBC members will be entitled to the standard MIABC rate. REIBC members simply need to sign up online and enter the promotional code RIBC.

January 2014 Luncheon - Helmut Pastrick, Central 1 Credit Union
January 21, 2014 - 11:45 a. m. - 1:30 p. m.
Terminal City Club, 837 West Hastings St., Vancouver
More info

February 2014 Luncheon - Iain Black, President & CEO Vancouver Board of Trade
February 18, 2014 - 11:45 a. m. - 1:30 p. m.
Terminal City Club, 837 West Hastings St., Vancouver
More info

March 2014 Luncheon - Graeme Silvera, Development Western Region Ivanhoe Cambridge
March 18, 2014 - 11:45 a. m. - 1:30 p. m.
Terminal City Club, 837 West Hastings St., Vancouver
More info

April 2014 Luncheon - Greg D'Avignon, President & CEO Business Council of BC
April 15, 2014 - 11:45 a. m. - 1:30 p. m.
Terminal City Club, 837 West Hastings St., Vancouver
More info

May 2014 Luncheon - Commercial Real Estate Panel - Colliers
May 20, 2014 - 11:45 a. m. - 1:30 p. m.
Terminal City Club, 837 West Hastings St., Vancouver
More info

UDI

Vancouver Lunch - Forecast 2014
January 22, 2013 - 11:00 a. m. - 2:00 p. m.
Regency Ballroom, Hyatt Regency Hotel, 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver
More info

Vancouver Leadership Breakfast with Ward McAllister
January 29, 2014, 7:30 a. m. - 9:00 a. m.
Location will be disclosed to the lucky winners
More info

ULI

Spring Meeting
April 9, 2014 - April 11, 2014
Vancouver Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver
More info

BOARD REPORT

The December Board of Governor's meeting was held in Vancouver on December 5th 2013. The following is a summary of what was discussed at the meeting:

• Membership dues were reviewed and the board approved that all retired membership dues will be inclusive of chapter fees.  There will be no increase in membership dues this year.

• The board approved the 2014 – 2015 budget as well as the 3 year budget. 

• The board approved the new 2014 Strategic Plan. 

• The board reviewed the role of the Chapter Liaison position, after review the board approved that the Chapter Liaison position be disbanded.

• Special guest Bryan Chambers, President AIC-BC, provided updates with what has been happening with the AIC-BC.  He provided insight into how Appraisal Management Companies are affecting the industry.  Expressed the joint AIC-BC and REIBC Conference was a resounding success.  He is looking forward to the Land Submit.

• Reviewed and discussed membership education requirements regarding RCM Designation.  Still under review and will be discussed again at the next in person meeting.

• Discussion with respect to complaints made against members.  Section 15 of the bylaws will be edited and presented to the membership at the June AGM.

• Discussion on educational technology.

• Chapter Reports were presented and discussed.
  

We are looking for more recommendations for this year's choice for Honorary Member as well as Award of Excellence members. Information on submissions can be found at www.reibc.org

I hope this holiday season brings you all great happiness as you enjoy it with your family and friends. Season's Greetings from the Board of Governors.

Respectfully submitted by:

Daniel John, RI
Governor - Vancouver District

CLUB REIBC

Your Club Affinity program is brought to you by the REIBC. This program is designed to provide you with valuable insider discounts on the products and services you want and need. Offers can be redeemed in a variety of ways - online, in-store and by phone.

Go to reibc.intrd.com to find out more.