AREW helps woman stand out in 'a sea of suits'.

As the story goes, the inspiration for the Association of Real Estate Women came during a REBNY dinner in the late 1970s. Looking out over a sea of suits, the handful of women attending realized there was a need for them to not only get to know each other, but also to provide opportunities for other women real estate professionals, then few and far between, to network.

When AREW was founded in 1978, real estate was overwhelmingly a man's game. Since then, women have made tremendous strides in leveling the playing field, ultimately changing both the industry and the landscape, and AREW has played its part in influencing greater acceptance, exposure and opportunities for women.

Through its outstanding educational programs, superior networking, special events and the AREW Charitable Fund, AREW is generous in supporting its members professional and personal growth.

One of our organization's greatest strengths and distinctions lies in its diverse membership which represents not only the full spectrum of the industry, but also many levels of experience within.

Attend one of AREW's many events and you'll find attorneys, accountants, architects, developers, brokers, corporate real estate executives, mortgage brokers, investment bankers, institutional lenders, facilities designers, executive recruiters, property and portfolio managers, financial analysts, engineers, marketers (and more) from the commercial, residential and retail sectors.

In turn, those members represent multiple rungs of the real estate career ladder from industry superstars and seasoned senior executives, to middle managers on the rise, and those at the beginning of professional careers.

The mix makes for stimulating and highly productive career networking, mentoring and deal-making opportunities as well as an invigorating interplay of opinions, ideas, interests and expertise.

Offering one of the industry's most ambitious, diverse calendars of events, in this, our 25th year, we anticipate that our programs, seminars, tours and special events will among the industry's most vital and valuable offerings.

AREW's programs have a well-deserved reputation for being rich in content and generous in value. Preceded by a networking hour, well-attended monthly luncheons are held at the Harvard Club and feature top industry movers, shakers and deal-makers as speakers and panelists. Recent programs, for example, examined AOL Time Warner Center, focused on the impact of the World Trade Center attacks and rebuilding and provided an overview and update on Hudson River Park and the New York City Economic Development Corporation's plans to maintain and attract business.

Among many other luminaries, AREW luncheon speakers have included Marilyn Jordan Taylor, partner/chairman, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Larry A. Silverstein, president/CEO, Silverstein Properties; Andrew M. Alper, president, NYC Economic Development Corp.; Dr. Jerome Blue, senior vice president, Battery Park City Authority; H. Henry Elghanayan, CEO, Rockrose Development Corp.; Stephen M. Ross, chairman/CEO, The Related Companies; and Jerry I. Speyer, CEO, Tishman Speyer Properties.

Behind-the-scenes tours of major renovations and significant newly constructed buildings, seminars on topics ranging from finance and health to solving the mystery of business casual dress for women executives, intimate breakfasts hosted by industry leaders and networking cocktail receptions, often pre-openings at hot new venues, are among AREW's abundant and varied program offerings.

Community outreach is a long-standing commitment of the organization. Under the auspices of the AREW Charitable Fund, members support Women In Need, Inc. (WIN), which provides temporary and permanent shelter for homeless women with children, alcohol and substance abuse, child care and employment readiness and job placement programs, and awards scholarships to graduate students in the real estate schools of City College of New York/Baruch, Columbia University and New York University. A highlight of the past season was a breakfast held at the New York Hilton. Featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anna Quindlen as the speaker, this Charitable Fund benefit for WIN raised $80,000.

We are anticipating the highlight of this coming season to be a 25th anniversary gala to celebrate a quarter century of successfully opening doors and minds for women in real estate,

There's never been a better time to take advantage of all AREW has to offer. For a membership application, log on to www.arew.org, e-mail to [e-mail] or call [phone]. And, yes, in case you were wondering, AREW is an equal opportunity organization. Men can be, and are enthusiastically welcomed as, members.