CREW-NY: where the top women in real estate network.

"We establish relationships with experienced real estate professionals, and friendship can lead to business," is how Sandra Kerin, CREW-NY member and vice president of Sage Realty Corporation, describes CREW-NY (Commercial Real Estate Women-New York). Membership in CREW-NY provides senior-level women like Kerin with a forum for networking and an opportunity to learn from other members.

Topical and timely issues in commercial real estate are explored at intimate breakfast meetings which are designed to give members and their guests a chance to really discuss issues with notable speakers, as well as interchange with one another. Recent speakers have included a panel of important players in the conversion of The Gulf & Western Building; Carol Nichols, managing director of Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association of America; Michael Weinstein, president of Ark Restaurant Corp.; Steven Wechsler, president of National Realty Committee; Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Financial Markets; and former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro, managing partner of Keck, Mahin & Cate.

Members have an opportunity to share their expertise with one another through "members-only" lunches. Personal development strategies and matters of interest to the membership outside of strictly defined real estate issues are explored through this forum, as well as in special seminars. Jane Brody was the keynote speaker at CREW-NY's Women's "Health Care: A Life and Death Matter," which featured 18 of the top women's health-care specialists, including Susan Blumenthal, MD, MPA, assistant surgeon general, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

CREW-NY purposely keeps the membership small. "Membership in CREW-NY is an excellent way to get to know some of the top women in commercial real estate," says Merrie Frankel, senior manager of Ernst & Young Kenneth Leventhal Real Estate Group. "Being small gives us the opportunity to get to know each other so we can easily call up one another for information," she adds.

Robin Taubin, vice president/real estate counsel for Viacom, Inc., has had the welcome experience of "doing deals with real estate executives I already knew going into the transactions because they happened to be members of CREW. Such prior relationships tends to facilitate deals," she adds. "When a CREW member calls me for business, I always try to provide her with an introduction. The caliber of CREW members is such that I do not hesitate."

Echoing these sentiments, Lynda Tepperman, assistant vice president of Rockefeller Center Management Corp., remarks "I like the unique opportunity CREW offers to work with and share information with other professional women in real estate."

To acknowledge and reward the achievements of women in commercial real estate, in 1994 CREW-NY created the "Commercial Real Estate Woman of the Year" award. Member Deborah Beck, executive vice president of the Real Estate Board of New York, was the first recipient. Member Patricia Goldstein, Division Executive of Citicorp Real Estate, was this year's honoree.

CREW-NY also participates in the community via its work with the National Academy Foundation and the Sanford Weill Institute. In both programs we are developing courses which introduce the area of real estate to students in the public schools. "I think it is important that we share our diverse real estate knowledge with the public," said Lynda Tepperman.

The CREW-NY membership represents 22 different fields within commercial real estate. By design we cannot accept more than 10 percent of the membership in any one category. Some of the areas of expertise are: accounting, appraisal, architectural design, engineering, asset management, banking, brokerage/leasing/sales, construction, development, facilities management, finance, government, space planning/interior design, consulting and law.

Membership requirements are rigorous. An applicant must be invited to apply, have ten or more years of full-time experience in commercial real estate, have attained seniority and stature in her discipline, be sponsored by two members, attend several events to become acquainted with members and submit an application.