"They say that time changes things,
but you actually have to change them yourself." — Andy Warhol

The Industrial Asset Management Council did not wait in 2006 for time to change things for the association and the industry it serves; rather, IAMC changed things.

By launching a variety of new member-driven programs, IAMC reached new heights in 2006 and set itself up for continued success in 2007 and beyond.

Consider some of the milestones achieved by IAMC in the past 365 days:

• IAMC reached a record membership level of 443 dues-paying members by Dec. 22, up 17 percent from the previous year.
• Total IAMC Professional Forum registrations for 2006 were 619, up 14.4 percent from 541 in 2005. From 2004 to 2005, Forum registrations climbed 7.5 percent.
• The IAMC Professional Forum in Williamsburg, Va., in October received the highest program content rating ever, at 8.6 on a 10-point scale, as members judged the programming at IAMC to be evolving and improving in meeting their needs. The theme of the Williamsburg Forum was "Managing Tomorrow’s Portfolio: What It Means to You."
• The Leadership Development Seminar speaker at Williamsburg, Patricia Fripp, received the highest rating to date of any leadership presenter — a remarkable 9.65 out of 10. Her topic was "Preparing and Presenting Powerful Business Presentations."
• IAMC graduated its first class of Leadership Fellows at the Spring 2006 Professional Forum in San Diego. Fellows are members who attend five Leadership Development Seminars.
• IAMC certified its first class of BCIR (Board Certified in Industrial Real Estate) inductees at the Fall 2006 Professional Forum in Williamsburg. BCIR graduates demonstrate mastery in industrial real estate knowledge and experience.
• IAMC introduced its first-ever online Surplus Property Clearinghouse in 2006, giving members an opportunity to showcase their available properties for sale or lease.
• Eight new Active Members attended the Williamsburg Professional Forum, representing the following companies: Northrop Grumman, BOC Group (now Linde), Owens Corning, Canada Post, BNSF Railway, Sprint-Nextel, Hercules Inc. and Holcim Corp. Today, the average IAMC Active Member company employs 85,884 people.
• IAMC’s official publication, Site Selection, won major awards from the Magazine Association of the Southeast (MAGS) and APEX for the seventh year in a row, including the prestigious MAGS Gold GAMMA Award for Best Magazine Web site in the Business to Business sector.
• Site Selection expanded the global reach of IAMC’s message by securing partnership agreements with MIPIM France, MIPIM Asia, Cityscape Dubai, Cityscape Singapore, Cityscape Shanghai, Expo Real, the International Economic Development Council and the Mid-American Economic Development Council.

As IAMC enters 2007, all indicators point to another banner year. Early sign-ups for the Spring 2007 Professional Forum are on a record-setting pace for what will be a grand event at the posh Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Amelia Island, Fla.

Armed with a healthy reserve fund, IAMC’s financial strength has never been greater, enabling the association to fund even more member-focused initiatives.

Before the books are closed on 2006, however, it is worth noting that none of these milestones would have been achieved without the vision and leadership of immediate past Chair Charles McSwain of CSX. His passion and enthusiasm for IAMC helped propel the organization to new heights, and he has left behind a hefty legacy for 2007 Chair Scott Reed of Anheuser-Busch.

Reed will place his own stamp on IAMC in 2007 because, like McSwain, he’s not one to wait around for time to change things.