BPG|360 Team Attends BOMA 2021 Conference
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At BPG|360, we support and encourage workplace development so that our associates always know the best practices in the industry.
Property Managers Anthony Russo and Tracy McCausland and Vice President of Commercial Operations Paul Watts attended BOMA International's annual commercial real estate conference in Boston, MA October 6th-9th. This was the first in-person conference since the pandemic started almost two years ago. Read a recap of the conference below and key takeaways from Paul Watts!
The opening session was hosted by Gensler’s Bob Peck, principal and global government and defense practice area leader, and Cheryl Duvall, regional consulting practice area leader. As we know from personal experience at BPG, researching the future of the workplace is at the core of Gensler’s mission throughout the pandemic globally. Other educational sessions held throughout the day included topics such as Diversity, Equality and Inclusion as well as Healthy and Safe Building practices such as emerging access control technologies, restroom innovations, elevator safety code updates and new practices for office disinfection. The highlight of the day was the Keynote Speaker which provided a history-filled keynote from presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin. Her seven hit books include the critically acclaimed Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, which Steven Spielberg adapted for his Oscar-winning film Lincoln. The majority of her keynote focused on the trials and triumphs of four presidents—Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson—and how their stories hold a special meaning as we continue to face difficult times that include the pandemic, an economic fallout, renewed protest for racial justice and worries about the fragility of our democracy.
Day two of the conference continued with more educational sessions focused on building safety, sustainability initiatives, disaster planning, the future of commercial office, conducting challenging conversations in the work place and cyber security.
Saturday morning was the final day of the conference, which started off with the President and COO of BOMA International hosting a conversational piece focused on drawing people back to the office. Panelists included Adam Portnoy, president and CEO of The RMR Group; Melanie Colbert, principal of operations at LBA Realty; and Andrew Cooke, senior vice president of operations for the eastern region at Hines. During the 90-minute dialog, the topics focused on experiences are the key to bringing people back to commercial buildings and that the tenant experience has been more important than ever, with robust communication and upping the game on amenities. Outdoor spaces with concert venues were among the items mentioned. The executives also revealed that their own workforces are back in their offices, and all three echoed that commercial real estate professionals need to be leaders in this area, as other companies in other industries continue to weigh decisions about returning to the office.
No one truly knows what the office of the future will look like, but interestingly enough, the messages we heard from our commercial real estate peers across the nation align with what BPG’s leadership has believed from the start. The office provides a place to build culture, purpose, character and community, which is invaluable to the success of an organization.
