WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) held its annual Spring World Conference in Washington, D.C. at the Omni Shoreham hotel from April 10 through April 13. The event drew over 800 SIOR members from 12 different countries around the globe.
Major topics of discussion at the conference included: the impact of e-commerce on the industrial market; emerging digital technologies and their practical applications for the brokerage community; a discussion of how brokers and investors can access opportunities with the U.S. Government General Services Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs; and how emotional intelligence impacts success in our personal and professional relationships.
Special guest speakers included:
- Joseph F. Coughlin, PhD, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s AgeLab and author of “The Longevity Economy,” who provided insight into how the lifestyles of an aging but energized, tech-enabled, older demographic will impact the built environment
- Robin Chase, co-founder and former CEO of Zipcar and author of “Peers Inc.” who discussed how a combination of people power and corporate power can unlock the potential of a new, collaborative economy
- Greg Lindsay, a senior fellow of the New Cities Foundation who gave a talk on the emergence of walkable urban (and suburban) places where people can “live, work, and move” — powered by scooters, bikes and Uber/Lyft — and how it is becoming the new model for cities and town centers.