Those who know me know it
from time to time
I like to string together
a few words that rhyme
And now it seemed appropriate
I hope you don’t care
When I use a poem to describe
my year as your chairman
I said at the beginning
I would make it my mission
Don’t stand up and speak
but to sit down and listen
And nine months later,
as best I can,
I have tried to stay faithful
to that basic plan
Listening meant visiting – a chapter tour
I asked for an invitation
and people said sure
First Chicago – Illinois
I started with this poem
Then I thought “oh boy”
I quickly knew that I had to try harder
To rhyme Pensacola or Reno, Nevada
Wherever I went
regardless of the place
I was always received with kindness and grace
So many wonderful staff I can’t name them all
like Kathy, or Tracy, or Tamara Small
I quickly got used to boarding a plane
Then another and another
And then another one
When I reached sixty flights
Some of the crew made a fuss
Others got confused and said
Do you work for us?
With all that traveling
To make sure it went well
I relied on two Kellys
Brow and Lempel
If I couldn’t get help from Kelly
Then I always called Shaine or
Marc Selvitelli
Because I’m the first seat north of the border
I worked too hard to keep it
our meetings in order
You all know my theme,
we are better as one
And I will continue to promote that theme
Until my term is over
I’ve seen the energy we bring
From coast to coast
And here’s the thing
I have come to love most of it
We have so much to offer
We have so much to share
What an honor that is
To serve as your seat
Here’s the thing
Where my lines should stop
‘Cause I’ve used all the rhymes
I had that before NAIOP
Inspiration would be needed for next year’s verse
To rhyme Commercial Real Estate Development Association
#rhyme #chairman