CCIM, founded in 1969, has more than 19,000 members and a staffof 65. The organization, which is an affiliate of the NationalAssociation of Realtors, confers the Certified CommercialInvestment Member designation, which is currently held by 9,500professionals worldwide with an additional 9,500 pursuing thedesignation.

Salk had already been handling some of the CEO duties duringGroeneveld's tenure, when needed, he says. Salk says he has several"priorities" as the new head of the organization. Groeneveld hadworked for the organization for 20 years and lead the organizationfor the last 14 years, Salk says. One of his first priorities willbe to continue what she was doing. "My number one priority is mystaff and making sure they stick around," Salk says. Another highpriority is maintaining the high level of customer service and"ramping it up a little bit," he says. "We are known for oureducation. People keep coming back because they get great service."Additionally, Salk wants the organization to continue to grow thenumbers of members and students and continue to provide and improveits programs.

CCIM expects to have a budget of $20 million next year, Salksays. The group will also continue to work with otherorganizations. "The reality is that some of us do some thingsreally well," he says. "Working together, we play on each others'strengths."