LOS ANGELES-GlobeSt.com chats with Malcolm Johnson, the Young Professionals Group Alumni Liaison and board member of NAIOP SoCal about some of the program’s immediate goals, and about the program’s emphasis on professional and personal development of its members. Johnson is also SVP of JPMorgan Chase.

GlobeSt.com: What was the impetus for the NAIOP SoCal Young Professionals Group and how has the program evolved since its inception?

Johnson: The YPG was conceived in 2004 by several NAIOP SoCal board members and member companies who saw a void in the commercial real estate industry for leadership training that would allow young professionals to develop the key business skills necessary to help them ascend to leadership positions within their respective firms as well as the commercial real estate industry. In addition to building “bench strength” at their firms and the industry in general, the YPG’s founders set out to create an educational program designed to enhance the program participants’ technical skills while also providing them with valuable networking opportunities and access to key industry leaders. The inaugural class began in 2005. In the seven years since, approximately 250 young professionals have graduated from the program. Many remain engaged in the NAIOP SoCal network through membership events and the YPG Alumni Committee. 

One of the key additions to the program was the formation of a self-sustaining alumni group (YPG Alumni Committee) whose responsibilities include maintaining and updating the course curriculum, securing sponsorships, planning and hosting social and alumni events, recruiting YPG members for future classes, leading community outreach opportunities in partnership with the NAIOP SoCal board and overseeing the YPG’s communication and social media efforts. The most recent addition to the program was the implementation of a yearlong post-YPG graduation mentorship program designed to pair YPG alumni with existing NAIOP members in an effort to create one-on-one mentorship and development opportunities. 

GlobeSt.com: How does the YPG differ from other professional networking groups?

Johnson: The key difference between the YPG and other professional networking groups is its emphasis on professional and personal development of its members. Along with key support from the NAIOP SoCal board, sponsor companies and industry experts, a key element of YPG is the inclusion of a PhD and organizational behavior expert who serves as a course facilitator and introduces class members to critical leadership concepts centered on self-awareness and personal interactions. This individual was a founding faculty member of the MBA program at a West Coast institution and has been a key contributor to the program since its creation.

GlobeSt.com: Who are some of the industry experts and business leaders who have participated in YPG classes and alumni events and what is their role in the program?

Johnson: The YPG’s success has come largely through from the support of leading industry companies, executives and entrepreneurs who have served as advisors, founding partners and guest lecturers. That group includes both publicly traded and privately held companies and some of their leading executives. Additionally, YPG events have featured prominent authors, a Hall of Fame football coach and cutting-edge entrepreneurs, each of whom was willing to share their unique, candid perspectives on leadership at any age. One of the cornerstones of the YPG curriculum has been the continuing commitment from industry leading executives to teach the real-world, practical aspects of various components of the commercial real estate business. A partial list of previous guest speakers and curriculum facilitators is below: John Cushman, chairman of Cushman & Wakefield; Lou Holtz, member of the College Football Hall of Fame; Bill Halford, CEO of Bixby Land Co.; Steve Layton, co-founder of LBA Realty; Robert Brunswick, founder of Buchanan Street Partners; John Parker, founder of Parker Properties; and Thomas Sherlock, co-founder of Talonvest.

GlobeSt.com: What is the makeup of the current YPG class and how large is the alumni group at this point?

Johnson: The YPG strives to achieve diversity across all areas including industry specialization (finance, development, brokerage, asset management, architecture, corporate services, etc.), corporate representation, age, gender and ethnicity, thus offering YPG participants the opportunity to strengthen their individual skill sets in areas considered vital to the top real estate firms. The current YPG class consists of 35 Orange County and L.A.-based members, including 13 women, and the YPG alumni base has approximately 250 members.

GlobeSt.com: What are some of the immediate goals of the current YPG class, especially as it relates to community involvement and the industry?

Johnson: The current YPG class will commence in April 2012 with a members-only weekend retreat designed specifically to introduce class members to each other and to key concepts in organizational behavior that will serve as a guide for their interactions with each other and their respective course facilitators over the coming year. The YPG’s community outreach group works in partnership with NAIOP SoCal’s community service committee to provide community service volunteer opportunities for NAIOP members as well as financial assistance to deserving non-profit organizations. Outside of the regularly scheduled course curriculum, plans are in place for the current class members to complete a community service project, either individually, in small groups or in connection with the Chapter’s overall community outreach efforts. Additionally, ambitious plans are underway to design and implement an annual signature YPG event that will combine elements of the NAIOP SoCal mission that includes: education, networking and service.

GlobeSt.com: How does this program relate to NAIOP SoCal’s overall education commitment?

Johnson: NAIOP SoCal exists to protect and enhance the commercial real estate industry and quality of life in Southern California. This is accomplished through proactive involvement in public policy, interactive business opportunities and superior educational programs. NAIOP SoCal has demonstrated its commitment to the latter through the creation of the CRE-NAIOP SoCal Fellowship, a collaboration of the Center for Real Estate and NAIOP SoCal to recruit top student talent into the real estate program at the University of California-Irvine and help develop today's students into tomorrow's industry leaders. Brian Baker (Centerline Capital / YPG, Class of 2011) is the most recent recipient of the CRE-NAIOP SoCal Fellowship.  He is a vice president at Centerline Capital Group and the chair of the curriculum subcommittee on the YPG Alumni Board. Another example is NAIOP’s long-standing relationship with USC and UCLA through its annual Real Estate Challenge competition, with several past students having gone on to participate in the YPG program. In summary, the YPG is an extension of the NAIOP SoCal mission, with an emphasis on educational programming and a commitment to community outreach. NAIOP SoCal has conducted extensive research confirming that today’s young professionals have a stronger commitment to community outreach than previous generations.