COSTA MESA, CA—CREW Orange County will host the 6^th-annual commercial real estate SPIRE Awards ceremony—the only commercial real estate awards program in Orange County—on March 29, 2017, at the Samueli Theater here, the largest venue for this event to date. Nominations for the awards are now open and due by February 3, 2017.

As the program enters its sixth year, nominations are expected to continue on their upward trajectory and perhaps even exceed CREW-OC's expectations in light of its new venue, event chairs Catherine Falco, senior director of business development for Marquis Construction Inc.; Linda Padilla-Smyth, director of real estate and property management for Chapman University; and Leann Lawson, VP of sales—national commercial services—at First American Title, tell GlobeSt.com. We spoke with them exclusively about the program's impact on the local CRE community and how it is evolving over the years.

GlobeSt.com: What impact has the SPIRE Awards program had in the local CRE community, and how has it evolved over the years?

Falco: The SPIRE Awards program has played a significant role in driving awareness for all real estate activity in Orange County. This signature event brings together many of the major players in the industry who have shaped and transformed our local community. As Orange County's commercial real estate industry continues to grow and evolve, it's important that we recognize the individuals who have contributed to this success. The SPIRE Awards program has been instrumental in honoring these contributions and has fostered the growth and innovation in our local community. Additionally, the SPIRE program has provided a strong networking opportunity for real estate professionals to build lasting business connections and to support each other in their personal as well as professional development.

The turnout at this event has been phenomenal. When we launched this program in 2012, 189 real estate professionals attended to honor the work of their peers. On March 29, 2017, we're expecting 350. This event has attracted an increasing number of attendees every year, and as a result, we are hosting our upcoming awards ceremony and cocktail reception at our largest venue to date.

GlobeSt.com: Nominations for the awards seem to grow each year. What has response been like over the years, and what do you expect to see in the nomination process this year?

Padilla-Smyth: The response has been overwhelmingly positive in the past five years of hosting this premier event. Last year, we received nearly 100 nominations recognizing the top-performing professionals that have substantially impacted the local commercial real estate industry. As we enter into our sixth year of presenting the SPIRE awards, we expect the nominations to continue on this upward trajectory and perhaps even exceed our expectations in light of our new venue, the Samueli Theater.

Further, we are building upon the momentum from previous SPIRE awards ceremonies to attract an even larger pool of nominations this year. There are eight categories for nominations, including women in commercial real estate, new construction, building renovations, tenant improvements, leasing, sales, lending and philanthropy. We anticipate a diverse range of innovative projects for these prestigious honors.

This is truly a one-of-a-kind opportunity for professionals to highlight their deals and projects in a highly publicized effort. Our nomination committee's volunteer base has grown substantially, and we anticipate 2017 will be our biggest nomination year yet.

GlobeSt.com: Looking ahead to 2017, what do you think the future has in store for Orange County's commercial real estate industry?

Lawson: The outlook for Orange County commercial real estate continues to be bright. Financial performance is stable, and capital levels remain strong. Certainly, the local industry will be watching interest rates and policy changes carefully to anticipate future changes, but fundamentals remain strong.

Beyond that, the new real estate projects emerging in Orange County are noteworthy. From creative office projects to highly-amenitized apartment communities all the way to cutting-edge experience retail centers, the product emerging locally is both exciting and innovative. We look forward to many strong nominations for the exceptional work being done here.

GlobeSt.com: What impact has the SPIRE Awards program had in the local CRE community, and how has it evolved over the years?

GlobeSt.com: Nominations for the awards seem to grow each year. What has response been like over the years, and what do you expect to see in the nomination process this year?

GlobeSt.com: Looking ahead to 2017, what do you think the future has in store for Orange County's commercial real estate industry?

Instant Insights /

SPIRE Awards Program Keeps on Growing

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