A sold out Boston Weekend Experience was a great success. Boston Chapter president John Fuller, AIA lead Lambda Alpha members from thirteen chapters from around the world on a two-day tour of Boston that highlighted the area’s development potential.

The Weekend’s focus was on the future of Boston as the benefits of the “Big Dig” are being realized with development of offices, hotels, and condominiums. Boston has a new convention center that is also generating development in the South Boston area.

We also went to the Cambridge to both see and hear about the developments that are occurring in pharmaceuticals and in other technology-based industries. Members also saw the latest in “Green Building” technology.

Lambda Alpha members visited traditional and new “cutting edge” restaurants sampling the local cuisine and dining on lobster.

As one member, attorney Donna Pugh, said in an email, “The Weekend Experience was so fantastic, we just wanted you to know how much we enjoyed it!!!”

Letter from the President

Larry Lund

The Boston Weekend Experience was another success and my thanks to John Fuller, the president of the Boston Chapter and its members for putting together an outstanding program from start to finish.

The Board of Governor’s meeting was augmented this year by a special presentation by Russ Salzman Executive Vice President/CEO of the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) on the “Art and Skill of Volunteer Leadership.” Russ, also a LAI member, conducted a two-hour workshop with both Chapter presidents and the executive committee helping us to set goals for ourselves and become effective leaders in our chapters. Russ will continue the leadership training, when the Board of Governors meets again in Chicago. We have set up a special time Friday afternoon, October 21 from 2:30 pm until 4:30 pm at the Sofitel Water Tower Hotel for this special workshop with current and upcoming chapter presidents and the executive committee.

At the Board of Governor’s meeting in Boston, we voted to honor our first LAI inductee Edward L. Johnson who passed away last year by naming the “Member of the Year” award in his honor. Ed was inducted in March 1931, served as president of Lambda Alpha International during the war years 1943-44, started the Los Angeles Chapter in 1955, and served as its president. Ed was 94 when he died and his wife Joyce just passed away this past March. We are very grateful that we are able to continue to recognize his contributions to Lambda Alpha by naming the “Member of the Year” award in his honor.

On the Road with Ely

My journey with Ely this month brings me to Northwestern University, where LAI was formed. The photo above is me in front of what was known as the School of Commerce at Northwestern University in the Wiebolt Hall at 351 East Chicago Avenue in Chicago. Now known as the Lakeshore Campus, it was then known as the McKinlock Memorial Campus.

Richard T. Ely was 71 years of age when he came to Northwestern University in 1925. Ely who had been at the University of Wisconsin at Madison for 34 years, brought with him to Northwestern his famous Institute for Research in Land Economics and Public Utilities. It is not clear what initiated Ely’s departure from Madison. His wife had died in 1923 and one newspaper account spoke of an “unsympathetic attitude on part of the LaFollette majority of the board of trustees of the University of Wisconsin. Ely was instrumental in LaFollette’s “Wisconsin Idea” that brought academics into political reform and it was Ely along with Ely’s protégé John Commons that ushered in the “Progressive Era.” But when Bob LaFollette became a Senator, Ely and LaFollette grew apart, disagreeing particularly over the U.S. entering the Great War.

Whatever the motivations were, Northwestern saw an opportunity to increase its stature with Ely’s Institute. The University of Chicago was the preeminent university in land study at that time. In 1925, U of C professors Park and Burgess had just published their landmark book The City.

To counter balance the presence of Park and Burgess in Chicago, Ely brought with him to the Institute Dr. George Wehrwein who was engaged in a study of large land holdings; Professor Herbert D. Simpson an expert on taxation; Dr. Mary L. Shine who studied leaseholds and land factor in the evolution of economic security; Herbert Doran, a credit expert, and Herman O. Walther. Walther became a member of Lambda Alpha in 1931 and later his son, who followed in his father’s footsteps as an appraiser; he also became a member of LAI. The Institute for Research in Land Economics later added Professor Albert G. Hinman (who becomes one of the founding members of Lambda Alpha International) G. Coleman Woodbury, Executive Director of the National Association of Housing Officials (Coleman was initiated into Lambda Alpha in 1931). Others members of the Institute included Dr. Helen Monchow who became the managing editor of the Journal of Land and Public Utility Economics; Dr. Paul Raver who specialized in the field of public utilities and was the executive officer of the Illinois Commerce Commission, Morton Bodfish who became the executive vice-president of the United States Building and Loan League and the American Savings and Loan Institute; Dr. Adrian Theobald who was the director of education and research at the American Savings and Loan Institute and assistant vice-president of the United States Building and Loan League – Theobald was also one of the founding members of Lambda Alpha.

The Institute occupied the seventh floor overlooking Lake Michigan in the newly constructed Wiebolt Hall. Ely who had a penchant for a large office reported that he was very pleased with his new quarters that included a wood paneled private library, with 20,000 volumes.

However, in spite of the Institute’s excellent start, Ely’s tenure at Northwestern University was rocky. Ely’s son must have caused his farther some embarrassment when newspapers covered his divorce extensively. Then in 1931, Richard T. Ely married a former student and they had their first of two children when he was 77 -- this must have caused a stir at the conservative Methodist affiliated University.

Professionally, Richard T Ely, who was no stranger to attacks, again became target as his Institute became the academic center for the fight against single tax proposed by Henry George. The Single Tax movement organized against Ely and tried to get his books banned because they argued against the single-tax on land proposal.

Ely also spent time defending how the Institute was supported. The Institute, which reportedly had a budget of $100,000, received grants from corporations and foundations for its support. Critics complained that he was shilling for their viewpoints, but Ely vigorously denied these acquisitions saying, “The Institute was purely a scientific investigational agency.”

Ultimately, it appears that funding eventually became the downfall of Ely at Northwestern. The Depression took its toll at the Institute as Northwestern University’s President Scott and Ely clashed over access to donors. Ely, whose first wife had been a close friend of Cyrus McCormick, competed with President Scott for donations from this philanthropist.

Ely decided it was then best to move his Institute from Northwestern to Columbia University in New York City, where they opened offices at 851 Fifth Avenue changing its name to the Ely Economic Foundation, Devoted to Impartial Scientific Research. This was 1932, just two years after Lambda Alpha International was founded. Ely continued his participation in Lambda Alpha and was mentioned in LAI correspondence until his death on October 4, 1943.

Larry Lund

International President
LarryLund@LAI.org
312-751-1250

Editor's Column

Membership Recruitment Strategies

In Boston this past month, our international board meeting concentrated on the topic of new membership. The membership of Lambda Alpha is now bordering on 2,000 elected members, but an undue proportion of those members are in a few strong chapters, among them George Washington, San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Our President, Larry Lund, wants the chapters to strive for a minimum membership of 100 members per chapter. That may prove difficult in smaller metropolises, but in metros with 2,000,000+ population, it should not prove a burden. Needless to say, it will take a lot of work by a committee of more than one, but is doable nonetheless.

A few interesting ideas surfaced in our discussions. Let me offer this one in particular:

Generate a membership recruitment committee representing one person in each of the major professions that are within the organization (architects, engineers, etc.). Then ask each of those profession representatives to hold a sub-committee meeting with other members in his/her field. Then brainstorm. Come up with a list of worthy professionals in each field and determine which would be appropriate members for Lambda Alpha.

Let’s say you have 10 sub-committees each submitting five solid names, it wouldn’t take too long to grow the chapter. Obviously, you don’t want to take in all 50 at once, but perhaps bring them in 10 at a time four times a year.

A large chapter represents marvelous opportunities for networking and provides the necessary dollars to generate strong programming and better speakers. With 100 members, you can even afford to have a part-time administrator for the chapter. That alone is worth the effort.

Here’s to a stronger Lambda Alpha. We deserve to be much bigger than we are.

Alan Nevin
International Editor
anevin@marketpointe.com

Boston Chapter

Boston Lambda Alpha International member Robert J. Nahigian, principal of Auburndale Realty, Co. of Newton, Mass was awarded the "2004 National Real Estate Instructor of the Year Award by the SIOR's at their National Convention in Boca Raton, Florida.

Earlier this year the Greater Boston Real Estate Board; Commercial Broker's Association gave its "2004 Advisory Assignment of the Year" award to Mr. Nahigian for his advisory work with the Archdiocese of Boston. Congratulations for two outstanding awards!

Ely-Chicago Chapter

Lynn Osmond has been honored as one of ten honorary AIA members. During her eight-year tenure as president and CEO of the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF), Lynn Osmond has fostered an enduring relationship with AIA community organizations and cultural institutions in celebrating Chicago’s rich architectural heritage. The CAF has more than 400 CAF volunteers leading architectural tours of Chicago that serve 170,000 patrons each year. Lynn has also expanded the CAF youth education program, serving Chicago public school children and teachers in grades K–12. Workshops, special tours, and written materials included in the program highlight the history and development of Chicago architecture. Lambda Alpha congratulates Ms. Osmond in receiving this honor.

Chicago magazine and Law & Politics magazine have selected Lambda Alpha International member G.A. Finch as one of Illinois’ Super Lawyers. G. A. Finch a shareholder with the law firm of Querrey & Harrow that has offices in Chicago, New York City, and London, England. He chairs both the firm’s Real Estate Group and Governmental Affairs Group. G.A. Finch has served as an Illinois human rights commissioner, deputy commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Planning, general counsel for the Chicago Housing Authority, and deputy general counsel for the Illinois Capital Development Board.

Ely-Chicago Spring Chautauqua

The Ely Chapter named its annual Spring Chautauqua in honor of the memory of Earl L. Neal who passed away earlier this year.

The Spring Chautauqua, which was held May 18, discussed Eminent Domain: Public Benefit or Private Purpose? The program was digitally recorded and is available at 209.224.198.102 under the Library tab. The 1 hr and 50 minute discussion that featured first a Local Chicago Perspective from Earl Neal's son Langdon Neal, Partner, Neal & Leroy and this 40-minute presentation was followed by an hour panel discussion moderated by Kathleen Ransford, former Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel for Real Estate, City of Chicago. The panelist included: David Dana, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Tim Bishop, attorney, Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw and Richard F. Friedman, attorney, Neal & Leroy.

You can download this audio file (25 mb), which is in WMA format, to your computer, or i-pod for playback at home, office or car.

This is a first for Lambda Alpha International and if you find this worthwhile, we will make available to your chapter the Olympus DS-2 digital voice recorder that can record up to 4-hrs and 20 minutes of high quality digital sound. Please contact International to obtain use of the digital voice recorder.

The Chicago-Ely Chapter will hold its annual initiation banquet Wednesday
evening June 15th at the Mid-America Club in the Aon Center. In addition
to the initiation of twenty-nine new members, the Ely Chapter is
recognizing two of its members by giving its Richard T. Ely Distinguished
Chapter Service Award to Roberta F. Nechin and the Harry Chaddick
Distinguished Pubic Service Award to Norman Elkin. For reservations, call
the Ely Chapter at 847-676-3781.

From left to right: Mike Shymanski, AIA McDonough Associates and president Ely Chapter; Langdon Neal, attorney Law Office of Neal & Leroy; Graham Grady, attorney Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, and Cassandra Jansen Francis, vice president, U. S. Equities Realty and Chautauqua Program Chair.

Memphis Chapter

Daniel F. Wilkinson received the “Excellence in Real Estate – Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Memphis Chapter at their annual Awards Banquet May 11. Mr. Wilkinson a LAI member since 1977 is president of Colliers Wilkinson & Snowden.

Chapter History

Initial efforts to start a Chapter in Northern California were made in December, 1962 when eight prospective members petitioned to become part of Lambda Alpha International. They cleverly came up with the title of Golden Gate to name the new Chapter. By April of 1964 the initial group had expanded to 16 and was finally approved by the Grand Council, a mysterious International body that seems to have faded into history. That month 12 of the 16 new initiates journeyed to Los Angeles, at the invitation of the Los Angeles Chapter for the then formal “candle light” initiation ceremony. Among the charter members was M. Justin Herman, the long-time and legendary Director of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. During his extended term of office many major redevelopment projects were begun, such as Yerba Buena, and would change the skyline of the City in the years ahead.

The first official meeting of the new Chapter was in December 1964 at the Faculty Club on the Berkeley campus of the University Of California. Eight new members were added to the original 16. Brother Herman spoke on “Urban Renewal Actions in San Francisco”. It was duly noted that there were no protest or violence disturbing the meeting by any of the “Non-Violence Committees” so prevalent in Berkeley at the time. During this era the members referred to one another as Brothers, aptly describing the fraternal all-male membership.

In 1966 among the 12 new members initiated was a very young but already distinguished Brother by the name of Glenn Isaacson.  Now, 39 years later, Glenn is still going strong leading an active professional life in the Bay Area and has the record of being the longest participating Golden Gate Chapter member.  Other distinguished initiates of the late 1960’s include Lawrence Halprin, (landscape architect of Sea Ranch and the FDR Memorial in Washington D.C.) and such major Northern California developers as Masud Mehran and Gerson Bakar, all of whom are also still living.

Over the years, the Golden Gate Chapter has grown to become the leading real estate oriented group in the Bay Area and one of the largest Lambda Alpha chapters with over 300 members.  In keeping with the idiosyncratic character of many aspects of San Francisco and the Bay Area, the Chapter developed its own unique character and culture.  The annual initiation banquets have characteristically been featured with wry humor on local real estate events and irreverent comments on some of its better known members.  The “candle light” ceremony and oaths of membership were lost somewhere along the way.

By 1973 the Chapter dropped it male exclusivity by abandoning the fraternity brother concept and taking in its first female member, the architect Beverly Willis.  It really took however until the 1980’s before there were any more than token female additions.  Over time this was to change radically with women members increasingly invited to join the ranks and to play vital roles in the leadership of the Chapter.  Chapter Presidents in recent years have included Lynn Sedway, Roslyn Payne, Leslie Browne, Janet Norris and the current President Helen Sause.  One of the greatest strengths in maintaining the vigor and reputation of the Golden Gate Chapter has been the continued active participation of not only these women but many others who serve or have served as officers and Board Members.

The Chapter continues to sponsor monthly lunches with outstanding speakers and also has a Spring Tour of new or significant additions to the Bay Area real estate scene.  Since the 1989 earthquake we have had a lot of new sites to visit.  A highlight of the annual initiation dinner in early December is the naming of a “Member of the Year”, always a surprise to the distinguished member so honored.

Fall 2005: Chicago, Illinois (October 20-23) (Biennial Congress – 75th Anniversary)

Spring 2006: Washington, D.C.

Fall 2006: Ottawa, Canada

Spring 2007: Dublin, Ireland

Fall 2007: Los Angles, California (Biennial Congress)

Spring 2008: Phoenix, Arizona

Chicago 75th Anniversary Weekend Experience

The program is quickly coming together and you should now begin reserving your hotel room and book your air-flight. Our host hotel will be the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower at 20 East Chestnut. The Sofitel, which the AIA named as one of the two best hotels in Chicago is one block west of Michigan Avenue. We have a rate of $239 night; we have a limited number of rooms reserved, so book early by calling (312) 324-4044.

The program will begin Thursday evening October 20 at 5:30 pm. with a hosted reception and dinner at the Signature Room on the 95th Floor of the John Hancock Center on Michigan Avenue. The dinner will feature the Lambda Alpha International Awards.

Friday October 21 will begin at 8:30 am with our “to look and to see” mobile workshops that will end around 2 pm.

With the exception of current and in-coming chapter presidents, and the executive committee that will have an afternoon workshop, you will have the afternoon free.

At 5:30 pm, we will have a reception and open house at the Chicago Architectural Foundation in the Santa Fe Building at 222 South Michigan Avenue.

Friday evening is then open for you to enjoy any of the wonderful restaurants the city has to offer on your own.

Saturday morning will begin with another “to look and to see” mobile workshop beginning 8:30 am. Saturday afternoon is more free time (unless you are a member of the executive committee, which will have an executive session.)

Saturday evening is the 75th Anniversary Gala that will be held on the stage of the Frank Gehry designed Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.  It should be memorable event.

The Board of Governors, which is the chapter presidents and the executive committee, will meet Sunday morning until noon; but for most of you, the day is free.

The Chicago host committee under the leadership of Ely Chapter President Mike Shymanski and International President Larry Lund are working hard to finalize what will be an outstanding program.  Full program details should be ready by the June edition of Online KeyNotes.  But take advantage of low airfares and book your hotel rooms now.  Chicago is a popular destination in the fall and we anticipate that rooms will be in short supply.

75th Anniversary Exclusive Corporate Sponsors

We still have a few exclusive sponsorship opportunities left for the 75th Anniversary Celebration. If you would like to be one of the sponsors, please give Larry Lund, International President a call at 312-751-1250 and find out more about how your company can support with this historic event.

Current Sponsors include:

International Awards Banquet: LR Development www.lrrealty.com

Chicago Architectural Foundation Reception: Lohan Caprile Goettsch Architects www.Lohan.com

Millennium Park Reception: Skidmore Owings and Merrill – SOM  www.som.com

Millennium Park Pritzker Pavilion Gala: U.S. Equities Realty www.usequities.com

New Members

Aloha Chapter

Kirk Belsby, Kamehameha Schools Neil Hannahs, Kamehameha Schools Chris Kanazawa, Parker Ranch
Akemi Kurokawa, Seibu, Inc.
Steve MacMillan, The Estate of James Campbell
Ann Li Mapes, Belt Collins Hawaii, Ltd.
Benjamin M. Matsubara, Matsubara, Lee & Kotake
David A. Miller, Architects Hawaii
Robert H. Ozaki, Queen Lili’uokalani Trust
Esther H.C. Price, The Hallstrom Group
Robert Sasaki, A&B Properties, Inc.
Ray Soon, Kamehameha Schools
Stacy T.J. Wong, Eric A. Knudsen Trust

London Chapter

William Murray, Wordsearch
Richard Smith, Public Sector Plc
Graham Wiseman, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Inc.
Matthew Wintersgill, Wintersgill LLP

Memphis Chapter

Eliot D. Cohen, Cohen Investments
John R. Duke, John R. Duke, LLC
Price D. Ford, Ford Lurie Commercial Associates
Neil Harkavy, Harkavy, Shainberg, Kaplan & Dunstan
William M. Mitchell, Crye-Leike, Realtors
Kurt A. Nelson, IDI