A hearty “congratulations” goes out to Bernadette Blanco and her team at Kilroy Realty Corporation for Kilroy Centre Del Mar’s win at the Pacific Southwest Regional level in the Suburban Office Park, Low-Rise Category! We are thrilled to see a San Diego building heading to the International TOBY Awards in June.
 
On that note, it’s that time of year again - TOBY nominations time!  Hopefully by now, you have received an email or four about nominating your building, a client’s building, or a building you pass on the way to work for The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY) award.  The TOBYs are a prestigious award recognized throughout commercial real estate for excellence in building operation and management. Winners of the local competition can go on to compete at the Regional level and eventually the International level, just like Kilroy Centre Del Mar is doing this year.  And this year, a new category, has been added - Retail. Exciting times for the TOBYs!
 
Building owners and managers, if you have ever thought about participating, this is your year! Preparation for TOBY judging is a bonding experience for your team and you will learn so much about your building. The winners are announced and the sparkling awards are given out at BOMA San Diego’s Annual Winter Gala in December – this is the “Oscars” of San Diego commercial real estate – a great night celebrating the buildings we manage and our outstanding members.  What better way to celebrate than by having a building in the TOBYs?  I encourage you to nominate your building for a TOBY and be part of this exciting process.  Check out the TOBY awards section of the BOMA San Diego website (under the Programs tab) for more information.
 
The Membership awards are announced at the Annual Winter Gala as well. This is when we as a group recognize hard working individuals who work tirelessly all year long to make sure our BOMA local is a dynamic, vibrant chapter.   These nominations are a few months out, but I encourage you, if you catch someone doing something great, jot it down and nominate them for a membership award when the time comes. As a past Principal of the Year recipient, I will tell you, it means so much to have your hard work recognized in front of your peers in such a great setting and it looks great professionally!
 
If you are interested in furthering your education, our Education Committee has a terrific year planned, including an offering of BOMI International's new High-Performance Sustainable Building Principles course.  ”This course provides a comprehensive overview of high-performance sustainable buildings and exposes learners to the critical components of the sustainable ecosystem.   As an industry professional, you will gain insight on how to meet the imperative for sustainable initiatives, stay abreast of new trends in greening, and effectively communicate the value of pursuing sustainable building initiatives.”  This course applies to RPA|HP® and FMA|HP® designations and the HPcertificate.
 
Lots going on this year which means lots of chances for YOU to get involved!  See you soon!