With summer coming to an end this month, it's a reminder that the year is passing by quickly. In our businesses, we should take this opportunity to look back at what we've learned and apply the lessons to the future, both for a successful year end, and for the long term.
For NH CIBOR, looking back, we've had some very good successes, with legislative issues and locally with our 1st Annual NH CIBOR Commercial Real Estate Awards, which delivered funds to local charities. Looking forward, we still have a lot of work to do, which will take different shapes as we progress. Commercial real estate issues continue to evolve, and we must keep pace with them.
I encourage all members of NH CIBOR to get involved at your local level, get involved with planning boards and zoning boards, and get involved with your local legislators. Our ultimate public policy goal for making New Hampshire a better place to do business demands that we all get involved. We need cities and towns to understand the benefits of good commercial real estate development, and we need regulators to understand the same.
We need regulators to understand the significant impacts that new regulations can have on commercial real estate, new regulations should help and not hinder development. Legislators need to foster regulations that will ease burdens on the right kind of developments that create jobs and boost the economy. Communities are the foundations the future is built upon, and with the right kind of guidance, our communities can organically help themselves. New Hampshire will benefit from the ground up. Please get involved and let us know how we can help you to help your community and legislators. NH CIBOR is here to help you and your communities.

Gerry O'Connell is the 2015 president of the New Hampshire Commercial and Investment Board of Realtors.