Boston, MA Rob Nahigian, FRICS, SIOR, CRE, MCR of Auburndale Realty Co., Newton, Mass. was invited to speak at the Counselors of Real Estate National Convention on Logistics Supply Chain in Boston on September 12. The convention was held at the Fairmont Hotel and was the first live convention held since 2019. Over 190 attendees were present creating one of the largest CRE conventions. Mark Duclos, CRE, SIOR and past president of SIOR was the moderator. Hagood Morrison, CRE, SIOR was also a panelist with Franc Pigna, CRE.
and Frank Pigna in the rear on Logistics Supply Chain in Boston
The focus of the panel description: Supply chain logistics are at the epicenter of what makes the economy function, and commercial real estate is the field on which it all plays out. The panel centered around the state of the supply chain, what is being done to ease it, and what can be done to ease it moving forward, encompassing traditional and non-traditional thinking. The panel also discussed remaking America’s supply chain; how population migration is influencing the logistics and supply chain; what’s working and not working in logistics; and the inland port model and how it is transforming ports of preference and making rail connectivity paramount.
Over the last nine years, Nahigian has delivered a program “From Shanghai to Your Shelf” throughout N. America on Logistics Supply Chain real estate decisions. The information from his national program was of assistance in this program and as a national expert on logistics supply chain. To supplement and prepare for this program, he also interviewed seven companies including Amazon, Locus Robotics, ARCO, Dacon, Cannistraro, HMI and Sur-Real on the current global supply chain issues. Nahigian shared those results and concluded that the supply chain will continue into 2023 but is slowing. Many CEOs felt that the recession will help to gain time to solve the supply chain issue but that there were many factors that contributed to the problem. It was not one factor. The room was overcrowded with attendees for this program.
On September 14th, Nahigian delivered the SIOR national designation program “Art of Negotiating Commercial Real Estate” in Atlanta to over 32 students. The course revealed new models in negotiating skills that have elevated the success of professional negotiators. As an SIOR national faculty member since 1986, Nahigian incorporated his professional experience as a “for hire” negotiator that dissected two negotiating traits that can tip the playing field.
On September 27, Nahigian moderated a counselors panel that included Bob Cleary, SIOR, CRE of Colliers, Taran Grisby, Esq, vice-president and global delivery for transactions and leasing, Fidelity Investments, Justin Landry, CRE of Stirling Properties and Patrick Mulvihill, senior vice-president of leasing for Boston Properties. The topic ventured into the future of the office usage and occupancy. The program was offered nationally on Zoom. Nahigian serves as chair of the CRE tenant leasing special interest group. Nahigian introduced the fact that to say that the office sector has transformed in the last two years is an understatement.
The panel focused on what’s happening now in the market–and with tenants–that perhaps no one else is talking about? What are the trends on downtown vs. suburban office leasing? How is hybrid work changing the tenant space? What are the hot lease clauses tenants are demanding and what concessions are landlords offering? How will tenants transform their businesses if another strain of COVID leads to further disruptions? The program was insightful on global and domestic office usage.
