WASHINGTON, DC-Taubman Centers chairman and CEO Robert S. Taubman has been elected the new chairman of the local industry advocacy group, Real Estate Roundtable. He will succeed Daniel M. Neidich, CEO of Dune Real Estate Partners, as chairman. The Roundtable is also ushering in a new 21-member board for FY2013. Their tenure began on July 1.

“I’m honored to have been asked to lead this incredible organization,” said Taubman, in a prepared statement. “Thanks to the terrific leadership of Dan Neidich and our outgoing board, the active engagement of our member CEOs, our ability to work well with like-minded coalitions, and the professionalism and dedication of the Roundtable staff, we continue to make significant progress on key policy priorities.” Taubman added that the commercial real estate industry will “need to be proactive” on its legislative priorities, “whether the focus is deficit reduction, tax reform, energy efficiency or building security matters.”

The Roundtable’s board includes executives from national real estate firms as well the elected leaders of six major national real estate trade organizations out of 17 that hold permanent membership in the Roundtable. Officers also include Thomas M. Flexner, global head of real estate at Citigroup, who will serve as Roundtable Treasurer, and William C. Rudin, vice chairman and CEO of Rudin Management Co., who will continue as Secretary of the Roundtable. Other board members serving are: