TULSA, OK—Leaders of all associations seem to struggle to achieve a difficult balance: that of launching far-seeing goals while serving for only a year. It was a challenge faced by the executives of SIOR when GlobeSt.com conducted an exclusive video interview at the group's Spring World Conference earlier this year. 

Six months have passed since that interview and the SIOR Fall World Conference is set for Nashville October 23 to 25, which promises to be a record breaker in terms of attendance. SIOR reports that five weeks out, more than 640 industry leaders from around the world have signed up, putting it on track to beat the 1,000 registrants who attended the group's previous record holder, the 2005 World Conference in Chicago.

In the weeks leading up to Nashville, Angela West, who will take the reins as president of the association at that time, sat down for another interview, this time with reports of great progress on this major issue for so many groups. West is also a vice president of the local office of CBRE.

GlobeSt.com: A year is a very short time to put lasting initiatives into effect.  We've discussed this before.  How do you look at the issue now?

West: Continuity is the key, building on what went before.  This summer we undertook the most comprehensive strategic plan in recent history. We took a deep dive into our organization and what it means to people both inside membership and in the real estate community as a whole. The process helped us clarify our own understanding of what it takes to be an SIOR and how we are viewed in the marketplace.

I have a year to accomplish what might take years to unfold and bear fruit. To accomplish that, I am incredibly connected to the SIOR executive committee, my vice president and the president elect, the professionals who will be the next two presidents. We've formed a true collaboration and have in place the pieces to make this a new era for SIOR.

GlobeSt.com: What are your goals?

GlobeSt.com: And when you end your term, what will you see?

West: I see a more diverse SIOR in terms of having as many office brokers as industrial brokers. There are a lot of ways we can grow as an organization and pull more people in for their benefit and the benefit of SIOR. I also see improved communication within our membership. We don't always share the story of successful member-to-member transactions. We need to articulate that better to the community around us.

GlobeSt.com: So how does this translate to the upcoming conference?

West: We've focused this conference in subject-matter tracks. For instance, we've dedicated breakout sessions for our international attendees and for those US brokers who want to better understand how to do business internationally. We also have a renewed initiative to deliver office-focused expertise and information. In all, in keeping with everything I said before, we're making sure all of the segments of membership have takeaways for their particular business lines. As I said, we're diverse, and our conference reflects that diversity.