NASHVILLE—When SIOR convenes its Fall World Conference here next month there will be a distinctively youthful tone to the event. According to Frank Schulz, SIOR, incoming chair of the group's Young Professionals Committee, there will be a focus on up-and-coming members, the first time there has been such exposure to the professional growth of new entrants. Schulz, who is also vice president at the Klabin Co./Corfac International in Torrance, CA, recently sat down with GlobeSt.com to talk about SIOR's youth movement.

GlobeSt.com: How does SIOR define a young professional?

Frank Schulz: Someone who is under 45 years of age. We have just about 600 young professionals in our association, about 20% of our membership. Recruiting and retaining young professionals is something that is of paramount importance to us. The average age of an SIOR is 54 years old, which speaks to the experience of our members. However, if 20% of the membership is under 45, we need to be mindful of recruitment.

GlobeSt.com: How do you go about recruitment?

Schulz: There are several ways, but the most logical is at the chapter level where we have programs such as our candidate initiative to get people involved. SIOR is different than most organizations in terms of attracting young members because you need to have a minimum of five years in the business and be a seasoned veteran to become an SIOR.  Because of this requirement for entry we have to bring people along very early in their careers. In doing so, we can help them see the value in the marketplace of gaining that designation.

GlobeSt.com: What services do you offer young professionals that are specific to their needs?

Schulz: One of the most important services we can offer them is networking. When you step into an organization that has 3,000 members, the most important thing is to get them connected. So our first goal is to reach out and bring these two groups together for their mutual benefit. By providing this access to experienced members we can create unique mentoring relationships where younger members have a highly skilled professional to learn from and vouch for this person.

GlobeSt.com: And in terms of programming? 

Schulz: The Fall World Conference is a great example.  Aside from the networking and the other presentations that have great value for them, there will be a session specifically for young professionals on best practices and how the business is changing.

GlobeSt.com: And how is it changing?

Schulz: There is a delicate balance that takes place. This industry needs the energy of young professionals but you also have to rely on the veterans and understand how they work. For example, communication has changed dramatically in the past 10 years. And while younger people tend to understand the technology better, this is still a business built on relationships. In fact, it's very hard to find SIOR-quality brokers because people have become so reliant on technology that they've never developed the relationships they need to sustain a 40-year career.

GlobeSt.com: What is the outlook for the growth of the Young Professionals program?

Schulz: It has been robust and it is ever-growing, especially at the chapter recruitment level. Things are getting done in leaps and bounds, like the educational session at the World Conference and the fact that we have young members now on every committee, bringing fresh ideas. For an association, this is big. They have a voice in SIOR, right alongside people who have been doing this for 30 or 40 years.