AUSTIN--The Central Texas CCIM Chapter has recognized nine members who recently earned the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation by the CCIM Institute, one of the leading commercial real estate associations in the world. The designation was awarded this month at the institute's business meetings in Austin.

Awarded the designation were: Sarah Woods, Angela Booth, Thomas Rhodes, Preston Wolfe, Robert Springer, Joshua LaFico, Yusuf Johnson, Robby Eaves and Patrick Ley. They were among the 245 commercial real estate professionals who earned the designation by passing the CCIM Comprehensive Examination, the final component in the designation process. Only about 6 percent of the estimated 150,000 commercial real estate practitioners nationwide hold the CCIM designation, which reflects not only the caliber of the program, but why it is one of the most coveted and respected designations in the industry.

The CCIM designation is awarded to commercial real estate professionals upon successful completion of a graduate-level education curriculum and presentation of a portfolio of qualifying experience. The curriculum addresses financial analysis, market analysis, user-decision analysis and investment analysis, the cornerstones of commercial investment real estate. CCIMs are recognized experts in commercial real estate brokerage, leasing, asset management, valuation and investment analysis.

The Central Texas CCIM Chapter is one of 56 local chapters of the CCIM Institute. The mission is "to provide the members of the Central Texas CCIM Chapter with top quality commercial educational courses, the latest technological training, numerous timely and relevant business programs, first-rate property exchanges and frequent networking activities and social events, thereby further enhancing and promoting recognition of the CCIM designation as the standard for professionalism among the general public and the members of the real estate industry."

Since 1969, the Chicago-based CCIM Institute has conferred the Certified Commercial Investment Member designation to commercial real estate and allied professionals through an extensive curriculum of 200 classroom hours and professional experiential requirements. Currently, there are more than 9,000 CCIMs in 1,000 markets throughout the United States, Canada, and 30 additional countries. An additional 7,000 practitioners are pursuing the designation, making the institute the governing body of one of the largest commercial real estate networks in the world.