Governors' Page

by Pat Moore

In my four years as a Governor, I've come to see the Real Estate Foundation as a bridge between the community and the real estate industry and between individuals within the industry itself.

On the one hand, grant applications received by the Foundation are often the first indication the industry has of urgent community needs. During our review of these applications, we are able to inform the industry about community concerns. We also encourage and help the industry provide further community financial assistance and, often, licensee participation in addressing those issues. Even a cursory glance at our 1996 Annual Report reveals the variety of projects we fund and the number of communities involved.

On the other hand, the grant application process serves to raise the community's awareness about the real estate industry and its diversity. By sponsoring public land use and planning programs and events, the industry, through its Foundation, provides the public with insight into the importance and complexity of land use related issues.

For example, the first of our two feature articles, "Victoria Real Estate Board's School Competition," illustrates how the Foundation has brought together young people and the industry through a contest that encourages youth to look at land use in depth. The second article, "Dermot Murphy Lecture Series on Applied Ethics," is an overview of an initiative whose purpose was to show the community and the industry how both can discuss land use from an ethical perspective.

As representatives from different public and industry sectors, we, as Governors, are also able to interpret the concerns of real estate practitioners from a broad non-partisan perspective. Because we stand apart from individual agendas, we have a broad view of licensee and trade issues. Consequently, we are able to sponsor various forums that encourage internal discussion, free of the suspicion of self-interest. In short, we are honest brokers of ideas. And in that capacity, we, through the Foundation, will continue to encourage communities and industry members to learn more about each other and to work together toward common goals.