Leading CREWNY into the 21st Century

Real Estate Weekly, Feb 2, 2000 by Victoria Kahn

Those who only know Victoria Kahn as a managing director of Clarion Partners, where she manages multi-billion dollar equity portfolios for several state pension funds, have only begun to skim the surface. This multi-faceted woman is an architect by training, with a graduate degree in French history from the Sorbonne and an MBA in Finance from NYU.

In her new role as president of CREW*New York, she is the visionary at the forefront as this select, 12-year-young group transitions into the 21st Century.

"It's stimulating, challenging and exciting to be president of CREW*NY at this phase of its evolution, particularly in these exciting times," Kahn said in a recent interview. "CREW*NY has really 'come of age,' and I see us on the runway ready for takeoff."

Crew*New York was founded in 1988 by 10 charter members as a means of providing a local forum for senior-level women in the commercial real estate industry. "Today, we have approximately 100 members, with new prospects every day," Kahn said. "In many ways this growth is the crux of our evolution."

Initially, according to Kahn, keeping the group smaller was a conscious decision of the membership. "Networking has and always will be a primary mission of the group, and the dynamics are very different with a small group," she said. "It's a lot easier to really get to know each other one-on-one, both professionally and personally, and the early members wanted that level of relationship and access to other women holding senior-level positions."

In recent years, the group has lost much of its intimate, "club-like nature," reflecting both the current expansion of the real estate market in New York and the needs of a maturing organization.

"Today, the ranks of senior-level women with decision-making authority have grown incredibly, and knowing each other ,has become an important part of getting business done," Kahn said. "It also reflects where women are in our careers in real estate. When the group was first founded, the big questions were how to 'progress' to the next level and how to get the bigger deals. Today, the composition of the organization is a reflection of members who are secure in their professional standing, and who want the organization to reflect that achievement."

According to its charter, CREW*NY was founded with five purposes: to provide a forum for women actively involved in commercial real estate; to further women's educational expertise in the related fields of commercial activities; to acknowledge and reward the achievement of women in these activities; to set, promote and reward the highest professional standards of ethics and integrity; and to provide the necessary organization and leadership to facilitate the exchange of information and leadership among members.

Kahn's program for her tenure embraces those objectives with thoroughly modem twists. Her mission statement isolates three clear-cut goals: Providing networking opportunities; providing services such as seminars, individual coaching and co-mentoring that enhance members' professional lives; and finally, providing a platform to expand women's leadership in the industry.

Kahn is deeply committed to both mentoring young women and co-mentoring CREW members. She has proposed creating member boards for each industry segment -- development, architecture, finance and entrepreneurship -- designed to support and mentor others within that industry sector. Stronger ties with REBNY and NACORE are on her agenda, as well. Earlier this year, the group held a mentoring program that attracted 40 young women from graduate schools at Columbia, NYU Real Estate. Institute and NYU. One of them, in a thank-you note, said "The open forum discussion allowed us to ask questions of distinguished speakers from whom we might not have heard otherwise. Your willingness to share advice is most appreciated and valuable to us."

Another, of Kahn's initiatives is to add specialized coaching seminars led by paid professionals. Her proposed programs include: speaking and presentation skills; writing articles for publications; negotiating contracts and severance packages; and in her "thoroughly modem way" of thinking, a beginner's clinic for the most popular boardroom in the world, the golf course.

Witness a recent scene in Kahn's office. She's asked a staff member to construct a database. He's presenting it to her, and by the time he's done taking her through it, she's asked 17 insightful questions and has begun moving around the program. "I always try to be conversant in the technology my staff is using," she explains.

That interest and insight is likely to result in Kahn's most visible legacy to the organization, and possibly the bridge between a small organization where everyone knew each other and a more mature group where everyone wants and needs to know each other - CREW*NY's web site. The development is being led by Arlene Wysong, a CREW*NY past president and senior managing director of Newmark Real Estate, with help from committee members Jin Lee, Rose Wolf, Wendy Hall and Lynda Tepperman. The site should be ready for betatesting in June.