Congratulations go out to our own Carrie Gates, Vice President of Leasing & Marketing for her outstanding success as 2009 President of Office Business Center Association International (OBCAI).  We were honored to have a member of our team elected by her industry peers and colleagues to serve as President, and congratulate her for the outstanding achievements during her term. Carrie joined the Barrister team in 1990, and plays a key role in the company success by overseeing all aspects of our leasing and marketing.  Carrie’s reputation and commitment to delivering the best possible service to customers, day in and day out, has made her a recognized leader in the Executive Suite industry.

In addition to her role with Barrister, Carrie also presided over our industry’s trade association, OBCAI, during an unquestionable difficult period for the entire industry. Regardless of any challenges, with her leadership at the helm, Carrie and the association still accomplished several significant achievements during her term. It was an emotional farewell speech as she turned over the reins to incoming president Carolina Rendiero at the Associations annual conference at the end of September. We’re pleased to say that she will continue to serve on the Board of Directors as immediate Past President.

“Carrie’s leadership skills are not only extraordinary but as the President of our trade association she demonstrated a rare combination of exceptional charisma with hands-on organizational skills, not to mention an amazing amount of energy. Listening to her farewell speech as she concluded her term gave me goose bumps, as I realized how proud I was, and how fortunate the several hundreds members of our organization were, to have her as our leader.” said Laurante Dhollande, CEO Pacific Business Centers.

OBCAI is the international trade association representing the Executive Suite industry, helping ensure best practices and industry standards and guidelines for owners and operators worldwide, and protecting the consumer’s rights. As a long established leader in the industry since 1966, Barrister’s predecessor is credited with founding the Executive Suite industry, which has grown considerably since its inception in 1966. Under Carrie’s leadership and direction the association was able to achieve several outstanding accomplishments.  To read a recent interview with Carrie Click Here

At Barrister, our dedication to providing exceptional service is core part of our company philosophy. Every member of our team is 100% committed to achieving results, which is undoubtedly a contributing factor to our success, and one of the reasons why we enjoy so much longevity with our customers and team mates. We’re very proud of Carrie for carrying the torch and continuing the Barrister tradition,“I believe whole heartedly that the product we offer is a resource to companies conducting business today, and we are the right choice for almost any kind of company.”  Said Carrie, “Serving as President of our trade association was an opportunity to give back to an industry that I truly believe in, and that has given me so much. It was an amazing experience that was truly rewarding and fulfilling.” To learn more about Barrister Executive Suites, Inc. Click Here

The LACRA (Los Angles County Realtor Association) Broker Challenge has been an annual tradition among the local Commercial Real Estate community for over 23 years. The charity fundraising event is a fun filled way for real estate professionals to enjoy some camaraderie and healthy competition, while giving back to the community. The annual event, which was held September 23^rd at the Beach Club in Santa Monica, includes teams from competing real estate firms, property owners, and commercial real estate professionals. This year congratulations go out to McGuire Properties for their victory.

Barrister Executive Suites, Inc has proudly shown support for the event through sponsorship or participation for over 7 straight years. Suite Manager, Amanda Wirts, participated in the planning committee for the event for the 2^nd consecutive year, which this year brought in an estimated $96,000 . “Of course, we’re always eager to help out and give back.” Said Amanda, “our commitment to serving local business’ and the community runs deep at our company. The Brokers who participate are all great! I really enjoy helping out and working with all of them”.  Funds from the event are raised through entry fees, reception attendees, and corporate donations, and go to benefit Family Services of Santa Monica, a local non-profit social service agency providing mental health, family support and education services to Westside children and families.

The Challenge is an all day event filled with a series of beachside sports competitions, and concludes with a cocktail reception, and raffle drawing.  The day’s activities include a paddle tennis match, surfboard relay, and special event relay. Spectators all turned out to watch as the Brokers battled it out for the championship trophy, as well as bragging rights for the rest of the year. “The competition was fierce. Newmark Knight Frank had the 1^st place lead going into the last round, I thought they were going to win” said Amanda, “But the Mc Guire team pulled ahead and won the last 2 relays, so they squeaked past in overall points to win the trophy. Very Impressive!”