2022 CREW in Review

How is it the end of this year already?

As we close out our 40th anniversary year and look to the next 40, I am humbled to have served as president. Our organization has played a pivotal role in advancing the achievements of women who influence the success of the commercial real estate industry in Atlanta and so far beyond. And we keep going.

I am incredibly honored to be part of this milestone year when we could truly reunite and celebrate our past while we look toward the future. It was invigorating to be able to engage with each other again at larger in person events like our Economic Forecast with Dr. Marci Rossell and our Empowerment Speaker Series with Ryan Jenkins. And although we celebrated all year long, our 40th Anniversary celebration in May, where four decades of CREW Atlanta members – from past presidents to our 2022 leadership class, to members of HYPE, and everyone in between – came together in one room at the Atlanta History Center for the evening, was simply amazing!

As a volunteer organization, it is our members, our committee chairs, our board members and our guests, sponsors and supporters, who make us a transformative force with which to be reckoned. We are resilient. We are industry stalwarts. We are absolute, unabashed rock stars! And at our December meeting, we honored four members who have been particularly generous to CREW Atlanta this year with their time and talents: Rita Tene Ellison with T. Dallas Smith & Company, our 2022 New Member of the Year; Sarabeth Lewis with Branch Properties, our 2022 Rising Star Award winner; Mona Hand of IDI Logistics, our 2022 Shining Light award winner; and Laura Young with Young Contracting, our 2022 Committee Member of the Year. Their passion for the CREW Atlanta mission of influencing the success of the commercial real estate industry by advancing the achievements of women is inspiring. Thanks to them for everything and for all the nominees who made the selections an utter challenge!

I am so grateful to have served as CREW Atlanta’s 2022 president and am excited for what is to come in 2023 when we showcase our chapter and our city at the 2023 CREW Network Convention. Get ready because if you thought 40 was amazing, 41 is going to be out of this world! Renew your membership now. Make your donation to CREW Network Foundation now. Jump on board for CREW Atlanta’s January economic forecast with Marci Rossell now! The next 40 will be upon us before we know it. Let’s go!

Ellen Smith
2022 President
CREW Atlanta