The Global Diversity Summit will hold its sixth annual conference at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Miami on November 6th and 7th, 2013. The two-day event will gather commercial real estate leaders from South Florida and across the country. The conference is a major networking event, with approximately 500 commercial real estate professionals attending each year.

I have the pleasure of serving on the Board of Directors for GDS. My role is to coordinate the GDS Scholars program, which identifies current Master’s degree students who are up-and-coming leaders in commercial real estate. Through an application process, my selection committee and I award a $5,000 scholarship, sponsored by Wells Fargo, to the student we feel has the best overall academic record and demonstrated interest in commercial real estate.

Planned topics at this year’s conference include investment trends, capital sources, new development activity, and infrastructure projects, with a particular focus on Latin America. Featured speakers include Donna Shalala, President of the University of Miami; Jorge Perez, Chairman and CEO of Related Group of Florida; and Manny Diaz, Former Mayor of Miami & Senior Partner of Lydecker Diaz. Please click here to read a review of last year’s Global Diversity Summit conference in Atlanta.

The Global Diversity Summit is a national organization created to increase the participation of minorities in commercial real estate. The organization is committed to support ethnic minority professionals in the commercial real estate industry by raising awareness, increasing opportunity, focusing on ethical practices, promoting best practices for inclusion, offering professional growth, and highlighting the benefits of diversity and inclusion.

Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Miami, Florida. Photo courtesy of Marc Averette.

– Clifford Lipscomb