A CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) is a recognized expert in the commercial and investment real estate industry. The CCIM lapel pin is earned after successfully completing a designation process that ensures CCIMs are proficient not only in theory, but also in practice. This elite corps of CCIMs includes brokers, leasing professionals, investment counselors, asset managers, appraisers, corporate real estate executives, property managers, developers, institutional investors, commercial lenders, attorneys, bankers, and other allied professionals.

A CCIM is part of a global commercial real estate network with members across North America and more than 30 countries. This professional network has enabled CCIM members to close thousands of transactions annually, representing more than $200 billion in value. As a result, the experts who possess the CCIM designation are an invaluable resource for commercial real estate owners, investors, and users.

CCIMs have completed a designation curriculum that covers essential CCIM skill sets including ethics, interest-based negotiation, financial analysis, market analysis, user decision analysis, and investment analysis for commercial investment real estate. CCIMs have completed a portfolio demonstrating the depth of their commercial real estate experience. Finally, they have demonstrated their proficiency in the CCIM skill sets by successfully completing a comprehensive examination. Only then is a designation candidate awarded the coveted CCIM pin, joining the ranks of highly skilled commercial and investment real estate experts.

Over 15,000 commercial real estate professionals have earned the designation. Currently, 5,500 professionals are pursuing their CCIM designation.

Certified Property Manager (CPM) is a real estate professional designation awarded by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) and recognized by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

The Institute offers a comprehensive program developed exclusively for property and asset managers working with large portfolios of all property types. The designation is considered to be among the industry's premier real estate management credentials. There are over 8,600 professional real estate managers who hold this designation worldwide. CPM members manage approximately $900 billion in real estate assets.

To achieve the CPM designation, a candidate must pass about 10 required courses given by IREM, including marketing, human resources, asset management and ethics and complete a management plan on a subject building. Most courses can be taken in a classroom setting, on-line or via home study. IREM also examines the candidate's experience and asks for 3 professional references.

Founded in 1957, ICSC is the premier global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its more than 58,000 members in over 90 countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, retailers and brokers, as well as academics and public officials. As the global industry trade association, ICSC links with more than 25 national and regional shopping center councils throughout the world. The purpose of The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) is to advance the shopping center industry and to promote its role in the commercial distribution of consumer goods and services by:

• Providing educational programs and publications in all aspects of shopping center development, finance, management, marketing and other specialized areas of professional interest;
• Conducting meetings and other programs designed to promote the exchange of ideas among members and to facilitate the conduct of their business;
• Collecting and disseminating information pertaining to the shopping center industry, including statistical data and other statistical research;
• Developing and maintaining professional certification programs to encourage high standards for shopping center professionals;
• Advocating the interest of the shopping center industry to local, state/provincial, federal and international governmental bodies; and
• Publicizing to the general public promotional and educational shopping center business information.