Wanting Atlanta to host the BOMA National Convention, local businessman and Atlanta Convention Bureau president, Ivan E. Allen met with his Atlanta Chamber of Commerce colleagues, urging them to establish a local association affiliated with the national Building Owners and Managers Association. This action underscored the fact that a city with a BOMA presence was synonymous with a city that has aggressive economic growth plans. As a result, from the moment of its founding, BOMA-Atlanta was directly tied to economic growth for the state of Georgia.

A century after C.F. Wilkinson was elected as BOMA's first president, his grandson Georgia Rep. Joe Wilkinson discusses his grandfather and the impact that BOMA has had on the state's growth and success.

Former BOMA-Atlanta Executive Director (1970-2001), Stewart Huey, explains how the formation of BOMA-Atlanta helped establish Atlanta's longtime reputation as a convention city.

BOMA-Atlanta held a meeting to officially organize the local association and become affiliated with BOMA National. This meeting set the stage for what the association would become in subsequent years. Presiding over the organizational meeting was local businessman and Atlanta Convention Bureau president, Ivan E. Allen. It was also at this meeting that C.F. Wilkinson was elected BOMA-Atlanta's first official president.

BOMA-Atlanta held its first regular board meeting at the Candler Building, one of the city's oldest buildings.

BOMA-Atlanta opened its first office in the Empire Building, known in later year as the C&S Bank headquarters, at 35 Broad Street in downtown Atlanta. Locating BOMA's office in the central business district underscored the association's role in economic development and in leading and growing the real estate industry.

BOMA-Atlanta quickly built a reputation for being a leader among the many local associations in the BOMA federation. During the 1914 BOMA National Convention held in Atlanta, the first BOMA-Atlanta president, C.F. Wilkinson was elected as Treasurer of BOMA National.

BOMA-Atlanta hosts the BOMA National Convention. The Piedmont Hotel, which was demolished in the 1960s and is now the site of the Equitable Building, served as convention headquarters. According to meeting minutes, The Convention was conceded by all to be the largest attended, the most enjoyable and the very best in every way ever held by the National Association. Even in its early years, BOMA-Atlanta proved to be a terrific partner with BOMA National, now BOMA International. Being the host location to the National Convention not only brought more acclaim to Atlanta as a destination city, it also solidified BOMA-Atlanta as a leader among the BOMA affiliates throughout the nation.

BOMA-Atlanta president, E.M. Horrine was invited to join the Chamber of Commerce's President's Club. This club brought together leaders of various Atlanta civic organizations for meetings to provide Chamber President Mell Wilkinson with advice and consultation in the interest of moving Atlanta forward. BOMA's inclusion in this group solidified its strength as an economic development partner and successful advocate for the interests of building owners and managers.

World War I had a significant impact on the association, with the war starting only a year after BOMA-Atlanta was founded and continuing until November 11, 1918. Several BOMA members served in the military throughout the war, as is evident from this letter from August 26, 1918 in which a member is preparing for deployment.

BOMA has always been a leader in energy conservation and environmental sustainability. The minutes from the September 7, 1918 BOMA-Atlanta meeting highlight the association's efforts to reduce energy consumption in buildings. Specifically, BOMA led efforts to save energy by reducing elevator use and lighting in buildings.

In the early 1920s, BOMA-Atlanta led efforts to create best-practice language for office building leases. During this time, elevator use and janitorial services were hot topics among building owners and managers, as well as tenants.

The strength of BOMA has always been its membership. Since its founding, the association has strived for membership growth, because a large membership strengthens the real estate industry. The minutes from the April 13, 1920 meeting highlight BOMA's focus on membership growth.

Emblematic that by the mid-1920s Atlanta had established itself as an attractive Southern city in which to do business, Sears, Roebuck and Co. constructed a 2.1 million-square-foot facility on Ponce de Leon Ave., in what is known as the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. Symbolic of the fluctuation in the commercial real estate market conditions and trends that BOMA has helped its members withstand, this iconic Atlanta building has transformed from a retail space from 1926 until 1987; to a government building from 1990 until 2010 under the name City Hall East; to being renovated as the mixed-used development Ponce City Market in 2011.

For $94,400, the City of Atlanta purchased Candler Field, now the site of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. For the five years prior to the purchase, the land at Candler Field was being leased to the city by Asa G. Candler. It handled 16 passenger and airmail flights daily. While those involved may not have realized at the time what this purchase would mean for Georgia's future, BOMA quickly recognized the significant impact Candler Field would have on economic and real estate development and how it would position Atlanta as an international

With the stock market crash of October 1929, the Great Depression began. Declining real estate values, rising unemployment and other economic issues crippled the U.S. economy. During this time, BOMA-Atlanta served as an invaluable resource for real estate professionals. In the face of bleak market conditions, members of BOMA relied on one another for uplifting conversation and information sharing that would help solve industry-wide issues, and BOMA provided educational programs designed to help the real estate industry cope with the difficult economic environment.

Charles F. Palmer, who simultaneously served as president for BOMA-Atlanta and BOMA National from 1930 until 1932, encouraged association members to hold rental rates steady during the Great Depression in lieu of decreasing rates to attract new tenants. He also took BOMA National's Wage and Price Provision to the National Recovery Administration in 1933, which eventually helped restore employment in commercial real estate to 1929 levels while protecting building owners and managers from sharp increases in operating costs.

Although the United States was struggling with the effects of the Great Depression, BOMA-Atlanta contributed to the economic development of Georgia by bringing real estate professionals and other business executives to Atlanta in 1931 for the BOMA Southern Region Conference. The conference provided education and networking opportunities for attendees and also helped the city of Atlanta begin 1931 with increased optimism by showcasing the city's real estate industry.

By the time Georgia celebrated its 200th birthday in 1933, Atlanta had well established itself as the "Gateway of the South." During this time, BOMA-Atlanta was celebrating a milestone of its own: 20 years of existence. BOMA members took pride in being able to contribute to Georgia's economic development and reputation as a nationally recognized commercial, financial and industrial success story.

As illustrated by the cover of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce's October 10, 1933 edition of City Builder, Atlanta was developing quickly and pulling ahead of competing Southern cities. As a result, it became home to the industrial sites of many large companies, such as Chevrolet. This growth in industrial real estate provided opportunities for BOMA members to diversify their property management skills beyond multi-tenant commercial office to industrial real estate.

Even in the midst of the Great Depression, air conditioning was being advertised as a must-have amenity for office buildings looking to increase occupancy by making tenants more comfortable, especially during hot Atlanta summers. As the idea of investing in manufactured climate control was presented to the commercial real estate industry, BOMA had to start thinking of how this change would impact the educational needs of building engineers and operational costs in its members' buildings. BOMA was also a leader in this area on the national level, with BOMA National's president E.B. Murray appointed to serve on the federal government's Special Committee on Air Conditioning Standards.

Prominent Atlanta real estate and streetcar entrepreneur Joel Hurt was responsible for developing Atlanta's first skyscraper, the Equitable Building. However, his masterpiece development in downtown Atlanta is known as the Hurt Building, which was built in 1913 and is still a BOMA Georgia member building today. In 1940, Trust Company donated land to the City of Atlanta, which was made into a memorial park dedicated to the memory of Hurt. Aptly named Hurt Park, its dedication underscored the importance of commercial real estate pioneers ad BOMA members to the development of Atlanta.

Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the United States entered World War II, thus shifting BOMA's advocacy and education focus to rent control, labor issues and taxation. BOMA National President Leo Sheridan expressed support of President Roosevelt regarding war efforts, saying, "The Board of Governors of the National Association of Building Owners and Managers, in session today in the City of Chicago, pledges to the President of the United States the fullest cooperation and support of this association and of the building management industry in the emergency that confronts the Nation at this hour."

The Communicable Disease Center (CDC), known today as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was established in Atlanta in 1946. Atlanta was chosen as the location for this new federal government initiative partly because of the malaria endemic in the Southern United States. The establishment of the CDC in Atlanta helped to expand the amount of government buildings in the city and state, a property type BOMA has long served.

Downtown Atlanta's Hotel Winecoff, which opened in 1913 and was known as an "absolutely fireproof" structure, caught fire killing 119 people. Since the hotel was built without sprinklers, fire escapes or an alarm system, it was the deadliest fire in U.S. history. The disaster led to significant changes in building codes, requiring multiple protected means of egress and self-closing, fire-resistive doors for guest rooms in hotels. BOMA has consistently played a large role in development of building codes, and BOMA is an advocate for life safety issues.

BOMA has always looked for new, innovative ways to train and educate real estate professionals. In 1956, BOMA-Atlanta hosted the Southern Region Conference. Rather than providing educational programs in lecture format, the association provided an innovative opportunity for meeting attendees to create their own interactive educational discussions.

After surviving the decades defined by the Great Depression and World War II, Atlanta real estate was ready to embrace new building technologies and modernization strategies. Buildings were looking to set themselves apart. For example, in 1956, BOMA member building, the Hurt Building became one of the first office buildings in Atlanta with air conditioning, ushering in the era of offices with windows that don't open. This led to the need for filtration systems and other indoor environment technologies in buildings. BOMA has always promoted the education of its members on cutting edge building technologies that assist in lowering operational expenses while increasing tenant satisfaction.

BOMA has always strived for a membership comprised of diverse property types. The core of BOMA membership for much of the association's history has been multi-tenant commercial office buildings. In 1957, the Atlanta Federal Savings Building was a prominent BOMA member.

BOMA-Atlanta/BOMA Georgia has long been a leader in the BOMA Southern Region. For decades, the association kept the region's financial and meeting records. This close relationship with the Southern Region provided unique leadership opportunities for members.

BOMA-Atlanta/BOMA Georgia has always embraced community service as an integral part of its culture. In 1959, the association encouraged members to give back to the community through supporting the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation.

BOMA International’s Experience Exchange Report (EER) is commercial real estate’s most trusted and comprehensive benchmarking resource. Now covering nearly a billion square feet of space across the United States and Canada, the EER enjoys its current status as a robust analysis tool because, even decades ago, members were strongly encouraged to submit their data to improve accuracy of statistics for the industry, as illustrated in the February 10, 1961 edition of the BOMA-Atlanta Bulletin.

Long before its expansion to become BOMA Georgia, the association built relationships throughout the state. In 1961, BOMA-Atlanta hosted the Southern Region Conference at the De Soto Hotel in Savannah, Ga.

BOMA members develop deep and meaningful relationships with each other and with the association. Over time, these relationships find a healthy professional-personal blend and create a bond expressed as the “BOMA family.” This strong connection is illustrated in the 1961 issue of the BOMA-Atlanta Bulletin where the association expressed its condolences about the loss of a past president’s wife. This gesture shows how important fostering a family-like experience has been to members. BOMA has truly always been a family.

In 1963, BOMA-Atlanta celebrated five decades of existence. As illustrated in this letter, BOMA-Atlanta President Gid McEachern enthusiastically invited C.G. Reddell and his wife to the anniversary celebration at the Commerce Club in Atlanta. Personal letters such as these were sent to members and their spouses encouraging them to attend the celebration, serving as a reminder of how important family is to BOMA.

BOMA has been a strong advocate for diversity in real estate. In the 1960s, BOMA was encouraging more women to enter the profession of property management. Known as a building management trailblazer, Ruth Thweatt set this tone as BOMA-Atlanta’s first female building manager member in 1963 when she—after working as a secretary in the building’s management office for three decades—became the property manager for Atlanta’s historic Medical Arts Building.

After Atlanta abandoned the trolley system in 1963, the Georgia General Assembly created the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) in 1964. While construction of the MARTA system didn’t begin until 1975, and the first rail service didn’t start until 1979, this was a pivotal point in the development of mass transportation in Georgia. BOMA represented the interests of building owners and managers throughout the political and public discussions of transportation issues, and was an advocate for economic development initiatives.

BOMA-Atlanta/BOMA Georgia has produced a long line of leaders in the BOMA Southern Region, as is evident from this 1964 Southern Region letterhead. Throughout its history, leadership development has been a key benefit of BOMA membership.

The $18 million Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was built in 364 days, "on land we didn't own, with money we didn't have and for teams we had not signed," said Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr. By 1966, the Braves had moved to Atlanta from Milwaukee, and the Atlanta Falcons joined the National Football League as an expansion team. BOMA-Atlanta supported the vision that brought the stadium to Atlanta because of the economic development opportunities it would present in the form of increase tourism, increased revenue to the city and, ultimately, increased tenancy for commercial buildings. BOMA-Atlanta was seen as a solid partner for the city and state in economic development issues.

As technology advanced through the 1960s, commercial property managers and owners started seeing the need for more streamlined, capable and efficient ways to monitor building systems. As depicted in this advertisement for Johnson Service Company, BOMA members started realizing potential cost savings due to installing systems management centers. BOMA offered educational programs to building engineers as technology progressed to ensure building teams were able to effectively use centralized building controls for multiple properties.

Since its inception, BOMA has been a leader in energy conservation and environmental sustainability. This 1968 General Electric advertisement highlights the real estate industry’s push for reduced energy consumption, through the adoption of more efficient lighting. BOMA has encouraged the adoption of new technology and energy efficiency by providing educational programs to help real estate professionals understand how their efforts save their buildings money, increase the value of the assets they manage, and make a positive difference in the environment.

The opening of Underground Atlanta in 1969 put downtown Atlanta on the entertainment and social map. In the 1920s, a viaduct was built over Alabama St. to help relieve traffic congestion. Alabama St. became Lower Alabama St., and the new street created over the viaduct was named Upper Alabama Street. Businesses moved shops to the upper level, while the lower level was mostly neglected. In 1968, the area was declared a historic site, and in 1969, Underground Atlanta opened in Lower Alabama St. as an entertainment district. This reuse of land and creation of new and innovative ways to bring visitors to Atlanta was an economic development measure that lent to the success of the surrounding commercial properties in the city. This redevelopment also highlights the cycles of economic development and real estate. Through the decades, BOMA members have continually supported economic development efforts in the City of Atlanta and throughout the state of Georgia.

Building Owners and Managers Institute (BOMI) International is founded and develops designation programs for commercial real estate professionals, including the Real Property Administrator (RPA), Facilities Management Administrator (FMA), Systems Maintenance Administrator (SMA) and Systems Maintenance Technician (SMT). BOMA-Atlanta, along with other BOMA local associations throughout the nation, began offering the four designation courses which quickly became recognized as an international standard of excellence in the operation and management of real estate.

Atlanta citizens voted for a one-percent sales tax to fund Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA). While construction of the MARTA system didn’t begin until 1975, and the first rail service didn’t start until 1979, this was a pivotal point in the development of mass transportation in Georgia. During this time, BOMA represented the interests of building owners and managers throughout the political and public discussions of transportation issues, and was an advocate for economic development initiatives.

BOMA International bestowed an honorary membership upon Ruth Thweatt. She was BOMA-Atlanta's first female building manager member and worked as property manager for Atlanta’s Medical Arts Building. At that time, she was the only woman in Atlanta ever to receive this honor. BOMA has always been a strong advocate for diversity in real estate.

In 1972, BOMA International updated and re-released its Standard Method of Floor Measurement Guide, a text that was created in 1915 and has been widely recognized as the industry's standard ever since.

In the 1970s, BOMA member buildings led the real estate industry’s transition to become all electrically heated. The change to all electric operations reduced overall energy consumption and also reduced operating costs for tenants and building owners. To assist with these efforts, BOMA and Georgia Power Company provided electric rate and consumption analyses to members. With BOMA’s efforts, Atlanta quickly became one of the leading cities in world for the number of all-electric buildings. BOMA members have long seen the benefits of implementing measures that conserve energy and save operational dollars, leading to further responsible development throughout the state.

The North X Northwest office community at I-75 and Windy Hill opened a 71,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art sports complex called the Terminus International Tennis Club. The Club was one of the first of its kind, and highlighted the increasing demand for buildings with amenities that fulfilled the health and social needs of the working family. As the real estate industry started embracing convenience amenities in commercial properties, the need for developing connections between BOMA building managers and allied members providing products and services to the industry became even more of a priority. Additionally, BOMA’s educational offerings allowed building teams to learn about the challenges, solutions and best practices associated with operations and maintenance of new types of building amenities.

As depicted in this 1975 Georgia Power Company advertisement, BOMA buildings were not only adding to the growing Atlanta skyline, but they were also being built and operated in an environmental and fiscally responsible way. BOMA member buildings employed cutting edge technology such as the use of double-bundle condensers, double-glazed windows, efficient building orientation, computer-operated load management systems and other energy-saving techniques. Buildings operated by BOMA member companies have a long-standing commitment environmental sustainability and to lowering operating costs for the tenants, while conserving contributing to the aesthetic beauty and economic progress of the city and state.

More than 60 years since BOMA International first hosted its conference in Atlanta, the city was once again host to the conference in 1976. The involvement of BOMA-Atlanta was instrumental in bringing the conference back to Atlanta. The return of the national conference emphasized the growing strength of BOMA-Atlanta’s relationship with its national affiliate as well as the reputation of Atlanta as a major player in the burgeoning commercial real estate business.

In 1983, Richard Wasser becomes the first BOMA-Atlanta Allied Member to earn the Real Property Administrator (RPA) designation from the Building Owners and Managers Institute (BOMI) International. This accomplishment highlighted the growing importance of partnership and allied members and property professionals in BOMA.

Dixie Engler-Wigbels, RPA, CPM, becomes BOMA-Atlanta’s first female president. This was a tremendous milestone for women in real estate and also for the profession of property management in general. BOMA has long been an advocate for diversity in real estate, and this milestone further highlighted the association’s commitment to diversity.

With technology moving at warp speed in the modern world, it’s hard to believe computers have not always been essential to doing business. In 1984, the BOMA-Atlanta office took a huge step into the age of technology when it purchased its first computer in an attempt to improve member service and communications. As BOMA-Atlanta President Dixie Engler-Wigbels, RPA, CPM, stated in a memo to the membership, the purchase was, “…a major achievement. Our accounting and membership data base will be much more efficient and complete. These improvements will have a dramatic effect on member services and, in turn, I predict, impact our growth.”

BOMA International created a recognition program known as The Office Building of the Year (TOBY) Awards to salute excellence in the office building industry. The first TOBY competition consisted of 23 regional entries in four categories: Under 100,000 Square Feet; 100,000-500,000 Square Feet; Over 500,000 Square Feet; and Historical Buildings. The TOBY Awards competition began modestly, but would grow into a prestigious international program recognizing more than just office buildings, as reflected by a name change in 2011 to The Outstanding Building of the Year Awards.

BOMA-Atlanta hosted its first Trade Show on a vacant floor of the Wildwood building in metroAtlanta. Championed by member Dara Nicholson—who became BOMA’s second female president in 1989—the purpose of the table-top trade show was twofold: 1) it gave property professionals the chance to show appreciation for the products and partnership of allied members; and 2) it showcased vacant spaces in metro-Atlanta buildings, bringing the properties increased exposure. BOMA-Atlanta's Trade Show later grew to become the largest annual gathering of property management and building operations employees in Georgia, connecting real estate professionals with product and service providers to learn, network and improve the efficiency and profitability of real estate assets.

BOMA-Atlanta was recognized every year from 1986 through 1989 with BOMA International’s Top Ten Award for participation in the Experience Exchange Report (EER). The EER, established in 1920, is commercial real estate’s most trusted and comprehensive income and expense benchmarking resource. BOMA-Atlanta’s high participation rate amongst member buildings, increased the accuracy and comprehensiveness of data collected within the state of Georgia.

BOMA-Atlanta highlighted the economic development of Georgia by bringing real estate professionals and other business executives to Atlanta in 1987 for the BOMA Southern Region Conference. The conference, held at the Marriott Marquis, provided education and networking opportunities for attendees and also showcased the growing real estate industry in Atlanta and throughout the state of Georgia. The meeting marked the first time in 30 years that Atlanta had played host to the Southern Region Conference.

75 years since its creation, BOMA celebrates a milestone anniversary with a growing and more diverse membership, a well-defined purpose and a strong vision for the future.

Finding and perfecting effective vehicles of communication is an essential part of keeping members informed of BOMA-Atlanta programs and engaged in the association. In 1988, BOMA-Atlanta expanded its print newsletter to be distributed monthly. This allowed the organization to share information with members more frequently, resulting in increased member involvement. Placing importance on written communications to members also laid the groundwork for the creation of future communication vehicles including a quarterly magazine, website, faxes and email.

It is clear by looking at this fun illustration printed in the January 1988 BOMA-Atlanta newsletter that the methods and technology used to perform daily building management responsibilities has evolved over the years. However, take a close look at the graphic, and you will see that many traits and qualities that define a successful property manager are still true today; especially the emphasis on BOMA membership being essential for success in the commercial real estate industry (note the BOMA lapel pin).

Spanning two pages in the BOMA-Atlanta Newsletter, the Allied Member Service Directory was a new addition to the newsletter as of April 1988. Not only did this addition underscore the importance of the allied member segment to other BOMA members, it was also a valuable resource for building teams who wanted to work with suppliers of products and services who supported BOMA.

Via BOMA-Atlanta’s newsletter, association president Dan Foster challenged members to increase membership from 238 to 275 individuals by October 31, 1988. With each newsletter, a membership update was provided with more encouragement from Foster. When the goal was attained, a new goal was set to reach 300 members by December 31, 1988. Although this goal wasn’t met, the efforts from this campaign left BOMA-Atlanta with the highest membership count in its history: 280 members. Growing the BOMA network through word of mouth and referrals has long proven to be an invaluable practice in identifying and creating future leaders within the association.

BOMA International bestowed the Local Association of the Year Award upon BOMA-Atlanta in recognition of organizational excellence in association management, professional education and civic activity. This tremendous honor highlighted the respect held by BOMA International and other locals for BOMA-Atlanta and its ability to create value for the real estate industry in Georgia. It was also an indication that membership in BOMA-Atlanta was essential for individuals and companies to be successful in the commercial real estate industry.

The BOMA International Conference came back to Atlanta for the first time since 1976. A long history of positive partnership between BOMA-Atlanta and BOMA International was instrumental in bringing the conference back to Atlanta and emphasized the strength of BOMA-Atlanta’s relationship with its international affiliate. The conference also gave those visiting a chance to see tremendous growth within the city and why Atlanta held the reputation as a major player in the commercial real estate industry, not just in the Southeast, but on the national level as well.

After the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, BOMA International created an extensive library of ADA compliance materials and launched a seminar series which positioned BOMA as an invaluable resource for real estate professionals who were implementing changes based on the new law. These efforts, combined with BOMA’s legislative advocacy program, positioned the organization as the leading real estate association in education and advocacy.

ENERGY STAR®, the international standard for energy efficiency, was created by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy in 1992. Buildings carrying the ENERGY STAR service mark generally use 20-30 percent less energy than required by federal standards. BOMA has always been an advocate for energy conservation and encouraging its members to embrace voluntary methods of reducing consumption. BOMA has also formed a unique partnership with the EPA since ENERGY STAR was launched. In fact, BOMA International has been named by the EPA as the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year more times than any other real estate association in the nation.

By 1992, the Experience Exchange Report (EER)—launched in 1923—grew to include more than 18.4 million square feet of data in Atlanta and more than 667 million square feet nationally. The tremendous growth in participation and data has since established the EER as the most trusted source of benchmarking data used to improve performance and achieve excellence across commercial real estate portfolios.

Transparency and open communication have always been characteristics valued by BOMA members and staff alike. This excerpt from the November 1992 BOMA-Atlanta newsletter takes a peek at how staff and volunteer members were spending their time working tirelessly on behalf of the organization. This graphic also underscores the importance BOMA has historically placed on communicating value to its members.

One of the cornerstones of a successful and enduring association is the creation—and diligent use of a long-range strategic plan. In 1994, BOMA-Atlanta developed its first strategic plan. The plan has proven one of the most effective tools leading to the association’s growth, position and reputation within the real estate industry.

After nearly a decade of hosting its Trade Show on vacant floors of member buildings, BOMA-Atlanta took its growing annual show to an exhibit hall at the North Atlanta Trade Center on Aug. 11, 1994. With the move, the annual BOMA Trade Show would continue its rapid growth and popularity, eventually becoming the largest one-day trade show of its kind in the state of Georgia.

By 1994, BOMA-Atlanta had approximately 550 members; record-setting attendance at luncheon meetings; a trade show with more exhibitors than ever before; sold out networking events; a series of successful seminars on topics vital to property management; and designed a strategic long-range plan. With all of these accomplishments, it was time to move BOMA-Atlanta headquarters to a new office space in Norcross, Ga. The new facility featured a conference center that could seat 40 students, audio-visual capabilities for meetings, and a café only four doors away. This move, and the amenities that came with it, signified the tremendous growth seen by BOMA in recent years, while forecasting the success that was to come in the future.

BOMA-Atlanta commissioned a study done by its Technical Reports Committee to discover the impact that office buildings and office parks had on the metro Atlanta area. Completed in March 1995, the study provided detailed information on all major office buildings and office parks in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett Counties and the City of Atlanta. The study determined that commercial real estate had a direct impact on the metro Atlanta area of more than $21 billion, not counting direct salaries of office building employees, purchases from suppliers of products and services and all the other related benefits. This proof of economic strength would set the stage for BOMA to continue expanding its government advocacy efforts.

After the horrific attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995—which left 168 individuals dead, nearly 700 injured and was the deadliest act of terror in the United States at that time—security measures and building construction methods were tightened and improved, especially in federal buildings across all major cities in the U.S. In its May 1995 newsletter, BOMA-Atlanta offered its sympathy for those affected by the blast. In subsequent years, BOMA also produced a series of educational seminars and written materials that improved safety and security training in the real estate industry.

After successfully moving the annual Trade Show from vacant floors of member buildings to the North Atlanta Trade Center in 1994, BOMA-Atlanta sought an even bigger venue to host its 1995 show, aiming for a record number of exhibitors and industry professionals in attendance. BOMA first chose the Cobb Galleria Centre as the new site of the annual BOMA trade show on Sept. 13, 1995. The site enabled BOMA to continue growing the show, making it the largest annual show of its kind in the state of Georgia.

Property managers, facility managers and building engineers understand the value of having the right vendor partners—known in BOMA as allied members. In 1996, the BOMA-Atlanta Board of Directors commissioned members of the BOMA Allied Council to partner with staff to write and publish the first edition of the BOMA-Atlanta Buyers Guide. The guide detailed what is important for building managers to know, ask and understand when evaluating products and services and also included the contact information for allied members.

Atlanta was home to 10,000 athletes and approximately 2 million visitors from around the world for 17 days during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. While this was a tremendous economic boon to the city and its economic development prospects, how the convergence of throngs of people upon the city would impact buildings was among the top concerns of BOMA and the commercial real estate community. How will transportation and traffic congestion affect deliveries of goods and arrival of tenants and building employees? With extended retail hours, should additional building security be considered? Not only did BOMA-Atlanta assist members in preparing for the games through increased communications and topic-specific luncheons; BOMA-Atlanta Executive Vice President Stewart Huey represented the association on the Atlanta Regional Commission’s advisory committee, which produced an operational plan for the Olympic Transportation System. During one of Atlanta’s most historic moments, BOMA-Atlanta was there helping its members and its home city experience ultimate success.

As the desktop computer and other personal technology became increasingly popular and common in the workplace and at home, BOMA-Atlanta needed to find new ways to reach people. In an effort to create additional connections with its members, BOMA-Atlanta launched a website and created an email account in 1997. Of course, since BOMA has always been sensitive to its members’ feelings about rapid change, the announcement about new methods of communication came with a disclaimer that, “the old- fashioned ways still work, too!” BOMA has always placed emphasis on reaching its members by way of the most convenient and effective methods available.

Identifying a need for additional educational offerings for the building engineering segment of the commercial real estate industry, BOMA-Atlanta organized an Engineers Club—which would later become the BOMA Technical Organization (BTO)—at its Aug. 5, 1998 luncheon. The purpose of this meeting of building engineers was to identify ways to offer education and networking opportunities specifically geared toward them. “The result,” said an announcement regarding the meeting, “should be a better equipped, more enlightened group with obvious benefits to building and facility managers.” This new club highlighted BOMA’s visionary thinking and paved the way for the association to become an educational resource for all professionals involved in the operation and management of real estate.

BOMA-Atlanta was awarded first place in BOMA International’s Membership Recruitment Challenge in 1998. Earning this award not only highlighted the passion and excitement for membership involvement by BOMA-Atlanta’s current members, it also showed strength in the relationship between BOMA-Atlanta and BOMA International.

The BOMA-Atlanta Energy Alliance was formed in 1998 when Strategic Energy Ltd. (SEL) was chosen to help members buy natural gas, manage their energy costs and usage, and secure competitive rates. "Our members need that expertise so we can collectively get the best deal possible," said BOMA-Atlanta Executive Director Stewart Huey in an article printed in the Atlanta Business Chronicle. “BOMA has more than 700 individual members and 82 companies that specialize in property management in Atlanta.” Partnerships such as this one ensured that BOMA members were protected, could see money returned to their bottom lines, and could achieve energy savings, thus becoming responsible stewards of the environment.

This membership brochure from 1988 outlines the many benefits that come with BOMA-Atlanta membership. Over the years, these benefits have become more robust and more valuable as the landscape of commercial real estate has evolved.

Having just hosted the 100th Olympic Games, Atlanta was a popular city in which to be. BOMA International agreed, as they chose Georgia’s capital city as its site for the 1999 BOMA International Conference. Kicking the festivities off at Atlanta’s iconic music venue, the Tabernacle, BOMA-Atlanta welcomed its friends from International and all BOMA locals, strengthening relationships with commercial real estate industry professionals from across the U.S. and showcasing the growing metro-Atlanta skyline.

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International collaborated with the University of Southern California to offer an Executive Education Program in 2000. The program offered non-degree master's-level education to real estate professionals throughout North America. BOMA-Atlanta was a founding sponsor of the program, proving the association’s long-standing commitment to continuing education for real estate professionals, as well as its support of BOMA International’s educational efforts.

BOMA International awarded BOMA-Atlanta its Outstanding Membership Recruitment and Retention Award in the 300 or More Members Category in 2000. BOMA-Atlanta’s steady membership growth over the decades gained recognition as the association went from relying on word-of-mouth to attract new members to having a professional, paid staff committed to utilizing strategic tactics to grow membership. The increase in membership around this time was also an indication that BOMA-Atlanta’s educational, networking and advocacy efforts were being perceived as valuable assets to the real estate industry.

Starting in 2001, BOMA-Atlanta was recognized four times within a decade (2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005) with Experience Exchange Report Participation (EER) Awards from BOMA International. The EER provides a forum for buildings to benchmark their operating expenses against average expenditures in other buildings in the local marketplace and nationally. Since the EER’s inception in 1923, BOMA-Atlanta has been a major factor in the steady growth in data available through the program. This has led to the EER being the most trusted source of benchmarking data used to improve performance and profitability of buildings across commercial real estate portfolios.

In 2003, BOMA-Atlanta launched a new educational course designed to assist those entering the commercial real estate field. Property Management 101 was created as a five-day class designed to teach participants the many facets of building management through classroom-style learning, interaction with industry professionals, and behind-the-scenes building tours. The course covered a variety of topics, including the professional life of a property manager, building systems, building operations, accounting and reporting, and contract administration.

BOMA-Atlanta’s board of directors began a transition from operational to strategic governance under the leadership of then president, Cindy Wagner, RPA, CPM. Operational governance is characterized by a board that is actively managing the organization; whereas, in strategic governance, the board of directors focuses its time on creating a vision of the association’s future, setting priorities, and delegating to committees and staff to implement programs and services. The change to strategic governance created a foundation for a period of tremendous growth in BOMA Atlanta’s membership, education enrollment, and member engagement; and it would also set the stage for the organization to soon expand statewide as BOMA Georgia.

Founded in 1907 as the National Association of Building Owners and Managers (NABOM), the now international organization thrived nearly from the start, providing members of the commercial real estate industry opportunities to network, become educated about building operations and maintenance, and advocate for the best interests of real estate. For example, within its first few years, NABOM established a National Building Code, successfully lobbied against fuel allotments and tax increases during WWI, and adopted the still relevant Standard Method of Floor Measurement. Fast forward 100 years, BOMA International still exists to work with local chapters to promote the interests of the industry while focusing on hot button issues such as emergency preparedness, energy efficiency and suitability, technology and workforce development.

On January 17, 2008, BOMA-Atlanta partnered with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) through the Homeland Security Task Force, and the Greater Atlanta Chapter of the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS) to co-produce a terrorism symposium. The event sold out with more than 400 attendees at the Georgia World Congress Center. This was also the first of a multi-year partnership between BOMA-Atlanta, ASIS and various law enforcement agencies to co-produce an annual day-long safety and security summit. Building this partnership highlighted BOMA’s role as the real estate leader in safety and security within the state of Georgia.

On September 24, 2008, BOMA-Atlanta launched the Building Engineering 101 (BE 101) course, which included five half days and one full day of instruction, combined classroom-style learning, interaction with industry professionals, and behind-the-scenes tours of several buildings. Much like its counterpart, Property Management 101, BE 101 answered an industry need for educational material built for building engineers in order to make them—and ultimately, the buildings they work for—successful. Topics addressed include preventative maintenance, HVAC, building automation, tenant interaction and customer-service skills, proper appearance, life safety procedures, NFPA, OSHA and ASHRAE regulations and standards, basic financial processes, and real estate certification programs.

Seeing a growing need for education specifically tailored for medical office building managers, BOMA-Atlanta held a seminar on May 9, 2008, which focused on parking issues often experienced at medical office buildings and facilities. Expanding educational offerings to this segment of property management ensured BOMA was addressing the needs of as many industry professionals as possible. This successful seminar would also trigger the creation of a Medical Office Building Shared Interest Group in 2009, which started offering educational programs for medical office building managers and building engineers on a quarterly basis.

Seeing a growing need for education specifically tailored for medical office building managers, BOMA-Atlanta held a seminar on May 9, 2008, which focused on parking issues often experienced at medical office buildings and facilities. Expanding educational offerings to this segment of property management ensured BOMA was addressing the needs of as many industry professionals as possible. This successful seminar would also trigger the creation of a Medical Office Building Shared Interest Group in 2009, which started offering educational programs for medical office building managers and building engineers on a quarterly basis.

In 2008, BOMA-Atlanta was asked by the Georgia Society of Association Executives (GSAE) to be a host site for the Global Summit on Social Responsibility, a program facilitated by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) that connected more than a dozen nonprofit professionals in Atlanta with nearly 900 other participants around the world. Hosting the summit was a natural fit for BOMA, since the association had long been an advocate for environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

After its successful launch in 2003 and subsequent years of popularity among property professionals in the metro Atlanta area, Property Management 101 gained interest from several other BOMA associations throughout the nation. The demand for such course material led to BOMA-Atlanta licensing PM 101 to BOMA International, which further developed it into the national Foundations of Real Estate Management course. The foundations course went on to be offered by dozens of local BOMA associations throughout the nation.

BOMA-Atlanta supported the creation of the Green Chamber of the South in 2008 by being a founding member of the organization, and with Executive Director Gabriel Eckert, CAE, serving as vice chair of its board of directors. The chamber was established to support the growth and success of sustainable business in the Southeast and to encourage innovation and adoption of environmentally clean technology. BOMA-Atlanta’s involvement during the infancy stages of the chamber, and its continued involvement and sponsorship, highlighted the association’s commitment to and leadership in environmental sustainability.

BOMA-Atlanta held its first annual construction project on an April 24, 2009 to benefit the metro Atlanta community. Working with HomeAid Atlanta, more than 125 BOMA members rehabilitated a building operated by Tapestry Youth Ministries, a nonprofit organization that serves teenage mothers who are at risk of becoming homeless. The construction project showcased BOMA’s commitment to serving the community by leveraging the unique skills and relationships of its members.

In 2009, BOMA International launched the BOMA 360 Performance Program, the real estate industry's first holistic approach to building certification, recognizing buildings for applying best practices in six major areas of building operations and management: building operations and management; life safety, security and risk management; training and education; energy; environmental sustainability; and tenant relations and community involvement.

In 2009, BOMA-Atlanta was the only commercial real estate nonprofit organization to be asked by the City of Atlanta to serve on its Recycling and Materials Management Task Force. Although the association had dealt with the city on many initiatives before, this appointment showcased BOMA-Atlanta as a resource to the City of Atlanta, and underscored BOMA’s leadership role in the community.

To meet the demand of young professionals entering the commercial real estate field, BOMA-Atlanta created the Young Professional Shared Interest Group (YP SIG) in 2009. The group allowed real estate professionals under the age of 35 to attend special events that focus on networking and professional development. The creation of the YP SIG highlighted BOMA’s commitment to building the next generation of leaders for the association and the real estate industry.

In 2009, BOMA International launched the 7-Point Challenge to reduce energy consumption in commercial buildings by 30 percent by 2012. The City of Atlanta soon joined BOMA in promoting the 7-point Challenge as a viable solution for building owners to improve energy performance in their buildings. This promotion by the city reinforced BOMA’s priority placed on suitability initiatives that are embraced by both the private and public sector. It also underscored BOMA-Atlanta’s leadership role in environmental sustainability and real estate within the city of Atlanta and beyond.

BOMA Georgia was asked to participate in Governor Sonny Perdue’s Water Contingency Task Force, which included Georgia’s business, government and environmental leaders. BOMA represented the view of the commercial real estate industry in relation to water conservation, reducing waste and incentivizing innovation to both increase water supply and decrease demand. Through these efforts, the Georgia Water Stewardship Act of 2010 was passed on March 10, 2010. BOMA’s participation in crafting this legislation highlighted the association’s position as an industry leader and positioned the organization to continue making an impact on public policy for years to come. 


On Feb. 16 and 17, 2010, BOMA-Atlanta continued its leadership in environmental sustainability by creating the GREEN Real Estate Summit (GRES). The summit provided extensive education environmental practices that positively impact the operation and management of commercial real estate. The inaugural GRES sold out with more than 265 people attending throughout the day-and-a-half program. Topics addressed included incentives for high-performance buildings, low-cost/no-cost ways to green building, creating buy-in for green initiatives, understanding the Energy Star program, and financial analysis tools for sustainability projects. The GRES also included a GREEN Showcase vendor fair. Further recognizing BOMA’s leadership in environmental sustainability, the association won two awards for producing the summit: the Communitas Award for Green Initiatives, and BOMA International’s Best Practices Award in Electronic and Interactive Communications.

BOMA-Atlanta had long been associated with best practices in the field of education, advocacy and networking. And in 2011, the association also become known as an organization that thrives even under the most difficult of circumstances. BOMA-Atlanta featured as the cover story for the Spring 2011 issue of the Georgia Society of Association Executives magazine, Connections. The article—titled “BOMA-Atlanta: Against the Odds”—highlighted how the association achieved membership growth, increased member engagement, and strategic focus during the Great Recession of 2007-2009. Later in 2011, the American Society of Association Executives featured BOMA-Atlanta’s story as well on the cover of its magazine as well.

BOMA-Atlanta was asked by the City of Atlanta’s Office of Buildings to help develop a plan to improve how construction permitting was performed in the city. In working closely with the Office of Buildings, BOMA contributed to the successful implementation of a new permitting strategy and enterprise fund that improved the customer service experience and increased the speed of obtaining new building permits in the city. Recognizing BOMA’s impact on the permitting process, the City of Atlanta awarded BOMA a seat on the Office of Buildings’ Technical Advisory Committee, which provides advice and counsel to the Commissioner of Planning and Community Development and the Director of the Office of Buildings on the policies and management of the Building Permit Enterprise Fund. The committee is also tasked with reporting to stakeholders on the accumulation of permit fee revenue and the allocation of expenses and staffing levels.

Years of vision and strategic planning led to the moment on May 23, 2012 when then President Judi Sponsel and Immediate Past President Linda Beauchamp announced the organization’s official transition from BOMA-Atlanta to BOMA Georgia in front of more than 600 industry professionals at the May BOMA Trade Show Luncheon. During the prior years, the association performed studies to determine if expanding to become a statewide organization was feasible and valuable for the current membership and also if services were needed in areas outside of the metro Atlanta market. After considering the studies at its strategic planning retreat, the 2011 BOMA-Atlanta Board of Directors made the decision to transform the association to become statewide. The change was later unanimously supported by the membership. The decision to become BOMA Georgia enabled the organization to offers a wider reach of education and networking opportunities and to focus on the economic development and government advocacy needs of the entire state of Georgia.

Having established shared interest groups in the areas of medical office, green real estate, and young professionals, BOMA saw increasing demand for education and networking opportunities specifically tailored to industrial property managers, building engineers and asset managers. On September 24, 2012, the Industrial Shared Interest Group was launched by hosting a lunch meeting focused on the topic of “Security and Safety: Issues that Matter to Industrial Real Estate Specialists.” Attendees learned about common safety and security concerns related to industrial properties and strategies to help mitigate the risks that arise from those issues within industrial portfolios. Creation of the Industrial SIG underscored the priority that BOMA places on offering relevant information and educational opportunities to its members so they can operate their buildings more knowledgeably and efficiently.

In 2012, BOMA Georgia expanded from a local to state-wide organization. This undertaking involved an overhaul in the association's brand. This rebranding effort was not only received well by the BOMA Georgia membership, it was also recognized on June 5, 2013 by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) with a prestigious Gold Circle Award. Entries were evaluated based on established criteria for excellence in association marketing, membership and communication programs. "This recognition highlights the hard work of so many of our membership and staff in making the BOMA Georgia transition a reality," said BOMA Georgia Executive Director Gabriel Eckert, CAE. "It is also another indication of the significant value we are now providing to the entire state."

On Nov. 7, 2013, BOMA Georgia celebrated 100 Years of Building Value with a Centennial Celebration at the Mason Murer Fine Art Museum in Atlanta, Ga. More than 250 members and guests were on hand to mark this historic occasion. For 100 years, BOMA Georgia--established in 1913 as BOMA-Atlanta--provided opportunities to commercial real estate professionals in the areas of education, advocacy, membership involvement and the exchange of ideas. This special celebration marked an important milestone for BOMA Georgia, preparing the association to impact commercial real estate in fresh and innovative ways in its new century of service.

In January 2014, BOMA Georgia launched a charitable Foundation aimed at raising funds, awarding scholarships, commissioning research and underwriting education, all in benefit to the real estate industry and its professionals. Led by a five-person board of trustees, the Foundation raised over $200,000, conducted a salary and benefits survey, underwrote several educational programs throughout the state, and issued thousands of dollars in embedded and individual scholarships...all in year one. The Foundation's establishment was a significant milestone for the association, as it highlighted BOMA Georgia's commitment to advancing the industry and helping professionals find success in the areas of environmental sustainability, tenant safety and security, medical office building management and more.

One of BOMA Georgia's strategic priorities for 2014 was to create a plan to become proactive at the state legislature. Energized by this goal, members and staff worked to identify an issue on which the association could develop legislation for the 2015 General Assembly session. In late 2014, members worked to create legislation that would double the tax credit for commercial properties installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. House Bill 200 would go on to be introduced in the state legislature in 2015 with three co-sponsors. This historic effort for BOMA Georgia showcased the association's support and encouragement of voluntary and incentive-based sustainability efforts that simultaneously benefit tenants and economic development in the state of Georgia.