S.E.C. Real Estate Observer

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January 15, 2020

As one of the elder statesmen of the Society, I am most pleased to welcome so many current and former S.E.C.’s and their families to this unique and special occasion. The Society celebrates its sixth decade in existence and has honored that milestone in the form of this fabulously, imaginative architectural facility coupled with its state of the art technology.

Who would have dreamed, that many years ago the wisdom of our predecessors initiated a program to advance our beliefs and promote the concepts inherent in our philosophy of serving through real estate. As you can duly note, that vision has culminated in the finest facility for the advancement of our members, their families, and our clients, in all facets of real estate.

The accomplishment and the attainment of this goal are evidenced today by this magnificent 500 seat stadium Grand Hall and Amphitheater. The technology integrated into this production hall is staggering. The inclusion of individual leather seating and the accouterments that are in place: individualized computers, communication ports, internet capabilities, globalized mapping, detailed login capabilities and many other functions, complement our ability to conduct futuristic marketing sessions. The seven large screens behind me are evidence of our ability to illustrate quickly, and effectively apply our creative application of presentations. The décor alone is stunning.

The beautifully appointed 1,000 suites accompanying the Grand Hall were designed by our members to accommodate every need of the patrons who will use them. The three restaurants, bars, smaller meeting rooms, banquet hall, kitchen, and other amenities are designed to provide not only the S.E.C. practitioner, but other guests, with the finest hospitality experience possible.

Our hotel franchise affiliation with Westin Hotels, will allow our beautiful facility to be used at times when the Society is not in residence, thereby producing profits which will be applied to the debt associated with its construction. Many of you have already purchased life insurance policies, made substantial financial commitments, and have devoted your expertise and time to make this facility what it is. Hopefully, in fifteen years or less the debt will be retired and the substantial income will provide a financial foundation for the future of the Society.

With all this, certainly the Westin Society Resort & Conference Center has already become a landmark.

Beyond bricks and mortar we have made many other advances.

• Many of you came to the meeting via our new S.E.C. Air Flight Division and its fleet of private jets used preferentially by S.E.C.’s to reduce time and cost in travel to this fine facility and to property locations and business meeting throughout the world.

Our Society Towers Office Building, which adjoins our Grand Hall, has been constructed solely for Society activities, services, administration and offices. Its function and design were developed solely for Society members and their families.

Housed within its walls are:

• The S.E.C. Historical Group which archives, edits, and handles countless historical informational works inclusive of articles, pamphlets, books, periodicals, biographies, speeches and much more. The S.E.C. Historical Group also handles the dissemination of books, tapes, articles, gift and other items to others as a profit center.
• The S.E.C. Awards and Honors Hall of Fame, which houses all our trophies, plaques and memorabilia.
• The S.E.C. Education Foundation, which continues its great work, also resides in the Towers and is home to over 50 real estate and people oriented seminars and courses. Not only has this become a profitable venture, but now includes our involvement and association with several major universities and governmental agencies.
• The S.E.C. Foundation, which continues to show its benevolence and care of its members and their families in times of need, has now expanded in several areas outside our close knit group.
• Our new S.E.C. Travel Agency has provided excellent service to all S.E.C.’s and their families. Renting cars, taking trips, and accommodations at other hotels all are handled through the Agency. Profits have been used to generate additional services.
• The Society Health and Well Being Corporation has orchestrated health & dental benefit plans, disability plans, life insurance, and other services vital and necessary to us all at costs far below that of the market.
• The S.E.C. Credit Union has assisted many of us in short and long term borrowings and financial services, including loans, reduced rate charge cards, checking and savings services and the like. Collectively the S.E.C. Credit Unions financial holdings are substantial.
• The S.E.C. Title Company and escrow servicing is serving all our national needs.
• The S.E.C. Legal Services Division and its staff of experts allow us to have our own team of legal experts serving every facet of our legal activities. All our closings nationally are handled between the S.E.C. Legal Services Division and the S.E.C. Title Company.
• The S.E.C. Architectural and Engineering Division allows us the privilege of obtaining expedited services for Construction Management, Planning, Design, Architectural and Engineering and Contractor services.
• Our S.E.C. Family Center is devoted to the fulfillment of the strength of family and the needs we all have.

Still other benefits include:

• The S.E.C. Retirement Village, adjacent to the Hotel, provides the finest in care and services preferentially to S.E.C.’s and family members. The opportunity of acquiring a villa or new home on our 36 hole golf course is already a sellout.
• The S.E.C. Chapel, located on our campus, is one of the area’s finest facilities of its kind.
• The 150,000 sq. ft. S.E.C. Reno Mall & Village Center, created for our shopping and ancillary use, is an exciting addition to the campus.

With these activities we have:

• Used our skills and know how to create not only a home location for all our administration and service work, but our own environment.
• Used our collective skills as real estate practitioners to develop this project and provide for its multiple profit centers to eliminate its initial costs.
• Provided a state of the art marketing facility and environment, which alternatively adapts to general use by others for conventions and conferences when not in use by us, thereby providing substantial revenues.
• Provided the best technologically advanced equipment for all facets of our business.
• Provided a hotel and resort facility for utilization by the membership, candidates and guests as well as family members during meetings and at other times.
• Provided a home and archives facility for all books, periodicals, courses, tapes, seminars and other educational materials pertaining to the S.E.C..
• Provided a home for all awards, plaques, trophies and related materials for show and display to the general public as well as the S.E.C..
• Provided a place for “recharging” our batteries.
• Provided a sales tool for potential new membership.
• Provided a profitable self perpetuating venture to continue the legacy of the S.E.C. by operating and running a hotel/resort as a for profit enterprise.

With all that you see around you, we have created a collective “one stop shop” for all our S.E.C. needs.

But we must not forget that in 2007 this entire project was but a very small vision. No one believed in its “possibility.” No one really understood the tremendous power of the Society at that time. But, as all things with the Society, the vision was massaged and cajoled by time into a refined product and plan. The result is self evident.

I close today, by saying how deeply grateful I am to those whose time and effort went into this project. This entire venture is something we are all proud to have participated in. Each of us has a bit of our S.E.C. soul mixed with the mortar between these bricks. Our legacy to those who follow is this exquisite facility and all that it stands for.

Congratulations. Now we must endeavor to set even bigger goals for ourselves.