For 25 years, the top minds in the commercial real estate business have gathered in Omaha for the Commercial Real Estate Workshop, better known by the acronym CREW. This year, though, marked a change for the group: CREW changed its name to the CRE Summit.
Jerry Slusky, principal of Omaha-based law firm Smith, Gardner, Slusky Law, says, the new name more accurately reflects this yearly event.
“Our surveys tell us that the professionals in this business have come to rely on this once-a-year event to provide them the tools they need to be successful in their businesses,” said Slusky. “Therefore, the word ‘summit’ seemed to be more appropriate.”
This year’s event, held April 4 at the CenturyLink Center, again drew a crowd. This is not unusual: Attendance topped the 500 mark last year.
This year’s keynote speaker was Bill Kristol, the founder and editor of The Weekly Standard, contributor to ABC News and contributor to the news program This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Kristol spoke about the state of the national economy and the specific economic factors in the Midwest that will either hinder or help the commercial real estate industry.