What’s in a name? NAIOP is no longer an acronym.

A name is the first impression people have of a brand – or of anything, for that matter. Professional associations, just like companies and others, need to make sure that their name best conveys its brand to target audiences.

NAIOP knows this first-hand. In 2008, NAIOP went through an extensive period of research, interviews and member and chapter interaction before rebranding to the NAIOP we know today. The input was varied – some strongly supported a change, while others were not so sure. Chapters in particular were concerned about the cost of rebranding, and also a potential loss of name recognition with lawmakers and other stakeholders.

After all the research and feedback, NAIOP’s Board of Directors and principal members elected to change the association’s name from “National Association of Industrial and Office Properties” to the name most people used anyway – NAIOP (pronounced Ná-opp). With this change, NAIOP became both a word and the official name. The change was effective Jan. 2, 2009. Our chapter’s name is NAIOP Southern Nevada.

To further identify who we are, we added the definer (tagline) of Commercial Real Estate Development Association. This isn’t officially part of the name, but is reflected in our logo and how we describe our association. Including the word “development” in the tagline separates NAIOP from other real estate associations, and nods to the increasing desire to include all professionals who work in our industry.

In the end, the goal was to clarify the vision of NAIOP and more accurately define the membership and our mission. NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, has become the leading organization for developers, owners and investors of office, industrial, retail and mixed-use real estate. NAIOP comprises more than 20,000 members nationwide and provides strong advocacy, education and business opportunities through a powerful North American network.

So, as legendary radio show host Paul Harvey used to say, now you know the rest of the story.

Pro tip: Update your resumes and bios and any press materials using NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, removing outdated references to the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.

 

Denyce Tuller
Senior PR Account Executive
B&P Advertising Media Public relations
702-375-5539 | dtuller@bpadlv.com