Location. Location. Location. In real estate, it’s often said that this is the key to a successful property sale. Students looking to launch a career in real estate might add this mantra for success: Organizations. Organizations. Organizations.

To help foster the right connections, the College of Business Administration’s Real Estate Student Association (RESA) recently hosted an evening event that brought leaders from South Florida’s leading real estate organizations together with nearly 50 students and community members.

“The organizations represented are important to anyone interested in having a career in the real estate field,” said Dan Berkovitz, RESA executive board president.

Speakers for the evening—and their respective South Florida real estate organization chapters—included Rod Castan (BS ’85), vice president, Courtelis Company, and International Council of Shopping Centers member; Paul Cauchi, commercial vice president, Realtors Commercial Alliance, and Realtors Association of Greater Miami and the Beaches member; Joe Hatzell, vice president, Joseph J. Blake & Associates, Appraisal Institute member and participant on the college’s Jerome Bain Real Estate Institute Advisory Board; Steven Hurwitz (MBA ’00), senior vice president, Continental Real Estate Companies, and Urban Land Institute member; Marty McGrogan, vice president, Key Bank Real Estate Capital, and National Association of Industrial and Office Properties member; and Ed Redlich (BBA ’01), vice president, Comreal Miami, Certified Commercial Investment member and former president, the college’s Real Estate Alumni Affinity Council.

Let the networking begin.

As a finance major interested in a career in real estate, transfer student Jasmine Baldwin jumped at the opportunity to get involved with RESA early on.

“I got much more from this event than I ever expected,” she said.  “I learned about national organizations I had not heard about before. What’s more, I learned that as a student I can get involved in these organizations and attend their events.”

William G. Hardin, director of real estate programs at Florida International University (FIU) and RESA faculty advisor, observed that the industry is wiling to work with student groups.

“Our students are taking advantage of RESA events like this,” he said. “We have great students and a great story to tell to the professional real estate community.”