Commercial Real Estate Alliance Installs 2024 Officers and Directors

The Commercial Real Estate Alliance (CREA) of the REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM) installed the 2024 officers and directors at their Installation lunch on Tuesday, December 19. Ben Bakker, with NDC Commercial Real Estate, was installed as the 2024 President of the CREA.

Under Ben Bakker’s leadership as President of CREA, the 2024 officers and directors will serve the Alliance by working to improve the knowledge and professionalism of members to build a better commercial property marketplace in Sarasota and Manatee.

“I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to serve a dynamic and influential group of commercial real estate professionals,” said Bakker. “I’m excited for the opportunity that this year will bring to the organization. We have an incredible leadership team who is hard at work putting together a stellar year of programming, networking events, and professional development for our membership.”

The newly installed officers are President Ben Bakker, NDC Commercial Real Estate; President-Elect Kyle Hembree, Hembree & Associates, Inc.; Vice President Matt Fenske, SVN Commercial Advisory Group; Treasurer Neil McCurry, Seacoast Bank; and Past President William Wilson, Florida First Capital Finance.

The CREA directors serving in 2024 are Jill Bowen, Berlin Patten Ebling, PLLC; Darrin Desmarais, NDC Commercial Real Estate; David Kinnard, Keller Williams Classic Group; Amy MacDougall, CCIM, Ian Black Real Estate, LLC; Angela Varga, Gulf Coast Commercial Group, LLC; and Barbara Williams, Mapp Realty & Investment.

At the Installation lunch, 2023 CREA President William Wilson, CCIM, with Florida First Capital Finance, presented this year’s President’s Award to Barbara Williams. “Barbara has been very active with the Alliance and within the community,” said Wilson. “She is giving of her time and exemplifies what it means to be a commercial real estate practitioner. Barbara shows care for her colleagues and their families, and I am honored to present her with this year’s award.”

Pictured left to right: William Wilson, Amy MacDougall, Ben Bakker, Jill Bowen, Matt Fenske, Barbara Williams, Kyle Hembree,
Angela Varga, and David Kinnard.