As commercial real estate firms seek actionable steps to establish racial and economic equality throughout the industry, we knew Taylor Johnson client Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate at Roosevelt University would be the perfect resource for a story focused on CRE’s diversity problem. TJ arranged an interview with Collete English Dixon, executive director of the Institute, where more than half of graduate-level real estate students are minorities. As Dixon explained, broadening recruitment efforts — including outreach to historically Black colleges and universities — and setting tangible goals for hiring more people of color are just a couple of ways real estate companies can make real progress and reap the many benefits of having a diverse workforce. In the same article, Joe Smazal, senior managing partner at TJ client Interra Realty, discussed his plans to introduce youth from underserved communities to the real estate industry by organizing educational walks through Chicago neighborhoods. Read the full RE Journals story here.

The Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate at Roosevelt University, in collaboration with the Real Estate Executive Council (REEC) and NAIOP, hosted a summer real estate immersion program in 2019 to introduce minority high school students to careers in commercial real estate.