CREW chapter in the works for Sarasota-Manatee area
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Dec 14, 2023

A group of local professionals wants to launch a Sarasota-Manatee chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Women Network.

This will be the first CREW in the area. The local chapter was formed by a group of businesswomen in Sarasota, including three members of Ian Black Real Estate, representatives from Shumaker Loop & Kendrick LLP and Gulfside Bank.

Now that the group has grown to have more than the required 30 members, leaders have applied for affiliation with the national CREW Network. New chapter applications are reviewed and approved once a year. The next review will be in February.

“CREW is one of the most respected networking groups in the commercial real estate industry, and my Ian Black Real Estate colleagues, other influential leaders in local commercial real estate and I are so excited to have a chapter here in Sarasota-Manatee,” Michele Fuller, partner at Ian Black Real Estate, said in a statement.

Commercial real estate professionals in the Manatee-Sarasota area have been driving to events hosted by CREW Tampa Bay, which is the next closest chapter. Once accredited by CREW, the group plans to have monthly meetings to discuss topics “relevant to commercial real estate professionals.”

CREW is a global organization that aims to advance those in commercial real estate careers with networking, research, leadership development and outreach, according to its website. CREW serves over 80 major markets and has over 14,000 professionals in its network.

“CREW is meant to empower women in commercial real estate, but we welcome both women and men who are interested in advancing the profession and connecting with others in all disciplines of the industry,” Brie Tulp, a sales associate at Ian Black Real Estate, said in a release.

The Sarasota-Manatee chapter’s founding board will include:

President Erin Christy of Shumaker Loop & Kendrick LLP

President-Elect Beth Green of Gulfside Bank

Treasurer Ashley DeLuca of Crews Bank & Trust

Secretary Brie Tulp of Ian Black Real Estate

Director Michele Fuller of Ian Black Real Estate

Director Amy MacDougall of Ian Black Real Estate

Director Ashley McRae of Stewart Title

Director Katie Gower of Moss Construction

Director Diane Nicosia of D.E Nicosia & Associates