GIS Software, Data, and Training Allocated to Commercial Real Estate Professionals Tasked with Tackling Business Problems Using Spatial Analysis

Redlands, California — January 06, 2009 — ESRI, the leading provider of geographic information system (GIS) software solutions, and CCIM Institute, the largest commercial investment brokerage and real estate network firm in the world, have announced a $1 million U.S. grant program. This program is designed to give CCIM members access to innovative technology that will help them address changing market conditions in the real estate industry and develop business strategies that maximize the return on investment (ROI) of commercial investments.

CCIM designee and candidate members are eligible to receive GIS software, data, and training from ESRI. The grant program provides the resources to allow CCIM members to employ spatial analytics and geodemographic data to find solutions to some of the major challenges they face in the real estate life cycle.

"GIS has become one of the most important tools for making more informed real estate investment decisions. Many companies trust it to provide the answers they need to better manage their portfolio, improve the site evaluation process, and develop properties more profitably," says Simon Thompson, commercial business industry manager, ESRI.

The program was announced by Jack Dangermond, president of ESRI, at the CCIM and Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) Success Series Symposium 2008 held October 17–18 in Chicago, Illinois. Grants will be awarded to forward-thinking projects that improve workflow and enhance decision-making processes.

"In light of the economic downturn of late, CCIM and ESRI hope to encourage businesses of any size with dealings in commercial real estate to think creatively using GIS," Dangermond stressed. "Our partnerships with STDB Online and CCIM have given many companies access to timely U.S. demographic information and analysis using GIS. With this grant, we hope to encourage real estate professionals to go a step further and introduce spatial modeling, with no risk, into their business decisions and workflows."

Charles A. "Mac" McClure, CCIM, 2009 president of the CCIM Institute, agreed: "This innovative grant program is fundamental to what CCIM stands for as an organization—networking, education, and technology. We hope that through this grant program, our members are introduced to the most forward-thinking technology available and that they learn how to apply it and share their experiences with others."

ESRI will award 200 grants within the United States throughout 2009. Grants will be awarded in several property types, including retail, office, industrial, and multifamily. Special consideration will be given to nontraditional commercial real estate ventures such as health care and specialized manufacturing sectors. Additional grants will be awarded to small businesses, which are encouraged to apply. Program details will be announced in early 2009. CCIM members interested in the grant can visit www.esri.com/ccimgrants for information updates.

About ESRI

Since 1969, ESRI has been giving customers around the world the power to think and plan geographically. The market leader in GIS, ESRI software is used in more than 300,000 organizations worldwide including each of the 200 largest cities in the United States, most national governments, more than two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies, and more than 7,000 colleges and universities. ESRI applications, running on more than one million desktops and thousands of Web and enterprise servers, provide the backbone for the world's mapping and spatial analysis. ESRI is the only vendor that provides complete technical solutions for desktop, mobile, server, and Internet platforms. Visit us at www.esri.com.



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Karen Richardson
ESRI
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