2026 Chair Celeste Tanner shared her reflections with the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (CREDA) board of directors on a meaningful year for the association that included a rebrand, several legislative successes, membership growth and record-breaking events.
The following is a look back, in her own words:
“What a year!
For those of you who were in Toronto last year, you’ll remember Alex [Thomson, 2025 Chair] gave us a literal poetic sendoff. I couldn’t come close to his verse, so I will spare you my own poetic skills today.
But reflecting on that passing of the gavel made me think about what actually makes poetry special. I love poetry because it is an unwavering attempt to bind the soul of humanity into tight rules of meter and verse. Imagine that: squeezing your entire being, your reason for existence, into a few short lines – and inevitably failing.
For this reason, most poetry is terrible; a poet tries to stand upon a long history of greatness and the words… just don’t work anymore. The whole message falls apart. And we wait, somewhat impatiently, for one brave artist to break through the wall and completely reopen our eyes to the way we understand ourselves and what we can achieve.
That process should feel intimately familiar to every person in this room. It is the exact journey our association has navigated over the last several years.
For decades, our name – the constraint of those five letters – stood upon a proud history, but it ultimately failed to reflect our full scope, our true reach, and our reason for being. If I’m honest, that gap became infectious. We began to lose sight of who we truly represent and the sheer scale of this collective body.
That was then.
I began my term by announcing that I would be the final chair of NAIOP. Today, I am incredibly proud to stand here as the very first chair of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association.
With the launch of our rebrand, we aren’t just changing a few letters on a logo.
We are signaling a clear, deep understanding of our members and your priorities in today’s market.
You’re already seeing the results at this conference, where, for the first time ever, we’ve tailored multiple education tracks to customize your experience.
And the results speak for themselves: this is, by far, the best attendance ever for the annual meeting.
Why does that matter? We are industrial developers, and so much more: Multifamily development has grown into the second-largest asset class in our membership. Number 3? Data centers. Membership now spans nearly 4,000 companies, ranging from nimble one-person shops to the largest real estate firms on the planet.
We represent the most diverse and prestigious organization in commercial real estate – where hyper-local networks are backed by CREDA Global’s research, advocacy, and strength. As Walt Whitman famously wrote: “Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself. I am large. I contain multitudes.”
We contain multitudes. We are a force. We are at the threshold of a massive opportunity across all 55 of our chapters. Speaking with one unified, clear voice, we are unstoppable – especially in our mission to reshape the public perception of commercial real estate.
I urge you: continue to leverage the growing power of this network, both nationally and in your home markets.
- Remember that CREDA membership is the secret handshake that connects you directly to market-makers in every major metro across North America.
- Tell your peers that being a CREDA member means having the heavy hitters of real estate advocacy in your corner at the federal, state and local levels.
- Remind yourself to tap into the unparalleled data, insights and research this association delivers.
Thank you for being the brave artists who chose to break through the wall rather than amble along the perimeter. Thank you for trusting our staff and leadership to build a brand and a voice that reflects the incredible, community-shaping work you do every single day.
And the best is truly yet to come.”
This post is brought to you by JLL, the social media and conference blog sponsor of the CREDA Conference 2026. Learn more about JLL at www.us.jll.com or www.jll.ca.
