When Tanner Milne, founder of Menlo Group, first entered the commercial real estate industry, he noticed a trend among the top brokers in Phoenix. They were members of one of the most exclusive organizations in real estate, the Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS. He knew then that he wanted to be one of the less than 50 members in the Valley.
“My natural inclination is to seek constant improvement. I was looking for the next step in improving myself and I met a few members of the local SIOR chapter,” Milne said.
SIOR, which boasts of having just 3,100 members across the globe, is the pinnacle of achievement for anyone desiring to become one of the top brokers in their city. The exclusiveness means that these brokers are considered the most ethical and trustworthy professionals in the field.
“Not only do they have a proven track record or do the most for business in their market, but their ethic requirements are of the highest standards. When a new SIOR is being considered, all existing members have the chance to give feedback. If there’s anything brought up which brings the candidate’s character or ethics into question, that candidate will no longer be considered,” said Milne.
Milne looked into this organization and realized it would not be easy to join, which pushed him toward becoming a member. The requirements to obtain the exclusive SIOR designation include five years of verifiable office real estate brokerage experience; meeting the gross fee income for three of the past four years; obtaining endorsements from two current active members in SIOR that are not in the applicant’s firm; and attending at least six continuing educational classes concerning SIOR ethics, selling techniques and other subjects. In addition to these requirements, the applicant must uphold the SIOR Code of Ethical Principals and Standards of Professional Practice.
Milne went to work on joining the organization. The hard work paid off when he was accepted as a member and obtained the SIOR designation and the pin that goes with it.
When Milne was informed he had been accepted as a member of SIOR, he said it was a humbling experience. “It’s an honor because it means I succeeded in meeting the really rigid qualifications and receiving peer approval from my local SIOR members.”
Becoming an SIOR member was another step in Milne’s successful career that started when he began Menlo Group just prior to the 2008 recession.
“I certainly didn’t know as I built the foundations of my business in August 2008 that the economy would soon experience the worst recession since the Great Depression. I didn’t have much in the way of savings anyway, so risking everything didn’t seem as scary at the time,” Milne said. “It wasn’t until the end of that year, when the home equity line was frozen and my credit cards were nearly maxed out, that I thought, ‘I am going to need a miracle to make this work.’”
Through hard work and perseverance, Milne made the miracle happen and Menlo Group is one of the fastest growing and most trusted commercial brokerages in the Phoenix area. By becoming a member of SIOR, Milne has taken his brokerage to the next level in his effort to provide great service to his clients.
“I’m looking forward to this new chapter in both my life and that of Menlo Group’s. Having an SIOR designation can only make us better and continue to make our firm stand apart from others in the Phoenix area,” Milne added.
Milne is the first broker from Menlo Group to obtain the designation, but his plan isn’t to be the last. Many of the current advisors with Menlo Group already have the Certified Commercial Investment Member designation and Milne encourages them to take the next step and apply to become members of SIOR.
“It’s my desire that we become the first brokerage in Phoenix where a majority of our advisors carry the SIOR designation,” said Milne.
SIOR, founded by industrial brokers Frank Binswanger and David Houston in 1939, started life in Philadelphia where it was vital in helping find land for building plants to help in the World War II effort. It slowly grew from those beginnings to spread across America and then jump the oceans and spread around the world. It is affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS.
Since the organization began, SIOR members have completed over 78,000 transactions. The average SIOR member has sold a million square feet of space for a total dollar volume of 31 million spread across 30 transactions. Members can hold specialty designations in industrial, office, sales manager, executive manager or advisory service.
Menlo Group Commercial Real Estate is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage that services the industrial, retail, child care and general, medical and dental office markets in the Metropolitan Phoenix area. We exist to illuminate the path to success for our clients, advisors and employees. Yes, we’re a commercial real estate firm. But really, that’s just the vehicle we’ve chosen to help people find their own definition of success. Finding just the right location and structure for a client, the right tenants for a building, the right fit for brokers and employees. Those are the things we strive for every day.
