Rob Martensen prides himself in being one of less than 50 Metro Phoenix members of the prestigious Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS®. After eight years of serving on the Board of Directors in the organization, he has now been selected president of the Arizona chapter.
“Expertise, ethics and customer service are the hallmarks of the real estate brokerage industry. The SIOR designation has become the pinnacle of professionalism in the industry, with membership being limited to the strongest performers with unquestionable integrity,” says Martensen. “This is a group that requires far more than a membership fee to join.”
SIOR, which boasts a select membership of just 3,100 throughout the world, is recognized as the highest caliber of achievement for commercial real estate brokers. The exclusiveness means that these brokers are considered the most ethical and trustworthy in the field.
The requirements to obtain the exclusive SIOR designation include five years of verifiable office or industrial 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.
“Prospective members must complete the required education coursework and demonstrate a rigorous level of transaction production over a five-year period. Equally important is the need to provide two written recommendations from existing SIOR members who are not affiliated with company where you work,” explains Martensen. “In other words, you must get letters of recommendation from competitors who verify your professionalism and ethical practices. Being selected to lead this group for the next two years is a true honor and highlight of my professional career.”
Martensen is an executive vice president in the industrial properties division of Colliers International in Greater Phoenix and celebrates his 20th anniversary with the company this year. He has consistently been ranked as a Top Producer for the company and was named “Broker of the Month” by Commercial Executive Magazine. Martensen also has been named as an Arizona Business Leader by Arizona Business Magazine. His clients include such industry leaders as The Rockefeller Group Development Corporation, EastGroup Properties, DB/RREEF and Liberty Property Trust.
“I have outlined an ambitious set of goals for my presidency,” says Martensen. “Primarily, I want to lead the organization in its brand awareness and encourage clients in the market to understand the value achieved by working with an SIOR member. Additionally, we will be more actively participating in the national chapter’s Candidate Program endeavors to attract more young achievers into the designation. Finally, I would like to encourage more charitable activity on behalf of the SIOR group. We will be expanding our efforts with institutions like Junior Achievement to educate and mentor young people about the exciting career of commercial real estate.”
