When the Real Estate Associate Program known as Project REAP needed to pick the first recipient of its Vanguard Award, its executive director said, the work of ICSC President and CEO Tom McGee and his retail property trade group made the selection easy.
The award is made to an institution or person who champions diversification of the commercial real estate talent.
“ICSC was the first association to not only support REAP but to play a pivotal role in enabling its launch: It provided classroom space, funding, and, for many years, space for its headquarters. ICSC remains strong and unwavering in its commitment to REAP. Today, it is a Platinum-level sponsor,” Executive Director Manikka Bowman wrote in the group's newsletter.
She added that “Tom is the perfect standard bearer for ICSC and the organization’s ongoing dedication to the mission of REAP. Many times, and through multiple sources, he has expressed his deep and personal commitment.”
Project REAP presented the Vanguard Award to McGee at its 2023 annual conference in Las Vegas and plans to present the award annually. “Enhancing diversity and encouraging the next generation of talent is an industry imperative," McGee wrote in a LinkedIn post.