What We’re All About
Our Mission
To Network with other individuals in a casual, social setting and to release the stresses of your business days while also
making contacts to further your professional endeavors.
What We Are
A group of leading deal & development individuals, who want to meet, network and discuss issues related to our business.
What We Are Not
Organized. There are no presidents, treasurers, or board of directors. There are no dues. The only costs are the drinks and/or food you consume.
And PLEASE… NO WHINING!
Remember the honor code!!
THE ORIGINS OF CRENAB
In October of 1997, two real estate professionals (Frank Demeter and Jim Zemezonak of Boulders Realty Advisors) were writing $500 checks to a couple of well known commercial real estate networking groups for annual memberships. They were not too happy about it as small entrepreneurial firms were requested to pay the same amount as large firms and never seemed to get the full benefits. They were small; so many people didn’t care to talk to them. Nonetheless, the felt compelled to be members of 10 different organizations, paying annual dues plus enormous breakfast or lunch costs to hear the same old speakers and sit next to a few people at these functions they didn’t want to sit next to with little assistance for networking. And there were so many organizations to join!
So they and their staff began kicking around the idea of beginning a different kind of networking group (centered on frosty malt beverages rather than powdered eggs, cold toast, and boring presentations). The ideas came to fruition during November of that year at the landmark El Charro. As e-mail was still a novelty (except among a few techies), faxes went out to 20 friends in the business in a variation of commercial real estate disciplines. Fellow drinking buddy, Joe McGovern (the 3rd amigo, as well as a managing partner of Liesch Southwest) took an early interest and soon we had 5 to 10 individuals that were regularly drinking at El Charro together, talking about real estate and getting to know each other better. All they paid for was their own drinks (of if they were cool, they let others sneak on their tab as well!). In the end it was cheap, easy, fun and deals started to happen.
Two years later a now defunct group, Winstar Communications came along and sponsored drinks and food for all – a big hit with our frugal fast-growing group. What followed was something that continued to grow. Today, as we like to say, a real estate rave party has flourished. Although members still must be invited, the group is not organized, and the concept remains that people into the commercial real estate business can relax and enjoy themselves, share info and make DEALS, without hurting the pocketbook. CRENAB (Commercial Real Estate Network and Beer – or anything else that you can think of that starts with a B) started back then and continues today. Many deals and friendships have happened and we will continue to uphold the tenets of the original charter… No organization, no dues, no shameless marketing, no whining, etc…