Shared Usage, Rather than Ownership, is the Way of the Future, Says Tech Pioneer Steve Case

AOL founder delivers keynote address at National Building Museum gala honoring ULI.

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Left to Right: Patrick Phillips, CEO ULI;
Peter Rummel, ULI Chairman

The business of real estate and community building will be permanently transformed by the evolution of the “sharing economy,” the hallmark of an era in which urban residents increasingly choose to share non-personal items such as cars and office space, according to communications technology entrepreneur and philanthropist Steve Case. The co-founder of America Online (AOL) was the keynote speaker at a March 15 gala hosted by the National Building Museum which recognized ULI as the recipient of its 2012 Honor Award. The award recognizes ULI’s 75-year legacy of leadership in land use and innovative community building worldwide.

To stay relevant in the 21st century, the institute must consider how the real estate and land use industry is being affected by ubiquitous Internet usag, which is changing every aspect of people’s lives, said Case. He left AOL in 2003 and is chairman and chief executive officer of the Revolution company, which invests in consumer-oriented businesses that are enabled by technology, such as Zipcar. The success of Zipcar – an auto-sharing service that provides quick, convenient access to cars for brief periods—illustrates the growing preference for sharing, Case said. “The millennial generation is much more interested in the experience of sharing than ownership. …This is a profound trend and we are only in the early phases of it,” he said. With its global reach, ULI is well-positioned to leverage the potential of technology to benefit the industry and communities as a whole, he said.
The National Building Museum gala, attended by nearly 650 land use leaders and guests, included a video tribute to ULI from President Clinton. “From Hong Kong to Houston, from Los Angeles to London, ULI’s guidance is trusted and effective,” he said. “In a world transformed by technology and economic globalization, the world’s cities need ULI’s wisdom now more than ever. We are all the better for your dedication, your perseverance, and your commitment to creating a more sustainable world.”

ULI chairman Peter S. Rummell and ULI chief executive officer Patrick L. Phillips accepted the Honor Award on behalf of ULI. “The National Building Museum is an American treasure. This award is an extreme honor,” Rummell said, noting that the award will inspire ULI as it leads community building for the 21st century. “The past 75 years of ULI are prologue. What is most

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interesting is how we think about the next 75 years, how we adapt to change, and what ULI becomes as we go forward,” Rummell said.

“The National Building Museum and ULI share a commitment to excellence in the building of great places, in forging a path toward more vibrant, resilient cities,” Phillips said. “ULI’s selection as the 2012 recipient of the Honor Award is a wonderful validation of the unwavering, worldwide commitment by our members, sponsors, and staff to excellence in community building.”

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From Left to Right: Chase Rynd, President and
Executive Director NBM; Peter Rummel, ULI Chairman;
Steve Case, Chairman and CEO Revolution Company;
Michael Glosserman, NBM Chairman; and Patrick
Phillips ULI CEO

“The Museum’s Honor Award recognizes leaders who have defined our culture, developed our communities, and crafted our built environment,” said Chase W. Rynd, president and executive director of the National Building Museum. “We salute the Urban Land Institute for its longstanding commitment to multi-disciplinary, nonpartisan research that impacts the built environment. With this award, we applaud ULI as a leading voice for smart growth and for strategies that go beyond bricks and mortar to enhance the quality of life in the world’s urban communities.”

Trish Riggs is a public relations consultant and freelancer with Keadle-Riggs Communications. Riggs was a senior vice president with the Urban Land Institute from 2005 to 2019.
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