In remarks made at the Spring Meeting’s opening general session, ULI Americas Chairman Jack Chandler shared thoughts on the importance of the Institute’s Global Strategic Plan in strengthening member engagement and impact. The plan, which is based on feedback from members on how to improve ULI, is designed to “create a more rewarding and personalized member experience, and allow initiatives in areas such as affordable housing, community resilience, and industry diversity to be scaled up for broader application and greater effect,” Chandler said.
He noted that core components of the plan include investments in technology and people to connect members to volunteer opportunities; connect members to each other; and connect members to content. Another key component is growing the Institute’s philanthropic culture, which Chandler described as members giving their time, talent, and treasure back to the organization.
“With greater resources and commitments from our members, we can expand ULI’s reach and impact,” Chandler said. “ULI is the platform to support members in delivering outcomes. It is the platform for the mission-oriented work of our members. So, it’s incumbent on ULI to grow and evolve in a way that helps members do more in more places.”
The plan also positions the Institute to better curate and leverage the tremendous amount of member knowledge that is shared at the thousands of events that occur each year at the local, regional, and global levels, Chandler said. “There is so much to discover about all that ULI does. And the technology investments we are making to foster member engagement will help greatly with that discovery process. Through the Strategic Plan, we are making it easier to be part of the ULI community.”
Chandler cited his priorities as Americas chairman, which include the following:
- Improving the member experience so it is more tailored to individuals’ interests;
- Making the Institute’s work more scalable to spread the impact;
- Identifying new opportunities for members to deliver ULI’s mission; and
- Making ULI’s “big tent” even bigger, to include more investors, venture capitalists, tech executives, public officials, and educators—those whose work influences the built environment, directly or indirectly.“
Expanding the profile of people who are interested in ULI will make for a better member experience for all of us. And it could provide interesting opportunities for mission advancement in ways we have not even thought about,” Chandler said.
