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This week’s All About Real Estate edition of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio show features Meg Thompson, 25-year veteran of the Atlanta real estate market and the 2016 Chair of the Atlanta Professional Women in Building Council. With hosts Todd Schnick and Carol Morgan, she discussed the admirable mission of PWB and ways to get involved.
The Atlanta chapter of Professional Women in Building was founded in 2012 and currently has more than 1,400 members. It was created to fill the need for housing professionals to get together, connect and network, and to help the industry grow. The opportunities to network allow women to advance through their careers, as well as to kick-start the careers of those just starting out.
Thompson is currently serving a 12-month term as the chair of the Atlanta PWB Council, the fastest-growing council in the HBA. The board consists of 12 members, and Thompson cites their chemistry together as the secret to the board’s overall success.
PWB’s mission is to educate, empower and connect its members. Panel discussions, business speakers and live webinars all function as educational opportunities and to help members understand they can grow both professionally and personally through PWB. The organization also provides scholarships to undergrad and graduate students in construction-related fields and has an accomplished student chapter at KSU.
Another way PWB serves to empower is by being active in community service initiatives and often works with organizations like HomeAid Atlanta. HomeAid builds and remodels transitional housing for homeless women and children who have been affected by things like domestic violence and drug abuse. PWB has helped coordinate the Essentials for Young Lives drives and the Stock the House campaign.
Members can connect through PWB’s various programs, luncheons and after hours events. These all serve to network professionals in the field and strengthen connections. PWB has started a new under-40 group called Elevate which helps network the digital Millennial generation and teach them how to interact professionally.
PWB has a number of programs running throughout the year, as well as four big luncheon events where world-class speakers often come to share their stories. The first of these for this year featured the captivating Kat Cole who spoke on how she progressed through the ranks of Cinnabon. Some other programs included Jovita Moore, who focused on the importance of internship and mentorship, decorated Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot Elizabeth McCormick, and Mary Moore from Cook’s Warehouse. The next meeting on June 8 will feature Ingrid Saunders Jones from the Coca-Cola Foundation, and the last meeting in November will feature a speaker from the Georgia film industry.
Travel grants and educational grants are also available to PWB members. Any member can apply for these and potentially receive money to offset various expenses. These can be used for plane tickets and hotels to travel to big events around the country, and they can be used to pay for classes necessary to stay relevant in the industry.
The organization is all-inclusive, so not only women can join. Anyone who is a member of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, including men and students, can be a member of PWB by paying only $100 a year. Thompson encourages anyone associated with homebuilding to join and take advantage of these connections.
For more information on the Professional Women in Building Council, visit the website or Facebook page, or contact Monica Saunders at 678-775-1465.
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Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio’s “All About Real Estate” segment airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact 770-383-3360 or via the contact form on this site.
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