January 2026 BOMA BRIEFS
News and Views for CRE
In This Issue: 2026 Board of Directors TOBY Tour Series Cornhole Tournament
2026 Calendar BOMA TALKS 2026 Sponsor Partner Program Welcome New Members
TOBY Pictures and Videos 2025 TOBY Winners
BOMI - On Your Way to RPA CRE NEWS YOU CAN USE
FOUNDATION NEWS Scholarship Congrats Holiday Thank You
BOMA Briefs 2026 Sponsors
January 2026
2026 - HERE WE GO
From the BAE
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
It’s time to get after 2026. Any way you try to measure it, 2026 is going to be a roller coaster ride on a type of steroid that Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa only wished they could’ve gotten their hands on back in the day. So, strap in and LET’s GO! As BOMA Metro Detroit begins the new year, implementation of getting 1% better every day continues. And, most days, the improvement is sourced from you, the membership. Keep on sharing your ideas and showing up. We are all better for it. To say that this is not my first rodeo working with leadership boards is an understatement and it is from the backdrop of this experience that I enthusiastically share with you the excitement that surrounds BOMA Metro Detroit’s new President, Mr. Trevor Duke of the Thomas A. Duke Company.
Latest Updates in BOMA President Bill Gilbert and Trevor. In this episode we learned about where we’ve been and where we are going as an association. We were also able to dive Trevor is focused on strategically growing this association. His leadership, along with the spirited efforts of the entire Board of Directors will most definitely increase the value of your membership. On January 15, we set a new attendance record for BOMA TALKS that featured Immediate Past into the current state of CRE in Metro Detroit. Special thanks to our hosts Susan Light of Clean Agent and Jordan Valasek of the Farbman Group. Check out the show at Youtube.com/BOMADET. I invite you to grab a cup of coffee, sit back take a look at BOMA 2025 Year in Review video and relive our SOLD OUT events or (page 16)…, see what you missed out on. Then watch the TOBY 2025 video (page 17). The TOBY’s were truly an incredible evening of fun and professional camaraderie as we congratulated deserving professional in the industry. After reviewing 2025, plan early for your BOMA year.
The success of BOMA Metro Detroit over the past two years has a lot to do with our Sponsor Partners. This program begins each November and wraps up in the first quarter of the new year. If you are not yet a Sponsor Partner, contact me and let’s put together a sponsor package that fits your needs. (use the link on page 14) And.., with the help of our Sponsor Partners, we are launching two new program series and we are making radical improvement to an established event. Our first new program is the TOBY TOUR Series. These are unique opportunities to tour some of the region’s most exciting and iconic buildings. Participants will learn about the architecture, history, and functionality of premier properties throughout the Detroit area while they network and build relationships and, more importantly, Property Professionals will gain insight into what it takes to enter ~and win~ The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY®) Awards, directly from past TOBY Award winners and judges! Each event concludes with a networking session designed to foster professional growth and meaningful industry connections. Attendance for these tours will be limited, so keep an eye on our open registration announcements.
We’re also excited to share the 2026 BOMA Metro Detroit Lunch and Learn Series featuring timely education, expert insights, and valuable networking opportunities designed for property professionals. Additional details, including dates and registration information, will be shared soon. While we are improving all our business building events and educational offerings, I think the biggest change for our Boat Outing participants of the past two years will be the fact that we have cancelled the Boat Outing --- and replaced it with a summer Island Party. Mark your calendars NOW, Wednesday, July 29 and plan to enjoy exceptional networking on a private island on Lake St. Clair. Stay tuned, Hold On, and plan to join us in 2026!
TOBY Tour Series is LIVE! BOMA is proud to present unique opportunities to tour some of the region’s most exciting and iconic buildings throughout 2026. Our guests will learn about the architecture, history, and functionality of premier properties throughout the Detroit area while they network and build business relationships. Guests will also gain insight into what it takes to enter ~and win~ The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY®) Awards, directly from past TOBY Award winners and judges! Each event concludes with a networking session designed to foster professional growth and meaningful industry connections.
A rewarding sponsorship program strategically designed to deliver optimum return on investment while strengthening your connection to BOMA Metro Detroit’s membership.
New Members
Michael Ferlito- Ferlito Group Lauren Ziemski-Gluck- Ferlito Group Josh Gunterman- Macfarland Painting Lorenzo Rivera- Oxford Construction Thomas White- Dominion Realty Lexi Wilder- Valiant Fire Company
Rachel Wilson- Kimberly Clark Jeremy Main - Pink Pro Wash Derek Teeple - Winter Services
Brought to you by:
T
OBY
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HOTOS AND VIDEO
2025 Winners Outstanding Building of The Year The Outstanding Building of the Year: Office less than 100k square feet 1700 W. Big Beaver, Troy, MI Thomas Duke Company The Outstanding Building of the Year: Office 100k - 249k square feet Sheffield Office Park, 3310 W. Big Beaver, Troy, MI Farbman Group The Outstanding Building of the Year: Office 250k - 499k square feet Oakland Commons, 20500 Civic Center Drive, Southfield MI Farbman Group The Outstanding Building of the Year: Suburban Office Park - Mid Rise Maccabees / The Century - 5057 Woodward, Detroit, MI Farbman Group
The Outstanding Building of the Year: Historical Oakland University - Meadowbrook Theater, Rochester, MI
The Outstanding Building of the Year: Medical 36700 Woodward, Bloomfield Hills, MI Dietz Property Group
2025 Winners Outstanding Building of The Year
Leadership Awards Lifetime Achievement: Laura Marble
President's Award: Thomas Duke, Thomas Duke Co.
Allied Member of the Year: Casey Ambrose, RAM Construction
Principle Member of the Year: Jordan Valasek, Farbman Group
Property Manager of the Year: Star Mosella, Oxford Companies
Rising Star: Bethany DeCoopman, Clean Agent
Corporate Member of the Year: Andrew Kramarchuk, I.M.K. Cleaning Service
Building Engineer of the Year: Seth Wilson, Dietz Property Group
The Real Property Administrator (RPA®) Designation program is designed for assistant property managers, property managers, and those who manage real estate assets. The RPA® Designation positions property managers for success by providing insight into and knowledge of operating a commercial building. Upon successful completion, professionals will be able to: Understand the diverse aspects of property management Maximize a building’s net income and minimize risks reduce costs. Enhance your standing in the industry - In the RPA® program, you’ll learn how to enhance the value of a building through proper and strategic decision making—from design and operation to maintenance of an office building. Professionals will become fully versed in budgeting and accounting for commercial real estate, risk management, and best practices in bidding. The RPA® program also covers reviewing and selecting contract providers, marketing and leasing the building, and operating the asset from an owner’s perspective through a comprehensive asset management component.
Real Property Administrator (RPA®) Required Courses:
Budget and Accounting Ethics is Good Business
Design, Operation & Maintenance of Building Systems 1 Design, Operation & Maintenance of Building Systems 2 Environmental Health and Safety Law and Risk Management Real Estate Investment and Finance
Elective ( minimum one ) Asset Management
Managing the Organization Leasing and Marketing for Property Managers
January 2026 Budget and Accounting Class
The PREPARE Act Natural disasters are increasing in frequency each year, costing the United States $800 billion in the last decade alone. Homes and small businesses have been devastated in recent years by the impacts of severe flooding. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) statistics show that 40-60% of small businesses never reopen following a disaster, and every $1 spent on mitigation saves taxpayers an average of $6. Find out more about the PREPARE Act and why BOMA believes it can empower small businesses to protect themselves against severe weather events. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Commercial Real Estate As the technology associated with Artificial Intelligence evolves and advances, AI is either hailed as a savior to society’s problems or reviled as a potential disaster of apocalyptic proportions. On one hand, AI is already hard at work making meaningful progress —in fields including commercial real estate. On the other hand, legitimate concerns surround the replacement of human judgment, accelerating job loss, institutionalizing bias and blurring the lines that help us recognize the differences between truth and reality. So what does this really mean for commercial real estate? Read here for more info on BOMA's research and perspective.
Homelessness Homelessness continues to be a complex and difficult problem in the U.S. While statistics can be unreliable and varying, it is clear that homelessness is a national issue and not limited exclusively to large downtown areas. BOMA International has suggestions and examples of steps that the industry can take to address homelessness in and around our communities. Battery Fires Initially seen as an exciting and convenient amenity, e-scooters and e-bikes are everywhere in downtowns across the United States. With their wide use comes the emergence of a new dangerous issue: fires started from the electric batteries. Read more about the challenges posed by electric bikes and scooters to commercial real estate developers.
Office Reset: The office sector showed early signs of stabilization in 2025, but experts predict a slow, uneven recovery in 2026. Selective Strength: U.S. office development slowed sharply in 2025, but coworking gained ground, adding 22M SF and topping 2% market share.
BOMA Metro Detroit Foundation
CONGRATULATIONS to our 2025 scholarship recipients!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR STUFFED ANIMAL DONATIONS!
Throughout 2025, BOMA collected donations of new stuffed animals with the goal of presenting them to help bring comfort and joy to sick and injured children during the holiday season. Thanks to the generosity of our BOMA Metro Detroit members, Rick and Rachel delivered a completely stuffed truck filled with wonderful stuffed animal donations to Children’s Miracle Network - Corewell Hospital right before Christmas. The donations brought smiles to over a hundred children when they needed it most. We are incredibly grateful to our membership for coming together to make a meaningful difference! From a nurse: “We found that huge bear at home. A cute little five-year-old girl on the pediatric unit wanted it and loves it. Please let that donor know that they made this sweet patients day. Thank you again for thinking of us. We are so grateful.”
As we look back on 2025, we express our appreciation to all of our members.
BOMA Metro Detroit is successful because of the you, the member. Your time, your involvement, and your willingness to show up and support one another is a wonderful culture to be a part of. From events to education to simply being part of the community, you truly make this association the best in Michigan. We’re so grateful for everything you helped accomplish this year, and Together, 2026 will be even better.
Your BOMA Team, Rick and Rachel
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