(top row) Chris LoBianco, MOI; Bill Jautze, St. John Properties; Bob Miller, Royston, Mueller, McLean & Reid (middle row) Alex Lyons, Dustin Lynch and Tom Nelson, St. John Properties; Spencer Perry, BB&T and Chair of NAIOP Maryland Developing Leaders Committee (in Boston Red Sox jersey!) (bottom row) Justin Arn, Ali Dieruff, Claire Cobert and Madison Schul, all with St. John Properties.

Comprised of commercial real estate professionals 35 years of age and younger, the NAIOP Maryland Developing Leaders (DL) program has expanded from approximately 20 members when the idea was initially formulated in 2010, to more than 100 currently. Membership is offered at a fraction of the price, and the group has evolved into a leadership breeding ground that has produced two of the past three NAIOP Maryland Presidents.

“Among our primary objectives is to keep our members in front the right projects, people and sponsors," explained Spencer Perry, Chair of the Developing Leaders Committee. I am not a native Marylander (obvious by that Red Sox jersey he is sporting above) but feel my network has been exponentially expanded after joining DL which, obviously, has positively impacted my career. We work hard to create familiar faces for our members. Because our events are relatively small, they allow everyone to individually connect. When DL members then participate in the larger Chapter programs, there is a comfort level going in that they will know people."