Session Description:
In line with our theme of “INvestigate, INitiate, INnovate…Leveraging Technology in a Fast Changing World,” the Realcomm 2008 General Session program will celebrate the “big” idea. Over the last 10 years, Realcomm has remained at the intersection of commercial and corporate real estate and technology. We have seen a number of seemingly small ideas turn into very successful companies that have positively impacted our industry. Companies such as Keyhole (now Google Earth), Cisco "Connected" Real Estate, and Loopnet (now a successful publicly traded company) – as well as and ideas such as telepresence, wireless computing, and paperless leases – made it into our industry starting as small ideas. These success stories occurred because someone had the instinct, passion, and commitment to take a good idea and develop it into a huge success. When original ideas are first introduced into the marketplace, it’s not always obvious which ones are going to be the “big” ideas. There are a lot of factors that go into whether a product or solution succeeds or fails. Even after the initial concept is introduced, it takes an inordinate amount of time, energy, hard work, persistence -- and in some cases, a little luck -- to make it over the finish line. We are excited about celebrating Realcomm’s 10-year anniversary and decided that this is the perfect time to celebrate the “big” idea. The Realcomm 2008 General Session speakers will focus on the next generation of “big” ideas. We have literally scanned the globe to find those ideas and concepts that we believe have the potential of causing big changes or major shifts in the way we design, build, lease, operate, transact, and use space. We cannot guarantee the success of these ideas or the companies that propose them; all we can do is present them and watch them develop. We hope that you will join us for this thought-provoking event.

Moderator:	Jim Young, Co-Founder & Producer, Realcomm
Moderator:	Darlene Pope, Managing Partner, Realcomm
Speaker:	Anant Yardi, President, Yardi
Speaker:	Mark Kingston, CEO/President, ARGUS Software
Speaker:	Neville Teagarden, President & COO, Lucid Holdings
Speaker:	Richard Boyle, CEO / President, LoopNet, Inc.
Speaker:	Chris Sampson, Director of Worldwide Sales & Business Operations, Microsoft
Speaker:	David Pogue, National Director, Sustainability, CB Richard Ellis
Speaker:	Amr Salem, Director, Connected Real Estate, Cisco - Middle East
Speaker:	Mark Rose, Chairman of the Board, RIISnet
Speaker:	Marc Petock, VP Global Marketing & Communications, Tridium
Speaker:	Jeffrey Thompson, President, Intuit Real Estate Solutions