IAMC INSIDER

egardless of your political affiliation, the demand for a new way of doing things inside and outside of Washington clearly resonated with the voting public in late 2008.

      In the microcosm that is our world of corporate real estate as we enter 2009, change seems to be the order of the day as well. Our constituents are demanding it. The stalled economy, stagnant credit markets and corporate layoffs leave us no option but to back away from traditional practices, and to consider and effect meaningful change. It is no longer feasible to maintain the status quo if our CRE departments and the very companies we work for are going to survive.

      Over the past two years, Weyerhaeuser has divested all of its Fine Paper and Containerboard Packaging operations, shuttered a number of plants around the country and is going through a massive corporate restructuring effort. In total, we have reduced our annual sales by nearly forty percent and decreased our employee base by over 20,000, including significant layoffs in the corporate region over the past few months. These reductions mean doing more with less, adapting to new policies and initiatives and educating colleagues being asked to assume new responsibilities. Many of you are operating in very similar environments. This constant turmoil can be frustrating and, for those who have been with the same company for awhile, emotionally draining.

      But as President-elect Obama’s appointed Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, recently said, we “… should never let a good crisis go to waste.” While the past 24 months have been challenging, they have resulted in a re-energized senior management team that has refocused Weyerhaeuser back on its timberlands roots and concentrated its non-timberlands core businesses on wood products, home building and cellulose fiber. This radical departure from our long-held, fully integrated business model required a new vision, the willingness to change and bold leadership, but has positioned the company to survive these turbulent times and grow these businesses as the economy begins its recovery.

      For me personally, the “crisis” provided the opportunity to lead significant portions of two multi-billion-dollar divestitures and materially participate in the legal restructuring of a 107-year-old company. It also forced me to re-evaluate and improve best practices for the Corporate Real Estate and Land Title functions I manage.

      Throughout this metamorphosis, IAMC has remained a constant for me. As I continue to explore more productive and profitable ways of transacting business, I have relied heavily on the collective wisdom and expertise of the IAMC membership and staff. Through you, my fellow members, I am continually exposed to new perspectives, strategies and concrete process takeaways. This exposure has been a great benefit to Weyerhaeuser and to me personally.

      Do not “waste” this “crisis.” Look for opportunities to improve and re-invent yourself, your department and your company. And while you are at it, make sure to join me at the 2009 IAMC Professional Forums in Asheville, N.C., and Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., so we can put our heads together to further advance our efforts to meet the unprecedented need for change.

Rick Little

IAMC Chair