By Jeremy Crawford
One of the most exciting things about RESO Conferences is the up-and-coming cities we get to showcase as part of our meetings. Real estate is all about location and what better way to talk about the future – and reflect on the past – of industry standards than over a beer in the City made famous for its suds: Milwaukee.
October 15-18, 2018 is the RESO 20/20 in Milwaukee: Reflecting on our past, Looking towards a beautiful future. We celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Real Estate Standards Organization in Milwaukee, which means the “good” or “beautiful.” The name “Milwaukee” comes from an Algonquian word Millioke, meaning the “good” or “beautiful land.”
This is the RESO Fall Conference that if you are a broker, real estate business or tech leader, you need to come and grab a seat at the table because this is where we will be “Brewing the Next Generation of Data Standards.” Here’s a tip: register now, before the Early Bird Deadline expires on Tuesday August 14, 2018, and save at least $50. For members, it’s only $350 and just $450 for non-members. Details and registration information are here.
More than free beer
RESO conferences are arguably the best value among real estate meetings. Most of the meals are included in the registration fee, from breakfasts and lunches to sponsor-provided, first-class receptions provided by our top-tier sponsors that many attendees find are a substitute for their evening meal.
But the heart and soul of the RESO conferences are the content and the connections. The RESO Fall Conference attracts some of the brightest business and tech minds in real estate, some of the most compelling speakers and topics, gives attendees the opportunity to meet in person for the RESO Workgroups and advance those agendas, and most important, network face-to-face with key industry leaders in real estate and technology.
Blockchain blockbuster
RESO recently announced the new Distributed Ledger Workgroup, which I wrote about here. It’s headed by Mark Lesswing, RESO member and formerly Chief Technology Officer for the National Association of REALTORS®, and Ashish Antal, a long-standing active contributor to RESO standards including the RESO Transport, Data Dictionary, and Internet Tracking Workgroups and serves as the Director of Architecture at MLSListings, Inc., Northern California’s largest and most technologicaly progressive MLS.
In Milwaukee, we have some blockbuster treats. For one, Janis (Jan) Davis, who is the Vice-President of MISMO, is going to give a “MISMO 101” for the Business Track to introduce folks to the group that sets standards for the mortgage industry. She will then join Mark and Ashish for the Distributed Ledger Workgroup session to discuss how they are using Blockchain within the mortgage and lending industries through MISMO standards.
Another big blockchain event will feature Lisa Stanley, CEO of OSCRE International. Lisa is set to present “Exploring the Possibilities of Blockchain.” She will look at how pervasive blockchain already is today in real estate, what firms need to do to prepare and collaborate, what they need to be thinking about – and preparing for – next and provide an overview of what OSCRE’s Blockchain Initiative looks like.
Then Stephen King from Imbrex, one of our newest RESO members and also a participant Distributed Ledger Workgroup, will be demonstrating Imbrex’s backend open source technology solutions for blockchain, which they already have in place, and will show how it is leveraging both the RESO Web API and Data Dictionary Standards.
These are just a few of the major content highlights that will be part of the jammed-packed Milwaukee agenda that we will be releasing soon. Check back online at the RESO Fall Conference website for a list of speakers and the Fall Agenda, which will be posted soon, here.
Beers and Bikes
Every RESO Conference is known for having outstanding sponsored receptions and Milwaukee will be no exception. While we can’t yet divulge all of the details and many are still being finalized, what we can share is one of the major highlights will be a reception at the Harley Davidson Museum. This one-of-a-kind experience showcases this all-American company and its 115-year history.
Fodor’s Travel called it a “fascinating and fun museum, showcasing more than 450 Harleys through the ages, including the Serial Number One, the oldest in existence. The ‘Custom Culture’ gallery looks at some of the most creatively customized bikes of celebrities like Elvis Presley; the ‘Experience Gallery’ gives visitors a chance to sit on a Harley.'” One thing is for certain: you don’t have to be a fan of motorcycles or even know how to ride one to enjoy this iconic piece of Americana.
Don’t miss your hotel registration
Finally, keep in mind that the hotel for every RESO Conference is a stunner. We always attempt to find one of each city’s most interesting places to stay, and in Milwaukee, it’s the grand elegance that’s The Pfitser Hotel. Located in the heart of downtown, we know it is going to sell out fast, so once you’ve confirmed your RESO Fall Conference reservation, go ahead and book your hotel reservation at the Pfister and secure the discounted RESO rate before those, like the Early Bird Registration special, is gone.
