1. A truly exciting and memorable year 2. Meet your directors Anne Porter and Bill Rawson 3. Our own home - at last! 4. Forthcoming courses and events



A truly exciting and memorable year IEA Western Cape held its 66th annual general meeting at its new offices in Pinelands on 23 September 2003. The AGM was combined with the graduation ceremony for the participants in the recently completed mentorship programme, and the official opening of the new building. More than 200 people attended. Western Cape chairman Anne Porter told the meeting that in addition to education and training, the IEA regional board had decided to focus on two specific areas: transformation and purchasing premises. Regarding transformation, Porter said that the IEA has been attacked for the lack of transformation in the property industry. "We cannot transform the industry as a whole," she pointed out, "but we can make a difference by giving agents the additional skills and knowledge to enable them to participate confidently in all sectors of the property market." From this principle developed the mentorship programme, designed to enhance the skills and expertise of previously disadvantaged agents. "This course has been a resounding success," Porter said, "and the Services SETA has agreed to finance this project on a national basis." The IEA Western Cape has bought and moved into new office premises in Pinelands. "We are already benefiting from the additional training facilities and have been able to double the number of students attending our training courses," Porter said. Other achievements during the year included SSETA accreditation of IEA Western Cape's courses, more than 2100 people trained, a membership of nearly 2000 (plus 150 corporate members), healthy finances, and the creation of a special category of residential property valuers. The IEA has also made submissions on various proposed laws, and it is represented on the SSETA, the SA Property Education Trust and the Rental Housing Tribunal. A highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards. Bill Rawson received the Geoffrey Seeff Memorial Award for service to the IEA, and the twenty-four participants in the mentorship programme were presented with their graduation certificates. In concluding, Anne Porter thanked everyone who had contributed to IEA Western Cape over the past year: directors, management and administrative staff, trainers, members, and external sponsors. Meet your Directors Every month, we profile (in alphabetical order) two of the IEA Western Cape regional directors. Anne Porter Entered the property industry in 1973 and joined the IEA in 1979. She opened her own company in 1984. Anne is currently IEA Western Cape regional chairman and a member of the IEA national board. Bill Rawson Has been an estate agent since 1971, and an IEA member and director since 1993. He founded his own company in 1982. Bill is the immediate past Western Cape regional chairman and the current IEA national president. As such, he also serves on the boards of the Services SETA and the SA Property Education Trust. Our own home - at last! After 66 years in a succession of rented premises, the IEA Western Cape has finally bought its own building in Howard Studios in Pinelands. "We hope that you will feel the same sense of pride that we do, knowing that we are all owners of this fine building," regional manager Vivien Marks told members at the official opening. The new premises house training rooms, a computer school, boardrooms and a media centre, as well as administrative offices. The building was formally opened by Anne Porter, Bill Rawson and Mark Marks, the three finance directors who were the driving forces behind the purchase of the property. IEA WESTERN CAPE DIARY Forthcoming courses and events: Real Estate Sales Course 17 - 20 November 2003 Commercial and Industrial Course 24 - 27 November 2003 Enquiries and bookings: phone 021 531 3180