Asians and Pacific Islanders in Real Estate (ASPIRE) is one of seven groups at Cushman & Wakefield that are comprised of employees linked by social factors such as culture, gender, sexual orientation, or by a common interest or goal within an organization. These employee-led groups foster diverse and inclusive workplaces aligned with the firm’s values, objectives, and business practices.
ASPIRE aims to celebrate the Asian and Pacific Islander culture by building a global community that is committed to the advancement and development of its members while serving as champions of diversity and inclusion.
Co-founders Annie Canada and Hanna Kim Yoon, who are based in Cushman & Wakefield’s Los Angeles office, will serve as co-chairs of the ASPIRE national leadership council.
Ms. Kim Yoon said, “To aspire is to seek to attain or accomplish a particular goal. Our goal is to support members in their professional growth by cultivating educational programs, establishing networking opportunities, and by recognizing their contributions to the commercial real estate industry.”
“It is integral to build a workplace culture that reflects the world we live in. And we’re not just trying to reflect the world—we want to actively give back and make it better. By forming a network of Asian and Pacific Islander peers and allies, we can combine our efforts in supporting local communities through outreach events and philanthropy,” said Ms. Canada.
ASPIRE’s chapters in North America will be organized on a regional level: Angie Espejo and Samantha S. Low in San Francisco, CA will lead the West Region; Jose Artiaga in St. Louis, MO and Ashley Chandler in Vancouver, BC will lead the East Region; and Susan Au and Bruce Kuo in New York, NY will lead the Tri-State Region.
“Employee resource groups are an important part of who we are at Cushman & Wakefield and they serve as an invaluable resource to company leadership for recruiting, developing, and retaining diverse talent,” said Kalani Reelitz, Chief Financial Officer for the Americas who also serves as ASPIRE’s Executive Sponsor.
Cushman & Wakefield was named to Forbes’ The Best Employers for Diversity list for 2019. In addition to ASPIRE, employee resource groups at the firm include Blacks United in Leadership and Development (BUILD), Cushman & Wakefield Future Leaders (CWFL), Hispanic and Latino Advancement (HOLA), LGBTQ+ Integrated Network (UNITY), Veterans Initiative Program (VIP), and Women’s Integrated Network (WIN). All Cushman & Wakefield employees, including C&W Services and Alliance firm employees, may join employee resource groups and do not need to self-identify with a group in order to join it.
About Cushman & Wakefield
Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global real estate services firm that delivers exceptional value for real estate occupiers and owners. Cushman & Wakefield is among the largest real estate services firms with approximately 51,000 employees in 400 offices and 70 countries. In 2018, the firm had revenue of $8.2 billion across core services of property, facilities and project management, leasing, capital markets, valuation and other services. To learn more, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com or follow @CushWake on Twitter.