Over the last three decades, commercial real estate has transformed from an investment best suited to high net worth individuals and institutions to an asset class accessible to all investors through the public markets.

Debt and equity capital are being invested in commercial real estate at record-breaking levels year after year with a U.S. real estate market cap in excess of $3 Trillion. The knowledge necessary to be well versed in all aspects of the asset class has become very diverse and even more complex in recent years. Yet there has been a void in the market.

There has been no professional designation in the commercial real estate industry that brought together all the diverse aspects of this broad-based asset class under one program. As a result, in 1999 numerous industry leaders embarked upon the development of the CRI program to create a rigorous, multi-disciplined and highly regarded commercial real estate designation that has culminated in the establishment of the CRI Charter designation.

The Society's mission is simple: "To provide the leading comprehensive commercial real estate certification program to establish and promote the highest professional and ethical standards in the industry."