ULI Friends,

My time as your District Council Chair is coming to an end. As I reflect on the past two years and I think about all that we’ve done, two main themes come to mind: Leadership and Governance.

When I stepped in to the role of District Council Chair, the priority was to assess the organization and set the table to rebuild. The time following COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd led us to think about how we could reshape our District Council.

Midway through the first year, the Executive Director, Stephanie Brown, decided to step down to pursue other opportunities. Technically it is up to the Governance Committee and Chair to decide the path to pursue a new ED. It was decided that I would lead that effort on the Governance Committee with support and input from the Management Committee. It took some time to create the process with support from ULI National and within 4 months we welcomed Megan Flanagan as our new Executive Director.

The next item we decided to tackle was our governance structure. We did this for a few reasons: building a pipeline of leaders who have practiced leading, encouraging deeper member engagement, and continuing the practice of providing good content to our members that they can’t get anywhere else.

On the topic of leadership, I’m proud to announce our incoming Chair – Gabe Philibert. I’m excited for our organization and the leadership and passion that Gabe brings to our District Council.

Gabe and I first connected years ago, when we were new to the industry. We would be in various circles, aware of one other. I knew his commitment to DEI is strong; he was my predecessor on the Commercial Real Estate Diversity Collaborative and was one of its founding members. I was thrilled when we got to work together again, this time on the ULI MN Management Committee. We joined the Management Committee during a challenging time in our community. I’d often call Gabe to share ideas and concerns and this deepened our trust with one another. In an industry that is highly competitive, trusted relationships are important.

I’ve watched Gabe step into leadership many times at ULI. From being a leader in REDI, Chairing the Sponsorship Committee, serving as Treasurer, and now leading our District Council. Speaking as his friend and his peer, we are so fortunate to have his commitment, his thoughtfulness, and his drive.

As I round out these last few weeks of my tenure as your chair, I want to thank our members for your engagement, your energy and frankly, your grace. As we navigated leadership and governance changes, you have given me and my colleagues opportunities to try something new. The last four years have taught us that continuing on the same path as before 2020 wasn’t going to work, and frankly wasn’t good enough. The challenges feel new and require creativity and the courage to try. Thank you for allowing me to do this as your Chair.

In service and gratitude,

Lynette Dumalag
ULI Minnesota Management Committee Chair