Jan. 8: Congressman Bob Etheridge (D-NC) (center) visited Highwoods Properties' RBC Plaza in Raleigh, NC. Edward Fritsch, President and CEO (left) and Thomas "Skip" Hill, Vice President, Raleigh Division, (right), along with other members of the management team briefed Congressman Etheridge on the impact of RBC Plaza on the Raleigh economy and skyline as well as Highwoods' presence in North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District. The Congressman, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, shared his thoughts on possible economic recovery legislation and on issues of importance to REITs and commercial real estate.

Dec. 7: Representative Wm. Lacy Clay (center) visited Behringer Harvard's Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis, Mo. Also pictured with the Congressman are Jason Mattox, Chief Administrative Officer, Behringer Harvard (right) and Jim Smith with Kingsdell, LP (left). The Congressman toured this recently renovated property, was briefed on Behringer Harvard's presence in Missouri and discussed the impact of the crisis in commerical credit on the real estate industry, as well as regulatory reform proposals being considered by Congress.

Jan. 6: Representative Geoff Davis (R-KY) visited Glimcher Realty Trust's Ashland Town Center in Ashland, KY.  Also pictured are Glimcher's Armand Mastropietro, Sr. VP and Director of Property Management (left) and Merri Hurn, General Manager at Ashland Town Center (right). The Congressman toured the property and discussed the credit crisis in commercial real estate as well as other challenges faced by companies in the retail sector.  The Congressman, a member of the House Ways & Means Committee, was also briefed on NAREIT tax initiatives including proposals that would improve the ability of REITs to access equity capital and participate in energy efficiency programs.

Nov. 24: Congressman Dave Reichert (R-WA), second from right, toured BRE Properties' Belcarra community in Bellevue, WA. From left to right, the following individuals from BRE Properties are pictured with the Congressman: Joe Jackson, Director of Construction; Deirdre Kuring, Senior Vice President, Property Operations and Pete Rocereto, Senior Vice President, Construction. In addition to touring the community, Congressman Reichert met with community staff and was briefed on BRE Properties' other communities in his district and the region along with pending legislative issues affecting the REIT and publicly traded real estate industry.

Aug. 27: Representative Patrick Tiberi (R-OH), left, is pictured with Marshall Loeb, President & COO, Glimcher Realty Trust, during his recent tour of Glimcher’s Polaris Fashion Place Center in Columbus, OH. Loeb and other Glimcher executives updated Mr. Tiberi on the Center’s recent development and the state of the REIT industry.

Congressman John Adler (D-NJ), right, toured PREIT's Cherry Hill Mall with Edward Glickman, President & COO, PREIT, right, along with Nurit Yaron, Vice President, Investor Relations and Robert Wahlquist, Senior Regional Manager and Cherry Hill Mall General Manager. They briefed Rep. Adler on the Cherry Hill Mall's recent redevelopment and on PREIT's other properties in the region. Robert Dibblee's NAREIT, Vice President, Government Relations, was also on hand to discuss the state of the commercial real estate market and policy initiatives which have been designed in response.

Congressman John Shadegg (R-AZ), left, toured Macerich’s Biltmore Fashion Park with Scott Nelson, vice president, development. Nelson and Anita Walker, Macerich’s vice president of public relations, briefed Rep. Shadegg on the Biltmore’s recent redevelopment andon Macerich’s other projects in the area. Kirk Freeman, NAREIT’s senior director of government relations, was also on hand to discuss the state of the commercial real estate market and policy initiatives which have been designed in response

Sept. 9, 2009: Norma Garza, Marketing Director and Assistant General Manager, (left) and Teir Allender, General Manager, Pearland Town Center (middle) met with Rep. Nick Lampson (D-TX) (left) to discuss the recent opening of Pearland Town Center.