Carmen R AustinCCIM, SIOR, MBA, SIOR, CCIM, ICSC

With over 23 years of commercial real estate sales experience, Carmen has worked in the Louisiana commercial real estate market specializing in retail leasing and investment sales. Carmen Austin attended Louisiana State University where she was a member of Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society and a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity. She completed her under-graduate degree in Arts and Sciences in May 1999. Carmen then went on to receive a Master of Business Administration with Specializations in both Real Estate Finance and Entrepreneurship in May 2004. During her graduate studies, Carmen participated with the LSU Real Estate Research Institute to gain insight into the latest developments in the statistical analysis of factors affecting real estate trends and values. Carmen has been a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana for over 20 years, in which she has gained great knowledge and expertise of the local and surrounding commercial real estate markets. In August 2001 Carmen obtained her Real Estate Sales License. She has since worked for Saurage Realtors Commercial Division as both an Intern in Research and Development on special projects and independently as a Commercial Consultant. Carmen has also expanded her horizons by gaining experience in Saurage Company's Property Management Division. Carmen recently received the prestigious CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) designation in October 2006, in which she had to complete a series of courses and tests, and produce a portfolio of qualifying transactions of her commercial real estate work. Carmen also has past experience as an asset manager and regional director of leasing for a privately owned REIT which she now carries over into commercial brokerage and consulting. Carmen's interests include community involvement with a focus on the revitalization of Baton Rouge's Downtown and Mid-City. Carmen served as the 2010 President of the Louisiana CCIM Chapter. Carmen is a 2011 graduate of the esteemed Jay W. Levine Leadership Academy based in Chicago, IL. She serves on multiple national committees with CCIM and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the CCIM Foundation. She is currently serving her second elected term on the National Board of Directors for the CCIM Institute in Chicago, IL.