2013 GAD Institute

The NAR GAD Institute is a yearly event that promotes the education, networking and professional development of state and local REALTOR^® association government affairs directors (GADs). The Institute provides a forum for GADs to hear from nationally recognized speakers and other GADs on a variety of topics of interest to government affairs professionals.

The 2013 GAD Institute will be July 17-20 in Austin, Texas. At this time, no Institute-related activities are planned for Sunday, July 21; the Institute will begin with lunch at 11:30am on Wednesday and general sessions Wednesday afternoon, and will end at approximately 2pm on Saturday afternoon. The registration fee is $300 per attendee on or before July 1, and $350 thereafter. The conference sessions and the room block will be at the Hilton Austin, where we have negotiated a group rate of $179 per night. Please do not attempt to book rooms until after you have registered for the Institute. Upon registering you will receive the code to use to book rooms at the group rate.

The keynote speaker at this year’s GAD Institute will be political satirist P.J. O’Rourke, who has more citations in The Penguin Dictionary of Humorous Quotations than any living writer.

The host city event will feature Texas hospitality, barbecue, and live music at a legendary venue. Texas GADs proudly present Asleep at the Wheel, a little Austin band that just happens to own nine Grammy Awards! Join us for an unforgettable night of barbecue and Texas Swing at the legendary Stubb’s BBQ outdoor amphitheater. The weather may be a little warm, but the beer will be plentiful and ice cold.

The Institute will again feature Professional Development sessions focused on knowledge and skill-building for GADs, along with Policy Issue sessions dealing with important topics at the national, state, and local levels. Back as well by popular demand are multiple “Unconference” sessions allowing attendees to organize ad hoc sessions about particular issues. See more below about planned sessions at the 2013 GAD Institute, and return to this page for future updates, including the conference program and speakers. Information about the 2012 GAD Institute can be found here.

Register for the GAD Institute

For more information, contact Darren Smith (dsmith@realtors.org; 202.383.1068) or Beth Brittingham (bbrittingham@realtors.org; 202.383.1209).

2013 GAD Institute Professional Development Topics to Include:

Proven Ways to Get More Members to Read
Presentation Coaching and Spokesperson Training
Use of Social Media and Video
The New Realtors® Property Resource (RPR) and its Legislative and Market Analytics Tools
Continuing Education and Certification Opportunities for GADs

2013 GAD Institute Policy Issue Topics to Include:

Demographic Shifts and Electoral Politics
Politics, The Economy, and the Real Estate Market
The Federal Housing Policy Morass
Shifting Patterns of Land Development
Property Hazard Abatement and Adjacent Impacts (Radon/Meth/Fracking)
An NAR Government Affairs and Legal Update