"The business of commercial real estate is exciting, often rewarding and always has that "every-day-is-different" feel to it. Nonetheless, like many other professionals, I also have the need and desire to contribute to the common good on both the local and international level. In the United States, it is corporate social responsibility (CSR), and it is actually just a natural extension of the American tradition of private social assistance initiatives. The Colliers USA Foundation is a reflection of this tradition and the social commitment which comes natural to us Americans. Project Kirinda is deeply rooted in the establishment of this Foundation, and the Colliers Kirinda Trust in Colombo, Sri Lanka, would have never been realized were it not for the generosity of Colliers members in North America, Europe and now Asia. The fact that Colliers as a company and an organization supports such a massive undertaking, and believes in the values that Project Kirinda stands for, gives me even more reason to ensure that Colliers and myself become inseparable halves to professional growth and personal development. The entire project started on December 27, 2004 without plan, design, funding or professional track record in disaster relief. Today, one year later, the people of Kirinda and the government of Sri Lanka have recognized the Colliers Project Kirinda as the benchmark of excellence that other organizations are now encouraged to emulate. The Colliers USA Foundation has already made a big difference -- in Kirinda after the Tsunami and in the USA after Hurricane Katrina. It's amazing what a bunch of brokers with a vision can do."

Philip H. Bay
Principal, Colliers International Southeast Europe