(Kansas City, Missouri) Always committed to education, local real estate executive Mark Thomas is now offering scholarships to defray the cost for students to attend his courses. The Thomas Scholarship Fund is open to two students enrolled in Thomas’ real property administrator (RPA) class at the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, which works to advance a vibrant commercial real estate industry through advocacy, influence and knowledge.

Mark Thomas, RPA

Thomas – who serves as Copaken Brooks’ senior vice president of asset & property management, managing nearly seven million square feet of office, retail, industrial and condominium assets in Kansas and Missouri – says he was inspired by a former mentor’s investment in his career and success to find ways to give back and further the education of others.

“I was no different than many of the young professionals in our industry today,” he said. “They have the desire but maybe not the company support or financial capacity to make this happen. My career in commercial real estate has been very rewarding, and I wanted to give back in a meaningful way. This seemed like the best way.”

Thomas serves as a national instructor for the Building Owners and Managers Institute (BOMI), and he’s a repeat presenter at the annual BOMA conference, where he has spoken on value generation and monetizing assets. Thomas is also a founding member, volunteer executive member and instructor in the Kansas City REAP (Real Estate Associate Professional) Program, which serves as a bridge between talented minority professionals and commercial real estate companies looking for talent.

An accredited RPA, Thomas is a strong believer in mentorship and finds that young property managers often become focused on the job at hand and forget to consider the management of their long-term career. He believes the RPA program and its courses allow career-minded professional property managers a chance to remain competitive by educating professionals on everchanging trends.

“Decision-makers looking for talent understand the value of the RPA designation, and it will definitely give those who earn it a competitive advantage over those who have not pursued a real estate post-secondary designation. At the end of the day, the RPA designation can lead to better assignments, higher compensation, and overall increased job satisfaction,” he said.

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 About Copaken Brooks: Copaken Brooks is a full-service commercial real estate firm headquartered in Kansas City and serving the Midwest. The company’s full suite of services includes investment acquisition and sales, tenant representation and HQ relocations, condo management, property management, asset management, development, leasing (office, retail, medical and industrial), and construction management. Learn more at copaken-brooks.com.