Archives for January 2021

Elizabeth Birch had already made a name for herself — working as a top attorney for Apple, having spent a decade as the head of a major civil rights organization, and even running her own D.C. consulting firm — before she ever closed her first commercial real estate deal.

Elizabeth started her career as a lawyer San Francisco at global law firm Bingham McCutchen before becoming chief of litigation and human resources counsel at Apple Computer Inc in 1987. In 1995, she joined the Human Rights Campaign as the Executive Director where she rapidly expanded the organization, both in budget and in membership. 

While at the head of the largest LGBT advocacy group in the United States, Elizabeth was pushing lawmakers and presidents to support more inclusive policies. She even dipped her toe into commercial real estate when she led her non-profit in opening their national headquarters in 2003. But since 2017, Elizabeth has been serving as the Vice President of the CBRE, working full time representing office occupiers in D.C.

In a recent BISNOW feature story, Elizabeth Birch explains how her all-star career eventually led her into the commercial real estate business and shares some of the advice and insight she gathered along the way. 

A lifelong advocate, Elizabeth wasted no time encouraging others to explore the commercial real estate business. “Anyone can learn on the job,” Elizabeth said, “but it is a complex industry where the scenarios you develop for your client must be analyzed with financial precision as to every variable.” 

“Fortunately, CBRE has a deep bench of exceptional talent,” she added.

Elizabeth also offers hope for young folks and those who are also coming from outside the industry. “I had no formal CRE training,” she points out. “On the other hand, I am a lawyer and had vast experience in negotiating lawsuits and contracts both at a major San Francisco law firm and while running litigation at Apple Computer Inc.”

When BISNOW asked Elizabeth if she ever thought of quitting, she responded: “No. But young people should know the competition is fierce. I believe that anyone who puts their client first with laser focus on the details can succeed.”

For the full interview, you can follow this link.

Broadcasting legend Larry King knew it was a special honor to be welcomed into people’s homes and hearts. From his hours keeping people company overnight on the radio to his nightly appointment with CNN viewers to his final foray on the internet, he loved talking to people and he loved entertaining them even more. That was Larry’s greatest success: talking to people rather than talking at them. And listening.

I spent thirteen years working with Larry, first as his producer in the early eighties on the Larry King Show, his late night call-in radio show on Mutual Broadcasting that aired nationwide. Larry brought me to CNN to produce Larry King Live when media impresario Ted Turner convinced Larry to join his new venture, the Cable News Network. It was 1985, and since no one was paying that much attention to cable, we had a chance to create something from the ground up.

We acquired a leftover set and cobbled it together; a few eagle-eye viewers noticed the continents were not in the correct order but we figured it was part of the charm of the show. We even tracked down a rare radio microphone like the one he had used for years to help Larry feel more at home on the set (it was just a prop that we carried everywhere) Thanks to an idea from Sharon King, Larry’s wife at the time and a producer in her own right, we put Larry into suspenders for the illusion of authority and to look less hunched over.

Our first guest was Mario Cuomo, the governor of New York at the time  who was widely expected to run for President. It was a big get for us, and set the bar high for what we wanted to accomplish with the show. For an hour each night, we challenged Larry to talk to everyone: from world leaders to Jack Hanna and his zoo animals, sometimes on the same show. He was always game.

His guests loved him because Larry always made them the star of the show and he gave them respect, no matter what their transgressions.

Larry wanted to know what made people tick, and we all benefited from his insatiable appetite to know more and more and more. He didn’t judge anyone, maybe because he didn’t want people to judge some of his choices. Larry was not a perfect man but he never stopped trying to be better than he was the day before.

Larry believed in the American dream because he was living it. The self-described scrappy kid from Brooklyn grew up loving radio and knew he wanted to be a part of that world. While he never went to college, that didn’t mean he stopped learning. The world was his classroom, every interview a lesson – some good, some bad – but he learned something from every encounter. Not that he was one to dwell; Larry wouldn’t spend much time reviewing his interview performances. He was always looking forward to what was next.

He was the great equalizer. He put the audience on the same level as himself by insisting his guests take calls from viewers. Can you imagine being the President of the United States or a one-named celebrity and opening yourself up to the complete unknown of a viewer call? On live television? Larry loved the thrill of live television, more than the additional millions of dollars he was offered to leave CNN for other TV opportunities.

Even during commercial breaks, Larry would just keep chatting with the guests. He would be so engaged with their conversation, that the rest of us would have to whisper so as not to disturb. The best commercial break story was when we finally got Ross Perot to announce his candidacy for President of the United States. Larry never got enough credit for pushing him to announce. Prior to the interview, Perot had been toying with the idea of running. Larry kept pushing him, asking what are you waiting for? And into the last segment, Perot finally just said it – if Americans registered him as an independent and got his name on the ballot in all 50 states, he would run. That interview changed the 1992 presidential election. In the last three days of the election, all three candidates Bill Clinton, Ross Perot, and President George H.W. Bush, finished their campaign push with an interview with Larry.

He realized his host dream when Frank Sinatra joined him on the CNN set in 1988 in New York City. He began by asking Sinatra, “Why did you ask me on the phone if you can say pimps and whores on the show?” Sinatra replied, “Because I have another name for people that write kiss and tell books, they are pimps and whores.”

He was also at the ready when news broke, like the time we had Attorney General Janet Reno on, a guest he knew from his local radio days when she was Florida’s first female State Attorney. Reno was already booked to be on the night of the Waco, Texas siege, when cult leader David Koresh and his followers died in a mass suicide. It was April 19, 1993 and to her credit, Reno did not cancel. Larry covered the tragedy live on the air, and Reno talked to callers saying, “We tried to do everything that we could, but it is my decision. The buck stops with me.”

One of my favorite stories is when we expanded the global footprint of CNN and took the show to Japan. We decided to interview the top sumo wrestlers in the world. They were very difficult to book for the show, and we had to build a special set to accommodate their size. They arrived hangry and threatened to leave to find food. We didn’t realize until that moment they did not speak English. Larry played it perfectly, and made it all about the visual so no one noticed they were not actually speaking. We laughed about that one for a long time.

On a personal note, we used to go to Atlantic City to hang out with Don Rickles in his room and watch his show at night. Those were some of Larry’s happiest times. Don would tell stories about Frank Sinatra and Miami in the old days when it was a showbiz hub that included Jackie Gleason, Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller and many other performers. They knew Larry’s radio show from a houseboat called Surfside 6.

Larry was not interested in the process of booking guests or producing the show, but he loved to win the bookings game. He was very competitive, which made us competitive. He was proud to hear when ABC’s Nightline producers started calling our control room to track down guests. We always tried to balance our guest line-up, moving between serious political and business leaders with entertainers and influencers. It was a big challenge to pull people out of their primetime network viewing habits.

Larry took tough issues and broke them down to what mattered to the people at home. He never shied away from admitting when he didn’t understand something. That endeared him not only to viewers but to his guests. He could be persistent but he also had a quality about him that just made people open up, telling him things they may never have said out loud before.

Larry King was exactly who you saw in every interview: curious, funny, smart, and right to the point. CBS News Sunday Morning correspondent Lee Cowan asked me what Larry would ask if he were interviewing God, I told him that was easy, “Why?”  He changed the broadcasting industry and is leaving behind big suspenders to fill. What a remarkable legacy, and what an honor it has been to be a part of his journey. As Larry remarked when he signed off after 25 years at CNN, “I don’t know what to say except to you, my audience, thank you. And instead of goodbye, how about so long?”

So long, my friend.

The major news networks have announced changes to their White House correspondents’ assignments over the past few weeks, marking news media’s transition into the next presidency. Shifts in correspondent lineups have been announced at NBC, CNN, ABC, CBS and Fox News, as well as at The Washington Post newspaper.

ABC News has named Cecilia Vega to be their new chief White House Correspondent, replacing Jonathan Karl who will become ABC’s chief Washington Correspondent, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Congressional correspondent Mary Bruce will make the move to join Vega as the senior White House correspondent and deputy political director MaryAlice Parks has been named the weekend White House correspondent for this year. ABC Correspondent Rachel Scott will be switching away from the White House to cover Capitol Hill instead.

At NBC, Kristen Welker and Peter Alexander were named co-chief White House correspondents, replacing Hallie Jackson who will move on to be NBC’s senior Washington correspondent, reports Variety Magazine. Kelly O’Donnell and Geoff Bennett will continue as White House correspondents along with a newcomer, Monica Alba. Mike Memoli and Carol Lee will continue their coverage relating to President Joe Biden. Politics reporter Lauren Egan will join senior digital White House reporter Shannon Pettypiece for NBC’s digital outlets. Andrea Mitchell will also be adding chief Washington Correspondent to her badge, along with her role as chief Foreign Affairs correspondent.

CNN is also shaking things up, according to a CNN press release, with Kaitlan Collins being named chief White House correspondent and Phil Mattingly as senior White House correspondent. Also among the CNN White House correspondent team will be Jeremy Diamond, John Harwood, and Kate Bennet, as well as newcomers Arlette Saenz and MJ Lee. Kevin Liptak and Jasmine Wright will join them as White House reporters. Jeff Zeleny, who has been named chief national affairs correspondent, will also be covering the first year of the Biden White House.

Fox News responded to changes at CNN and NBC by assigning Peter Doocy, son of ‘Fox and Friends’ host Steve Doocy, to their White House team along with returning correspondent Kristin Fisher. John Roberts has left the chief White House correspondent position to co-anchor ‘America Reports’ alongside Sandra Smith. A new chief correspondent has yet to be named, says The Hollywood Reporter.

CBS announced that Capitol Hill correspondent Nancy Cordes will make the move to be chief White House correspondent, while Ed O’Keefe will be adding senior White House correspondent to his political correspondent title, according to Deadline. Weija Jiang will also be a senior White House correspondent and Paula Reid will continue to work out of the Washington bureau.

The Washington Post has also announced changes to their lineup, according to their press room blog. Ashley Parker is taking over as the new White House bureau chief, formerly held by Philip Rucker who will be moving on to be senior Washington correspondent. Annie Linskey, Sean Sullivan, Matt Viser and Cleve R. Wootson, Jr. will join returning White House correspondent Anne Gearan in coverage of the White House. Naftali Bendavid will become the White House editor.

A few additional changes are expected to be announced before the next administration starts in full swing. Remember to check back here for updates!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2021

Presidential Inaugural Committee Announces Participants for the “Parade Across America”

Parade to Include Americans and Performances Representing All 56 U.S. States and Territories, A First for Inaugural Parades

 

 

 

University of Delaware and Howard University Drumlines to Perform Live from Washington

Tony Goldwyn to Host with Appearances by Jon Stewart, New Radicals, Andra Day, Dancers, Olympic Athletes, Internet Stars, and More to Help Spotlight American Heroes

Parade to Feature DJ Cassidy’s Pass The Mic, featuring Earth Wind & Fire, Nile Rodgers, Kathy Sledge

WASHINGTON — Today, the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced participants in a virtual “Parade Across America” on January 20 at 3:15 PM ET that will feature diverse, dynamic performances in communities in all 56 states and territories, celebrate America’s heroes, and highlight the diversity, heritage, and resilience of the country.

Additionally, the PIC announced that the University of Delaware Drumline and the Howard University Drumline — the alma maters of President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris — will join the Presidential Escort in Washington. They will escort the President-elect and Vice President-elect from 15th Street to the White House and help kick off the “Parade Across America” with live performances.

“As a nation, we are strengthened by our respect for one another. By lifting up voices from all walks of life, in every corner of our country, we want the first moments of the Biden-Harris Administration to be a celebration of an inclusive, resilient united America,” said PIC CEO and President of Delaware State University, Tony Allen.

Following the Inaugural Ceremonies and a visit to the Arlington National Cemetery, President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris will receive a Presidential Escort from 15th Street to the White House. In addition to the drumlines, the escort will include representatives of every branch of the military, including the U.S. Army Band, a Joint Service Honor Guard, and the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard and Fife and Drum Corps from the 3rd U.S. Infantry “The Old Guard.”

The parade will be hosted by actor, director, and producer Tony Goldwyn and feature well-known performers and athletes, including:
Jon Stewart
New Radicals, who will reunite for the first time in 22 years
DJ Cassidy’s Pass The Mic, featuring Earth Wind & Fire, Nile Rodgers, Kathy Sledge, The Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, The Washington Chorus, The Triumph Baptist Church Choir, and everyday Americans
Andra Day, featuring inspirational figure skater Kaitlyn Saunders, also known as The Skate Kid
Olympic athletes, including Nathan Chen, Allyson Felix, and Katie Ledecky
Viral sensation and feel-good skateboarder Nathan Apodaca, also known as DoggFace
The parade will include the United States Coast Guard Band and the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. It will also feature a Dance Across America, led by director and choreographer Kenny Ortega. The segment will include 275 participants in 30 states and two territories. Additionally, the Ryan Martin Foundation, a wheelchair basketball program, will join the parade.

In addition, the parade will feature heroes in communities across the country, including:
Dr. Jason Campbell, the “TikTok Doc,” is a resident in the Department of Anesthesiology in Portland, Oregon. He uses the platform to entertain to lift spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic and connect with young people.
Cathy Cluck is an AP U.S. History teacher at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. To teach her students during virtual learning, Cathy went on a 15 day road trip to virtually teach history from the places where it happened, highlighting our theme of “Across America” by living it.
Mama Mikki Stevens is an 80-year old performer from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, who leads a community-service oriented, musical/comedy performance organization Red Hot Mamas. They have performed in two inaugural parades and three Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades. Since the pandemic hit, they have performed in assisted living and retirement home parking lots – parading around the buildings so all the quarantined residents could see the performance.
Jason Zgonc is a 12-year old trumpeter from Atlanta, Georgia who played all summer during hospital workers’ break times to cheer them up. Jason’s piece ends with him in a virtual duet with Ethan Bensdorf, the New York Philharmonic trumpeter who inspired him to do this.

The parade will also feature performers and speakers in communities across the country:
Colorado: D’Evelyn High School Marching Band
Connecticut: Native American Women’s Veterans Warriors
Delaware: Chinese Cultural Arts Center
Florida: Andrew Jackson High School JR Air Force ROTC
Idaho: Red Hot Mamas
Illinois: South Shore Drill Team
Indiana: Culver Academies
Iowa: Isiserettes Drill and Drum Corps
Louisiana: Youth Empowerment Project (YEP)
Massachusetts: MA Veterans of Foreign Wars Honor Guard
Michigan: Michigan’s Multi-Jurisdictional Mounted Police Drill Team and Color Guard
New Jersey: Teaneck High School Flag Twirlers
New York: FDNY EMS Emerald Pipes & Drums
Nevada: Mariachi Joya – Las Vegas High School
North Carolina: High Country Cloggers
Ohio: Kenton Ridge Marching Cougar Band
Oregon: American Sidesaddle Association
Pennsylvania: Boy Scout Troop 358
Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico Royalty Winterguard, Centenaria Banda Colegio University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez, Latin Power Dance & Arts, Banda Macaná de Guayanilla
South Carolina: 81st Readiness Division
Texas: Kilgore College Rangerettes
USVI: Batons, Dancers, Steel Drums, Street Parade
Virginia: Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors [TAPS]
International: Military Children Connected Overseas
The event will be livestreamed at https://BidenInaugural.org/watch starting at 3:15 PM ET on January 20 and on the PIC’s social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Twitch. The PIC’s streaming partners, including Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Bing, NewsNOW from Fox, and AT&T U-verse (Channel 212/1212 in SD/HD) and DIRECTV (Channel 201), will also carry the program live.

Over the course of five days of programming, “America United” activities will honor inaugural traditions while safely allowing more Americans than ever before to participate from their own homes. These activities include, “United We Serve,” a National Day of Service on January 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day; a nationwide COVID-19 Memorial to Lives Lost on January 19; and the official Inaugural Ceremonies, a wreath laying on Arlington National Cemetery, and a “Parade Across America,” and a “Celebrating America” primetime program on January 20. The PIC will also install an extensive public art display — a “Field of Flags,” which will cover the National Mall up to 13th Street — to represent the American people who are unable to travel to Washington, DC.

Additional details about these and other inaugural activities will be released in the coming days. For the latest updates on inaugural programming and activities, visit bideninaugural.org.

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The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) 2021 is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization and separate entity from the Biden-Harris Transition charged with planning and executing activities surrounding the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
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