CIM Group and Project Destined Announce Strategic Partnership to Mentor Underserved Youth to Become Next Generation of Commercial Real Estate Leaders

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CIM Group, a community-focused real estate and infrastructure owner, operator, lender and developer, announced today that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Project Destined, a social impact investment and education platform that provides apprenticeship-style training to students and military veterans seeking careers in the commercial real estate industry.

Since its founding in 2016, Project Destined has worked with more than 2,000 participants in 25 cities across the U.S. including Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, and Miami. CIM Group’s partnership will support Project Destined and its mission to provide training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and real estate to students from underserved communities.

“Our partnership with Project Destined allows us to invest in a future generation of real estate leaders from our community, supporting them from mentorship through talent acquisition, which is a crucial process towards advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry. We are excited to be part of this experience and encourage other firms to participate,” said Avi Shemesh, Co-Founder and Principal, CIM Group.

Project Destined leverages a work-based learning approach where students join executives to evaluate actual commercial real estate deals in their community and compete in a pitch competition to industry leaders to earn scholarships. CIM mentors will prepare, engage, and guide students one-on-one to help them develop a range of fundamentals—including financial, technical, presentation, and leadership skills—designed to aid them in obtaining internships, certifications, and full-time employment, launching their careers in commercial real estate.

“CIM Group is a strong partner to aid in expanding our mission to educate underrepresented youth and guide their growth as future leaders, ones that will own and rebuild our cities and communities,” said Cedric Bobo, Co-Founder of Project Destined.

About CIM Group

CIM is a community-focused real estate and infrastructure owner, operator, lender and developer. Since 1994, CIM has sought to create value in projects and positively impact the lives of people in communities across the Americas by delivering more than $60 billion of essential real estate and infrastructure projects. CIM’s diverse team of experts applies its broad knowledge and disciplined approach through hands-on management of real assets from due diligence to operations through disposition. CIM strives to make a meaningful difference in the world by executing key environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and enhancing each community in which it invests. For more information, visit www.cimgroup.com.

About Project Destined

Project Destined is a leading social impact platform that provides training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and real estate. Project Destined partners with corporations, schools, and non-profits to deliver training using its proprietary e-learning platform and love courses. Project Destined leverages a work-based learning approach where students work with executives to evaluate live deals in their community and present them in a pitch competition to industry leaders. Scholars emerge with the skills, confidence, experiences, and networks that prepare them to secure a strong first job and become stakeholders in their community. For more information, please visit projectdestined.com.