Coffee, Connection, and a Compass for the Future
Reflections from Our Virtual Chat with Scott Wiley, FASAE, CAE, CEO of CoreNet Global
There’s something refreshing about a virtual coffee chat that starts with stories instead of slides. That’s how our recent IKO conversation with Scott Wiley began, with Scott’s personal, candid, and full of purpose.
Just 48 days into his role as CEO of CoreNet Global, Scott joined us not with fanfare, but with authenticity. He opened with memories of family, one-way streets in Indianapolis, and a nod to IKO as his “home chapter.” The moment was genuine and disarming, setting the tone for a conversation that was less presentation, more invitation.
Scott’s leadership style is clear: listen deeply, think boldly, and act with urgency. In the 45 minutes that followed, he shared his early observations, walked us through the CoreNet 2030 research, and answered our questions with candor and clarity. Beneath his reasoned tone was something unmistakable. Scott has a sense that the time for CoreNet Global to act is now.
In the sections that follow, we’ll explore the key themes Scott surfaced, highlight moments of leadership in his own words, and reflect on how both chapter members and our global CoreNet professional family can align around a shared future. This conversation was just the beginning.
Part 1: A Leader Who Starts with Story
Before diving into research, strategy, or goals, Scott Wiley began his time with us by grounding the conversation in something often missing from executive discourse: real life.
He shared stories from upstate New York, college days in Oswego, and the winding Midwestern highways where he first got lost; literally. "33, 65, 70, 74, 265... any guesses?" he asked, rattling off road numbers like a puzzle. The punchline? “All the highways I’ve gotten lost on since moving to the Midwest.”
That humor and humility quickly gave way to a deeper message: Scott was not just passing through. “When I joined CoreNet Global 48 days ago, I immediately felt welcomed,” he said. “But please don’t tell anyone else—I’ll always consider IKO my home.” Today, Scott lives within our chapter boundaries, calling Columbus, Ohio home. Still, we know his mind is rightly focused on the global landscape. Finding ways to weave all chapters into a shared, intentional community is not only necessary, but also the work ahead.
Scott’s leadership tone was apparent from the beginning. He listens intently, connects personally, and then pivots to purpose. His professional path from nonprofit leadership to the global real estate stage is one defined by curiosity, adaptability, and service. He spoke of his wife, Lynda, an educator and Ball State alum, and of raising two kids, one preparing for college at Miami, Ohio (the one that was a college before Florida was a state), the other newly licensed to drive the roads of Central Ohio. These details weren’t filler; they were signals. This is a leader who believes in context, relationship, and place.
And that belief is already shaping his vision for CoreNet Global.
He used the phrase “people, place, and purpose” to describe not just the future of corporate real estate, but the reason CoreNet exists. “We must stop thinking of corporate real estate as just a cost center,” he urged. “It’s an investment in a company’s number one asset—its people. That’s where our work begins.”
In this moment of transformation, Scott brings more than a title. He brings presence. He is showing up as a leader who sees storytelling as the way to lead change, not soften it. And by the time we transitioned into the deeper discussion of CoreNet 2030, the room wasn’t just listening. It was aligned.
Part 2: A Vision Rooted in Urgency, Informed by Research
After sharing his personal story, Scott Wiley shifted into the work ahead. He did not linger on optics or slogans. Instead, he opened a wide lens on a pivotal initiative: CoreNet 2030.
This research continues a long tradition of foresight within the association. Earlier studies for 2010 and 2020 captured significant moments of change. CoreNet 2030 looks beyond adaptation and points toward transformation.
“This is not just about trends,” Scott said. “This is about change. Corporate real estate is no longer defined by square footage or balance sheets. It is about how we align people, place, and purpose to meet the demands of a rapidly shifting world.”
He framed the present moment around two undeniable forces affecting every business across the globe: technology and talent. These, he called the “Two T Words.”
Technology comes down to artificial intelligence. AI, Scott noted, is not a distant concern. AI is actively reshaping how we think, how we work, and how we collaborate. Yet rather than warning of replacement, he reframed the issue with clarity. “AI is not going to replace you. But if you choose not to use it, you are choosing to be replaceable.”
The second force, Talent, brought an equally urgent message. Scott cited a looming shortage of more than eighty million skilled professionals across all industries by the year twenty thirty. “We cannot just buy talent anymore,” he said. “We need to build it.”
This is the opportunity, he believes, for CoreNet Global to lead. “Outside of colleges and universities, industry associations are already the largest providers of advanced learning. That gives us a powerful place to stand.”
Scott called for a renewed investment in CoreNet’s learning credentials and programs. He spoke of just in time education, digital certifications, and a more flexible way to prepare the profession for what is next. “We are not going to get to where we need to go by doing what we have always done.”
He also offered a compelling prediction. “By 2030, every major company will have someone in the executive suite responsible for employee experience.” This role, he noted, is not the same as today’s human resources leadership. It will center on aligning people, purpose, and place at the highest level of business strategy.
In his vision, CoreNet is not simply a community of professionals. CNG must become a builder of capability, a source of insight, and a platform for transformation. “We need to share data that is not only interesting but is required to be useful. The research must be timely, responsive, and aligned with what people in our chapters need to succeed.”
Throughout, Scott did not shy away from difficult truths. He spoke directly about risk as not something to avoid, but as something we must learn to manage and use. “The future is not about avoiding risk. It is about strengthening resilience. It is about seeing clearly, choosing wisely, and acting with courage.”
As the CoreNet 2030 vision continues to unfold, Scott emphasized that every chapter has a role to play. “We are not just entering the future. We are shaping it. Together.”
Part 3: The Dialogue: Q & A with Urgency and Intention
As the presentation progressed, the tone shifted into something even more direct. The questions came quickly, and Scott responded without hesitation. What followed was not a routine Q & A. It was a window into the convictions of a leader who believes change is not optional, and time is not unlimited.
Brady Mick: You used the phrase “global and local,” which we often hear. But our chapter is also regional. We serve multiple cities and markets, some of which are not yet formally included. What are your thoughts on this kind of boundary challenge?
Scott Wiley: I hear you. And you are not alone in that. I just had this same conversation with the Carolinas chapter, which spans both North and South Carolina. They are asking what we are doing in Charlotte, in Columbia, in Raleigh and Durham. These are valid questions. I think the future of CoreNet will require us to elevate regional leadership. We may even need regional advisory boards. That structure could help us better support what you are describing.
Drew Suszko: What does this vision mean for our value proposition? And how do we make that real in the market?
Scott Wiley: I am glad you asked that. We are about two weeks away from launching a comprehensive study of our global value proposition. It has not been done since 2019. But we are going further this time. This is going to include an environmental scan, market research, and a full analysis of what members actually value. It is being led by the next chair of our global board. Not by me. That is important. We want this to be member driven. And yes—everything is on the table.
Chad Babin: You’ve been in this role for only a short time. What have you learned so far about the state of CoreNet Global?
Scott Wiley: I would say this plainly. We have a lot of opportunities. And we are going to need to prioritize them. In my first one hundred days, I am focused on three things: strategy, value, and business health. First, we need a real strategy. Not just a strategic plan. A unifying strategy that helps the entire organization work together. Second, we need a value proposition that is viable, visible, and viscerally felt. Right now, we do not have that. And third, we need to strengthen the business side of our operation so we can grow with confidence.
Brady Mick: Membership has been a challenge for us. We are trying to reengage members who did not renew. Do you see this happening elsewhere?
Scott Wiley: Yes. Last year, our global membership retention rate was sixty five percent. That means thirty five percent of our members left. We are adding two hundred new members a month, which is remarkable. But even with that growth, we will likely see a net decline unless we improve retention. It is more expensive to find new members than to keep the ones we have. So membership experience and value are top priorities. Not just for growth, but for trust.
Jay Berkemeyer: Do we know where those members are going? Are they joining other organizations?
Scott Wiley: We are about to ask that question directly. Some might be joining other associations, some might be retiring, and some might just be drifting away. We need better data. For example, we do not even collect birth years, so we cannot see where retirements are coming. We have to get serious about understanding our members and what they need.
Jamie Roussel: You mentioned manufacturing and industrial growth. What can we do at the chapter level to engage with that opportunity?
Scott Wiley: Great question. We are building a global advisory group of leaders in that sector. It is still early, but we want to create both a global community of practice and local points of engagement. Chapters like yours, where this work is growing, are essential to that effort. We will be sharing more in the third quarter about how chapters can plug in. In the meantime, let us know if your members want to join that emerging conversation.
Scott Wiley (closing reflection): I believe in one aligned strategy. I know that is hard. But that is the only way we can move forward. First comes listening. Then trust. Then action. If people feel heard, we can build relationships. With relationships comes trust. And with trust, we gain the confidence to take bold steps together. That is how we will grow. That is how we will lead.
Personal Reflection: A Rising Tide of Purpose
Today’s coffee chat left me not only informed but deeply moved. I believe in the enduring value of professional associations, not as relics of the past, but as essential vessels for advancing both individual growth and collective intelligence. When we gather as professionals, we do more than trade knowledge. At our best, we create the conditions for high-performing teams to achieve results grounded in context, meaning, and creative impact on one another.
In this moment, shaped by the memory of a global pandemic, pressed by the weight of corporate realities, and stretched by the vision of a more flourishing future, the old model of mixers and business card exchanges no longer holds. The nature of work has changed. The deeper truth that human beings need connection has risen to a new urgency.
We are no longer merely navigating productivity or process. We are stepping into an era that demands discernment; discernment that can only be achieved through heightened critical thinking and creative awareness. From the mechanistic efficiency of the past, through the innovation of the knowledge economy, we now arrive at a time where the future will be built by those who can think, feel, create, and act with clarity.
CoreNet Global, to me, represents one place in the storm where "higher waters float all boats." When we convene to share ideas, debate what is truly valuable, and design the places where people work and thrive, we are not just networking - we are building something enduring.
With Scott Wiley at the helm, we have a captain who sees both the vast horizon and the intricate rigging of our daily work. His clarity, urgency, and commitment to transformation are guiding us into a future that demands our best. This is not the time to drift. It is the time to chart a shared course.