Why CREW KC Felt Like a Natural Fit for Swartz & Associates

By Katy True, Operations Manager at Swartz and Associates

I walked into my first CREW KC event not really knowing what to expect – and walked out having already decided to join.

It was April, and Jamie Buckley, our banker at Enterprise Bank & Trust, invited me to a quarterly luncheon for CREW KC (Commercial Real Estate for Women in Kansas City). The room was buzzing – energetic, welcoming, full of women who genuinely seemed glad to be there. I signed up shortly after.

Why It Fit

CREW’s whole approach mirrors how we work at Swartz & Associates: relationship-driven, community-minded, built on collaboration across commercial real estate. We work alongside property owners, tax professionals, and CRE teams every day, so joining a network that brings those same voices together didn’t feel like a stretch, it felt like showing up to a conversation we were already part of.

A Small Gesture That Made a Big Difference

What struck me first was how deliberately CREW helps new members settle in. Their membership team pairs every newcomer with a current member for a welcome lunch – simple on paper, but genuinely thoughtful in practice.

Mine was with Jessica Miller. Over lunch she talked about why she joined, what’s kept her involved, and a little about her career and family along the way. Nothing fancy, just a real conversation. But having one familiar face in the group makes future events feel a lot less intimidating to walk into.

Coffee, Conversation, and a Little Less Nerves

A few weeks later, I joined a small coffee meetup at Pitchside Coffee Shop with Tiffany Osborn, Katie Pohlman, and Stephanie Lankford. Three of us were brand new; Katie, a member for several years, brought some great perspective to the table.

Small groups like that make it easy. We ended up talking careers, how we each landed where we are, even our families. It felt natural, even for the introverts in the bunch (myself included!)

Swartz + Associates, Inc. (SAI) is a full service property tax firm specializing in the review, analysis and appeals of real and business personal property tax valuations. If you need help with your property taxes, give us a call!