CREW Awards 20 Women Under 40
The Commercial Real Estate (CREW) Network last night lauded 20 Under 40 women from throughout the commercial real estate industry as part of its 20th anniversary celebration. The awards, unveiled during the organization’s 2009 CREW Network Convention & Marketplace in Boston, honor women age 39 or younger working within a qualified area of the industry and considered a “woman to watch” and likely to be an influential leader in the industry.
By: Suzann D. Silverman, Editor-in-Chief
The Commercial Real Estate (CREW) Network last night lauded 20 Under 40 women from throughout the commercial real estate industry as part of its 20th anniversary celebration. The awards, unveiled during the organization’s 2009 CREW Network Convention & Marketplace in Boston, honor women age 39 or younger working within a qualified area of the industry and considered a “woman to watch” and likely to be an influential leader in the industry.
Chosen from more than 120 nominees, the women are active members of the legal, investment, development, finance, brokerage, institutional, construction and sustainability areas, and include managers, vice presidents, partners and company founders among them.
“What really is exciting to me is the fact that we have 20 women from diverse backgrounds,” observed Jane Snoddy Smith, a partner in Fulbright & Jaworski and the president of CREW. “We have 20 women that really are representative of the different career paths that are available to women in commercial real estate today.”
The awards program was announced in April, with an invitation for nominations by either the individual herself or others impressed by her achievements. CREW membership was not required for nomination. Winners expressed interest in excelling in their fields but also in furthering historic preservation, global expansion, work with non-profits, development of inner-city neighborhoods and educational institutions and sustainable practices. Their many commitments include work with industry associations, Big Brother Big Sister participation, pro bono efforts and writing about their experiences.
“In this economy, if you don’t have persistence and creativity, you won’t get your deals done, and this group really has a drive to excel,” Smith said.
The winners were as follows: Tracy Lynn Steele, partner with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius L.L.P.; Tiffini Miller, manager of commercial development for Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport; Rosella Harvey, senior associate with NorthStar Advisors L.L.C.; Rebekah Christian Bahn, senior advisor with Grubb & Ellis/Gundaker Commercial; Peggy Howard Hey, manager in the real estate services department of Carolinas HealthCare System; Nicole Reeves, senior vice president of FirstBank of Northern Colorado; Monica Ceres, attorney & co-chair of the leasing practice area of Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla P.C.; Michelle Cottrell, president of Design Management Services; Melissa Gross-Arnold, shareholder with Lewis, Longman & Walker P.A.; Melissa Goins, president of Maures Development Group L.L.C.; Mandi Wedin, vice president in the capital markets group of ASB Real Estate Investments; Kristen Broadway Pleasants, vice president for Wachovia Securities; Kimberly Alison Havens, project manager for Wilson Meany Sullivan; Julissa Carielo, president of Tejas Premier Building Contractor Inc.; Julie Baird, national counsel for First American Exchange Co.; Jennifer Marler, partner & real estate practice group leader with Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal L.L.P.; Janice Paine, vice president of investment properties for NAI Olympia Partners; Heather Denny, executive vice president & COO for McDonald York Building Co.; Elizabeth Krol, client program manager for Shaw Environmental Inc.; and Jacquelynn Henke, manager for sustainability & senior project manager with the Allston Development Group of Harvard University.
Commercial Property Executive was proud to participate in this program as a media partner. Log on to CPE TV next week to hear from some of the winners directly, and look for further coverage of their achievements in the October/November issue of Commercial Property Executive and in the Business Management section of commercialsearch.com/news.
