Commercial real estate has long been considered one of the last industries where the glass ceiling hasn’t been breached. But if the women on the next several pages are any indication, the “Old Boys’ Club” may no longer be an apt description for the business. Women entered the sector in droves over the past few decades, and many have risen to the C-suite and are among the top decision-makers at their firms. As such, the editors of Real Estate Forum had a tough time selecting this year’s Women of Influence. We weeded through some 200 worthy nominations to come up with 45 executives whose accomplishments were particularly impressive. With an increasing number of women currently paying their dues and rising to management-level positions—not to mention mentoring a younger generation of female professionals—it seems like we’ll have our work cut out for us in the years to come.

Susan Ansel, President and CEO, Gables Residential

Luise A. Barrack, Managing Partner, Rosenberg & Estis PC