In preparation for our Women of Influence special feature and retreat, Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com together is putting a spotlight on the achievements of women in commercial real estate. This year, we collected nominations across a number of fields, with the awards to be presented at our inaugural GlobeSt.ELITE Women of Influence Conference and this year's amount of entries, was our biggest yet.

As always, our seasoned editorial team was seeking the best of the best across the commercial real estate spectrum. In evaluating the entries, we took into account a number of factors, including: the nominee's impact on, and reputation within, her firm and broader professional community; the nominee's professional career highlights, from dealmaking savvy and innovation to client satisfaction and personal growth; a proven ability to achieve goals and display ingenuity in terms of creative thinking and problem solving; her dedication to furthering the development of her field and the role of women within it; accomplishments and involvement in her company, the CRE industry and broader social community;  a personal commitment to the highest ethical standards, service and excellence; and so much more.

Since 1983, Forum's Women of Influence has recognized remarkable commercial real estate professionals who have significantly influenced the market or had outstanding successes in the past year. It is in that spirit that we're launching our first-ever Women of Influence Conference will celebrate the women who drive the commercial real estate industry forward.

At this year's event, we will honor the winners at the event July 10-11th in Broomfield, CO, at a special awards ceremony cocktail reception and gala dinner. The inaugural GlobeSt.ELITE Women of Influence Conference celebrates the women who drive the commercial real estate industry forward. In panel discussions throughout the event, these influential leaders will discuss the critical issues facing CRE now and in the future, what it means to be a woman in business today and CRE's place in the #MeToo era. They will discuss what they are doing to promote diversity in the upper levels of management and what the industry can do to position itself for a more inclusive future.

The field of investment professional of the year was open to professionals involved in CRE ownership and investment—such as direct investors, acquisition leads, analysts or asset, portfolio and fund managers—within a private or public commercial real estate organization. The winners in this category have played significant roles in expanding or repositioning their firm's portfolio and balance sheet over the past year in response to market trends, exhibiting a proven acumen for crafting an investment strategy, evaluating risk and maximizing profits.

The top women investment professionals chosen this year are as follows:

Ada Arevalo

Avanath

Devin Barnwell

Morgan Stanley

Nika Dufour

Passco Cos.

Abbe Franchot Borok

Amherst Capital Management

Debra Franklin

Marcus & Millichap

Inna Khidekel

Bridge Investment Group

Donna Preiss

The Preiss Co.

Amy Price

Bentall Kennedy US Ltd. Partnership

Vicky Schiff

Mosaic Real Estate Investors

Cynthia Shelton

LandQwest Commercial, Orlando

Sondra Wenger

CIM Group

Leslie Wohlman Himmel

Himmel + Meringoff Properties

Learn from today's Women of Influence award winners at an interactive panel discussion:  The Path to CRE Success & How it Compares to Different Industries, on July 11, 2019 at 9:30-10:30am.  Several of the award winners will share how they reached their levels of success, how the industry has changed, parallels between then and now, and impart advice for women of all levels today. Join these dynamic women at the Women of Influence Forum and secure your place today. Save up to $100 when you register by May 17, 2019!

Keep checking GlobeSt.com for more winners from other categories, including development professional, broker, property and facility manager, architect, mentor, humanitarian and others. And be sure to keep an eye out for the July/August issue of Real Estate Forum, which will further highlight these individual's accomplishments.

➤➤ Join the GlobeSt.com Women of Influence 2019 conference July 10^th and 11^th in Broomfield, CO, which celebrates the women who drive the commercial real estate industry forward. The event will address the critical role of women in the CRE business. Click here to register and view the agenda.