9 minute read
Most Influential Women
IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
FOR 2021
By MICHAEL GOSSIE
There are many adjectives that could be used to describe each of the 2021 Most Influential Women in Commercial Real Estate. Innovative. Driven. Brilliant. Strong.
But that doesn’t mean they didn’t face unprecedented challenges like the rest of us during the pandemic.
“Personally, I found self-care to be more important than ever,” says Tiffany Sharp, principal at Sharp Construction. "It was way too easy to fall into the pattern of rolling out of bed, opening my laptop and working until later hours of the evening without taking the necessary mental and physical breaks to keep me healthy and recharged. Professionally, I better understand the value and importance of connecting in-person when it comes to building more solid foundations within your network. I’ve always understood the value of maintaining the relationships within my network but never quite felt the challenge of that maintenance as I did during the pandemic due to the inability to meet in person.”
Each of the Most Influential Women in Commercial Real Estate for 2021 have overcome obstacles throughout their careers to distinguish themselves and succeed in a still male-dominated industry.
But there is a lot more to learn about this year’s Most Influential Women in Commercial Real Estate. Get to know them a little better on the pages that follow, and join them at a dinner celebrating their accomplishments on August 25, 2021, at Chateau Luxe. For details, visit azbigmedia.com.
Adrienne Bryant Mary Fedewa Patti Gentry Jessica Grant Yung Koprowski Nicole Maas Michele Pino Angie Schmidt
Keri Scott Tiffany Sharp LuAnn Thoma-Holec Kathey Wagner
Nicole Maas
Vice president of marketing and communications
Kitchell
Maas is active in the community through her work with Valley Partnership and the American Heart Association; she’s also the current chairperson of HonorHealth Desert Mission. She was captain of the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point softball team, which won the national championship in 1998. Source of pride: “Pre-2020, I would have proudly talked about some of our biggest project wins, but making it through the last 15 months with a strong business plan and incredibly high performing team (many I have not physically seen in more than a year) is really what gives me the most pride.” Jessica Grant
Partner, executive vice president, and CFO
Corbins Electric
Grant graduated with a BS in accountancy before starting her career in construction. Lesson learned in 2020: “When COVID-19 hit, it put an end to our daily huddles, which we hadn’t missed since they began in 2014. This provided us with a challenge and an opportunity to grow in our communication throughout the company, as well as teach an important lesson that workplace culture must extend beyond the walls of our physical buildings. We have been able to bounce back, and I’m truly excited for the new ways we’ll be getting the team together for huddles going forward.” Adrienne Bryant
Owner
Bryant Commercial Real Estate
Bryant has been in the real estate industry for more than 20 years. She pivoted to commercial real estate when she relocated to Arizona and decided to focus on assisting business owners through representing them exclusively through the cycle of site selection, negotiations, construction phase and being an exclusive advocate for her clients. Source of pride: “The accomplishment that brings the most pride is that we are an AfricanAmerican, women-owned CRE firm. My daughter, Jonvieve, is part of our family legacy and the future of our company. We have represented national franchise brands, global companies and nonprofit organizations.” Michele Pino
Commercial and site selection specialist
Land Advisors Organization
Pino has been a commercial site selection advisor with Land Advisors since 2006. She was previously executive director at the ASU Research Park and spent eight years in state government. She is a member of AASBO, president of her family’s charitable foundation and a board member of WESTMARC and Valley Partnership. Source of pride: “I’m most proud of the business and personal relationships I’ve formed in three fulfilling careers as a paralegal, economic developer and real estate agent. At the end of the day, no one may remember the last deal I did, but I hope they will remember my integrity.”
Mary Fedewa
President and CEO
S|T|O|R|E Capital
Fedewa co-founded S|T|O|R|E in 2011. She has played a key role in the company’s portfolio growth to nearly $10 billion in assets while leading all areas of operations. Lesson learned in 2020: “One of the key takeaways from our experiences during the pandemic is the importance of developing a stronger sense of mental health awareness, stress management, emotional intelligence and overall well-being. As a leader, I recognize the need to set an example and encourage my employees to prioritize their health and wellness so they can contribute positively to both their personal and professional lives.” Kathey Wagner
CEO
EPS Group
Wagner began working in the AEC industry as a business strategist in 2014 and joined EPS Group in 2018. She was appointed CEO in 2019. Wagner brings decades of experience working in diverse environments and industries, from startups to Fortune 50 companies, insurance to engineering, legal services to hospitality, and more. Lesson learned in 2020: “During the past year, we all endured extended periods of isolation and loneliness. The power of kindness and humanity provided me with the strength to endure the ever-changing environment and has made me a better human and leader.” LuAnn Thoma-Holec
Principal and founder
Thoma-Holec Design
Thoma-Holec’s experience and passion for senior living interior design inspired her to launch a company exclusively dedicated to the industry. Founded in 2006, Thoma-Holec Design’s awardwinning communities are known for their unique, welcoming and meaningful spaces that enhance resident and staff experiences throughout the U.S. and Canada. Lesson learned in 2020: “First and foremost, I learned that my team and I could adapt to change very quickly. As a design firm, we work from coast to coast and in Canada, and since our construction documents and design are digital, we never missed a beat in productivity or creativity.” Tiffany Sharp
Principal
Sharp Construction
Sharp has been managing design and construction teams and projects since 2005. She’s an Arizona State University graduate for both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in construction management. Sharp founded Sharp Construction as a woman-owned commercial construction company in 2017. Source of pride: “Starting my own company is a dream I’ve always had. Now that the dream is real, I live and breathe the successes and failures of my company every day. I take pride in the challenges and roadblocks that I’ve had to overcome, which have now allowed me to influence the next generation of women in this industry.”
Yung Koprowski
Owner
Y2K Engineering
Koprowski’s professional experience is focused on traffic engineering and transportation planning, specifically in safety, technology and multimodal traffic operations. Yung owns Y2K Engineering and currently leads a team of 15 from offices in Mesa and Denver. Koprowski is also the vice mayor of the Town of Gilbert. Lesson learned in 2020: “The pandemic reinforced the role that technology plays in the workplace, which allows work from anywhere and supports greater value in spending quality time with our families and friends. I’ve become a stronger leader by being courageous and authentic, approaching challenges head-on and making decisions with empathy.” Angie Schmidt
CEO
SDB Contracting
Schmidt has construction in her blood. Her father, Dominic Spagnuolo, founded SDB in 1980. Schmidt joined the company in 2012 and became CEO in 2017. Lesson learned in 2020: “During the pandemic, SDB came together as a family and our mantra was to stay calm, cool and collected. This helped our team focus on the business and one another. We also learned the importance of being able to react quickly to make immediate changes as needed. Communication was key to keeping everyone in the loop as so many team members were working from home. What I can take away from all of this is that SDB runs as a cohesive team, always.” Keri Scott
Vice president
Colliers
Scott specializes in project leasing, building sales and tenant representation for industrial and office properties. She represents more than 1 million square feet of properties, as well as a number of high-profile national and local tenants. Lesson learned in 2020: “Family is the best medicine of all. After a catastrophic halt to things in the world — I had kids at home, a house under construction, a full-time job and an inability to function normally — I realized the family/life/work balance needed attention. Being able to spend time with family and work in tandem showed me that it is possible to manage both important roles simultaneously.” Patti Gentry
Senior vice president
JLL
Gentry is a senior vice president and associate broker in the commercial real estate industry who, for 35 years, has utilized her expertise in an ever-changing health care environment. As one of the premier real estate transactions experts in the country, she has a working knowledge of the challenges and issues facing boards of health care companies. Lesson learned in 2020: “The pandemic taught me just how capable I am of responding to crises beyond my control. That included quickly pivoting with the right strategies for my clients and always showing empathy — the most important ability in any relationship.”
Infl uencing the Industrial Market Keri Scott | AZRE Most Infl uential Women of 2021
Congratulations to Keri Scott, vice president, Colliers in Arizona, on being honored by Colliers in Arizona, on being honored by AZRE as one of the Most Infl uential Women AZRE as one of the Most Infl uential Women of 2020. of 2020.
“Keri Scott’s leadership capabilities, “Keri Scott’s leadership capabilities, combined with her strong communication combined with her strong communication skills and deep market knowledge, have skills and deep market knowledge, have allowed her to have a tremendous impact on allowed her to have a tremendous impact on both her clients’ businesses and our offi ce both her clients’ businesses and our offi ce culture,” says Bob Mulhern senior managing culture,” says Bob Mulhern senior managing director of Colliers in Arizona. “Keri is a director of Colliers in Arizona. “Keri is a critical member of our Colliers team!” critical member of our Colliers team!”
Accelerating success.
