Each year, Midwest Real Estate News inducts a new class in its Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. Last year — despite the challenges it brought — was no exception. Here’s a look at one of our newest Hall of Fame members, Wendy Aaserud, managing director of asset services with the Bloomington, Minnesota, office of Cushman & Wakefield.
Wendy Aaserud has more than two decades of experience in the commercial real estate industry, much of it in a leadership role for Cushman & Wakefield’s asset services division in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
As the leader of Cushman’s property management team, Aaserud is key in making sure employees are utilizing industry and company best practices in their management and ensuring that Cushman & Wakefield clients are receiving best-in-market service. Her managed portfolio includes nearly 11 million square feet of retail, office and industrial properties.
“I’ve been fortunate to have been surrounded by the finest in the business who acknowledged my efforts, providing opportunity for continued growth in my career,” Aaserud said. “From my clients, direct reports and colleagues, I truly enjoy what I do and if I can solve an issue for them or help them achieve their goal, it’s what keeps me motivated and the best reward possible.”
Aaserud has more than 20 years of real estate experience in commercial real estate. Her teams have won Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s “Best in Real Estate, Third-party Managed Property–Retail” awards and have been finalists for the BOMA International TOBY (Outstanding Building of the Year) as the best in their category.
Prior to Cushman & Wakefield, Aaserud served as senior property manager at Capital Growth Madison Marquette, where she managed more than 1.3 million square feet of retail property. Previously, she was at Z & S Management and B.T. & A. Construction.
As a way to succeed in commercial real estate, Aaserud tries to stay in front of new trends with the business and personnel, attempting to create a culture that gives her staff and clients a great experience.
Aaserud is an enthusiastic volunteer within the commercial real estate industry, and routinely finds multiple ways to give back to other professionals in the property management and commercial brokerage fields. She is a longtime volunteer and multiple-term board member for the Minnesota Shopping Center Association, a trade group for retailers, retail brokers and retail property managers. She is currently serving as past-president.
Among her other volunteer roles in the community, Aaserud has also served on the board of directors for the Caring Tree, a non-profit providing backpacks to children in need, and has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity.
