The Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago (BOMA/Chicago) announced winners of the 2023 Gold Circle and “The Outstanding Building of the Year” (TOBY) Awards at an event held at Morgan Manufacturing in Fulton Market.
The Gold Circle Award recognizes individual excellence within Chicago’s professional real estate community. The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY) award is one of the most prestigious recognitions that building owners and managers can attain in commercial real estate, recognizing quality and achievement in building management.
Now in its 13th year, BOMA/Chicago’s Gold Circle Awards honor individual excellence within six categories. Nominees were judged on a wide range of criteria, including their professional accomplishments, involvement in BOMA/Chicago, and positive impact on Chicago’s commercial real estate community.
The 2023 Gold Circle Award winners are:
Property Management Professional of the Year:
Karen Gana, CBRE, 353 North Clark
Security Professional of the Year:
Brandi Srda, Titan Security Group, Willis Tower
Building Engineer of the Year:
Sean Kenny, CBRE, 150 N Riverside Plaza
Janitorial Professional of the Year:
Jasminka Trkulja, Harvard Maintenance, 353 North Clark
Emerging Leader of the Year:
Morgan Barnes, Hines, 321 North Clark, 131 South Dearborn, 333 West Wacker
Affiliate Member of the Year:
David Lippe, Cyclone Energy Group
BOMA/Chicago also honored local buildings through the TOBY Awards, which recognize excellence in office building management. This year, eight TOBY award finalists competed in five categories based on building size and type. They were judged on tenant relations initiatives, commitment to environmental sustainability, emergency preparedness, budgeting, work order systems, security standards, staff experience, continuing education opportunities, and more.
The following five buildings earned TOBY Awards:
Corporate Facility:
400 South Jefferson, Managed by The RMR Group and Owned by SIR Chicago LLC
Renovated Building:
321 North Clark, Managed by Hines and Owned by American Realty Advisors, Diversified Real Estate Capital, Hines
250,000 to 499,999 Square Feet:
311 W. Monroe, Managed by Sterling Bay Property Management
500,000 to 1 Million Square Feet:
333 N Green, Managed by Sterling Bay Property Management and Owned by 333 N Green, LLC
Over 1 Million Square Feet:
One South Wacker, Managed by JLL and Owned by 601W Companies
BOMA/Chicago TOBY Award winners will be invited to participate in the North Central Regional TOBY competition, where they will compete against local TOBY winners from cities in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio. Regional winners will then compete at the BOMA International TOBY Awards, one of the highest honors in the commercial real estate industry.
