On February 22, over 280 CREW members and their guests, including senior real estate practitioners and business leaders, gathered at the Standard Club for CREW Chicago’s 7th annual presentation of the Industry Leadership Award to Collete English Dixon, executive director of the Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate at Roosevelt University.
English Dixon has more than 30 years of experience in investment management with a focus on commercial real estate investing and is a past president of CREW Network, a past chair of the CREW Network Foundation and a past president of CREW Chicago. She is a member of the board of directors and chair of the investment committee for the Housing Partnership Equity Trust, a board member of the Chicago Forum of the International Women’s Forum and a member of the board of directors of the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry.
A candid and heartfelt video opened the evening, providing highlights of English Dixon’s outstanding leadership in commercial real estate, and her many philanthropic efforts in the Chicago community and beyond. Personalized messages from esteemed colleagues and friends described English Dixon as having “rock star” visibility in the commercial real estate community and they characterized her ability to influence and lead through volunteerism as “a force of nature.” Touching and playful remarks from her daughter and husband highlighted her gold-standard work ethic and an uncompromising commitment to excellence that permeates all areas of her life.
Prior to her role at Roosevelt, English Dixon was executive director—transactions for PGIM Real Estate (formerly known as PREI) and co-leader of PREI’s national investment dispositions program. In that role, she oversaw the sale of more than 200 investment properties located throughout the US, with a total value of more than $8.7 billion, on behalf of PREI’s investment funds.
