At E.E. Reed Construction, business development was not always central to the company’s strategy. Over time, that shifted—intentionally—and Patti Miller was a key driver of that transformation.
Miller is a Vice President at E.E. Reed Construction in the Houston area, where she has spent 15 years reshaping how business development functions inside a commercial construction firm. What began as a support role evolved into a strategic engine. Strong alignment with marketing, operations, long-term vision. Today, business development at E.E. Reed extends beyond pursuits. Intentional growth. Cultural alignment. Disciplined execution.
“Patti has proven that business development is not just shaking hands and attending events; it’s about disciplined strategy, accountability, and alignment between revenue generation, operations, and culture,” the nominator said. “She has been instrumental in tying together our marketing, BD, and operational efforts so we are intentional about which projects we chase, how we serve our clients, and how we show up in the market. Her leadership has strengthened our brand, deepened our client relationships, and helped ensure that our growth is both sustainable and aligned with our values.”
Miller’s career spans public relations, engineering, commercial construction, business development, marketing and operations, giving her a cross-functional lens that informs how she leads. She works closely with executive leadership to align market positioning with operational readiness, ensuring the firm pursues the right work at the right time with the right teams in place. That alignment, she says, is essential in an industry where growth can easily outpace infrastructure.
“I’ve been involved in commercial real estate and the AEC industry for roughly two decades, primarily through commercial construction and business development leadership,” Miller said. “Over that time, my role has evolved from supporting client pursuits to helping shape strategy at the executive level—aligning market positioning, relationship management, and operational readiness.”
Her work sits at the intersection of people, planning and accountability. Miller believes commercial real estate and construction are fundamentally collaborative, requiring clarity across disciplines that do not always speak the same language.
“What I enjoy most is the intersection of people, strategy, and building something tangible,” Miller said. “Commercial real estate is ultimately a team sport—when it’s done well, it requires trust, clarity, and collaboration across disciplines that don’t always speak the same language.”
A defining aspect of Miller’s leadership has been her focus on structure. She has helped build internal systems that connect business development, marketing and operations, creating accountability and consistency as the firm scales. That work has strengthened client relationships, protected company culture and positioned E.E. Reed for sustainable growth rather than opportunistic expansion.
Her influence extends beyond the firm. Miller is an active leader in Houston’s commercial real estate and development community, currently serving as treasurer for the Urban Land Institute and holding leadership roles with NAIOP, ACRP, CoreNet Global and the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce. She is also deeply involved in philanthropy, including leading the Make-A-Wish Builders of Hope Sporting Clays Tournament.
Opening doors for others, particularly women, has been a throughline in Miller’s career. Early on, she saw firsthand how few women occupied strategic leadership roles in business development. That experience shaped how she leads today, with intention and advocacy.
“One of the biggest challenges was simply being a woman in a space where there were very few women in business development—and even fewer in strategic leadership roles,” Miller said. “That experience shaped how I lead today: with confidence, preparedness, and a commitment to creating more visible pathways for others.”
Miller holds a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from The University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Texas A&M University. She has been recognized as a Houston Business Journal Women Who Mean Business honoree and Bisnow’s Deal Maker of the Year.
For Miller, success is not defined by visibility alone. It is defined by alignment: when strategy, people and execution move in the same direction and growth becomes intentional rather than reactive.
