Women’s History Month: Notable women in CRE

The month of March marks National Women’s History Month, dedicated to honoring women’s contributions to our collective past, present and future. In that spirit, REJournals is highlighting eight women in Chicago commercial real estate recognized as leaders in their industry.

With a survey from Commercial Real Estate Women showing still only about 36% of CRE jobs are currently held by women, these dynamic real estate professionals are actively breaking down barriers in a still male-dominated field.

Marilyn Russell, Regional Director of Corporate and Landlord Services, Baker Barrios Architects

In the years since the pandemic, office design has been a hot topic in Chicago commercial real estate as companies look for ways to entice employees back to the office – and Marilyn Russell has been a leading voice in that conversation.

“Designing office space is part art, but also a large part science, weighing everything from lighting and acoustics to analyzing studies on worker productivity and ideal learning environments. It’s exciting to see all those factors come together,” she said.

Equally exciting, Russell notes, is the growing presence of women in leadership roles in her field.

“When I first became an architect, it was common for me to be the only woman at the table, so to speak,” she said.

Russell credits an emphasis on mentorship and efforts by industry organizations, such as C.R.E.W. (Commercial Real Estate Women), for the increase in women pursuing careers in commercial real estate.

Jennifer Gee, Director of Special Projects, GI Stone

Since kicking off her career as a project manager in the commercial construction industry more than a decade ago, Jennifer Gee has managed a wide range of projects – from interior renovations and hospitality to adaptive reuse – for prestigious clients like American Airlines and The Peninsula Chicago, just to name a few.

“I like that my job is constantly changing, with new and different challenges on a nearly daily basis,” she said.

While Gee faced skepticism from some of her male colleagues in past years, she has found the best way to change minds is to put her head down and deliver excellent results. Gee is heartened by the growing number of women in the industry who are doing just that and thrilled to work with some of them in her new position at GI Stone, a second-generation woman-owned stone fabrication and installation firm.

While she admits working in the male-dominated industry isn’t always easy, “This is an industry that rewards people for their talents,” Gee said. “In construction, the sky is the limit, whatever your gender.”

Elissa Morgante, Founding Partner, and K. Tyler, Partner, Morgante Wilson Architects

When K. Tyler joined Morgante Wilson Architects (MWA) in 2007 to help the firm’s co-founder, Elissa Morgante, launch an interior design practice, the duo originally set out to offer an add-on service to architecture clients – mainly, private homeowners working with MWA on a custom home or renovation.

Seventeen years later, they have not only extended MWA’s interiors business to include stand-alone projects separate from the firm’s architectural work, but also carved out a niche applying their unique interior design approach in commercial settings – specifically, partnering with developers to design multifamily amenities, common areas and unit interiors.

Morgante’s and Tyler’s award-winning multifamily interiors projects span Chicago-area properties including 727 West Madison in the West Loop, Westerly in River West, and currently Lumen Fox Valley and Lucca Fox Valley – the mall-to-multifamily redevelopment of Aurora’s Fox Valley Mall.

“Stepping into the commercial side of this business could have been daunting, but K. has been a tremendous partner and together we’ve proven how much relationships matter in this industry,” said Morgante. “All of our multifamily clients have turned into repeat customers, which is a testament to the investment K. and I make in truly understanding their priorities.”

Meanwhile, Tyler is especially passionate about encouraging diversity in the field.

“It’s important for our industry to create opportunities for young people from all backgrounds to learn about careers in design,” she said. “I actually started my career in the world of business and finance as a CPA, so I’m proof there are a lot of different paths you can take.”

Kim O’Donnell, Vice President of Business Development, Proper Title

Kim O’Donnell joined Proper Title nine years ago when the title insurance agency handled only residential transactions. However, O’Donnell’s loyal commercial clients from her previous firm followed her, and within days of starting at Proper Title, she brought in a big commercial deal.

“My client was happy with the experience,” she said. “Then I recruited a highly regarded construction escrow manager, and more clients took notice. We continued to attract top talent, and 10 years later our commercial and construction escrow team has over 400 years of combined industry experience.”

The 28-year veteran of title insurance says she has built relationships by delivering on her word and promise to clients.

“Those trusting partnerships from decades ago still deliver referral business,” she noted.

O’Donnell listed some of her favorite parts of her job: “Every transaction is different; I learn something new with every single deal. I also love our team. We have built a dedicated commercial and construction escrow team at Proper Title, with the best talent in the business. They teach me new things all the time. We trust one another and truly enjoy working together.”

Collete English Dixon, Executive Director, Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate

Little did Collete English Dixon know when she accepted a job offer with The Prudential Insurance Company of America after completing her bachelor’s degree in finance that it would be the start of a lifelong career in commercial real estate.

English Dixon was assigned to the real estate investment department and quickly found enjoyment in actively managing a portfolio of properties. It wasn’t long before she started graduate classes in the evenings and earned an MBA in finance.

“At Prudential, as the business grew, we suddenly had a giant, comingled separate account with outside investors,” she said. “I was fortunate to do acquisitions, development, dispositions, debt on joint venture properties and asset management.”

After progressively advancing to higher positions at the firm, which had become Prudential Real Estate Investors, a global investment management platform, and after completing more than $12 billion in real estate transactions, English Dixon decided to pivot her career and become executive director of the Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate in 2017.

“Being a veteran of this industry and woman of color, I want to bring to my students the perspective of the challenges and opportunities of the industry and how to maneuver being a diverse participant in an industry that is still not very diverse,” she said. “I believe I can help them see how they can position themselves to be successful, and I can encourage them to hang in there even when it seems like it’s really challenging.”

Mary Cook, Founder and President, Mary Cook Associates

As founder and president of Chicago-based Mary Cook Associates (MCA), a national award-winning commercial interior design and strategy firm, Mary Cook has established herself as a commercial real estate leader thanks to her ability to anticipate evolving market trends and pivot accordingly.

Since her firm’s inception in 1986, Cook has grown the business from its initial focus working predominantly with production builder clients on model home interiors to today encompassing projects across a diverse portfolio – one that still includes builders, but also spans the design and programming of innovative interiors and amenities for multifamily, student housing, hospitality and recreation clients.

“To succeed and have longevity in this industry, you have to be able to navigate the inevitable highs and lows that occur in real estate,” said Cook. “We’ve done that by going beyond simply designing beautiful spaces and instead honing a researched approach based on a deep understanding of the end user and their shifting preferences. The result is measurable returns for clients – or what I like to call R.O.E.^® or Return on Environment – which has opened up doors for us to step into different sectors, foster new client relationships and expand on existing ones.”   

Christine Ramsey, chief administrative officer, Draper and Kramer, Incorporated

Christine Ramsey joined Draper and Kramer in 2016 after a successful career in financial services and healthcare technology, where she focused on human resources and other key operational areas of those businesses. The move marked her maiden voyage into the commercial real estate industry.

Over the past eight years, Ramsey has played a pivotal role in defining Draper and Kramer’s strategy especially in the arena of employee-focused work culture through her oversight of HR, communications, and stockholder relations, leading to the firm being named a Chicago Tribune “Top Workplace” multiple times.

Working at the family-owned business, Ramsey has had the opportunity to partner with a Draper and Kramer family constituency spanning five generations, helping to keep them educated and engaged in the industry and strategic direction of the firm.

“Being part of a quality organization with great people and products has always been my primary focus and Commercial real estate definitely fits those criteria,” Ramsey said. “Multifamily, specifically has been quite rewarding as I have had the opportunity to lead initiatives that positively impact the experiences of our employees, residents and family stockholders.”