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As part of a series on accomplished women in the industry, Real Estate Forum is profiling professionals whose achievements have made them standout performers in their local commercial real estate markets. This month, we've selected nearly two dozen outstanding professionals who have made a name for themselves in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee. Be it through their dealmaking prowess, leadership skills or impact on the local community, these executives have risen to the top of the CRE ranks throughout the Southeast US.

Mercedes Angell
Senior Director
Cushman and Wakefield of Florida Inc.
Tampa
A 20-year veteran of the industry, Mercedes Angell provides clients with a variety of services including competitive positioning of properties, establishing pricing to maximize rates, designing and implementing marketing plans to maximize absorption, analyzing the financial aspects of prospective leases, coordinating team members and maintaining timely and consistent activity reports. She represents landlords and building owners with assets ranging from class-A office buildings to single-story, garden-style office parks throughout the Tampa Bay market and is responsible for a portfolio of office parks totaling more than 2.4 million square feet. In 2014, she participated in $564 million of commercial real estate transactions totaling nearly 6.5 million square feet. Angell says women are making great strides in the CRE industry and taking greater chances with their careers. They are willing to take on bigger risks for the larger rewards at the end.

Barbara Liberatore Black
Managing Principal
Cresa South Florida
Miami
Consistently ranking among the top commercial real estate brokers locally and throughout the US, Barbara Liberatore Black has completed hundreds of office lease transactions totaling more than eight million square feet throughout her 30-plus-year career. Her experience and knowledge of the market have guided her clients in making decisions based on solid information, and her clients consistently return to work with her. Black has a genuine commitment to mentoring and sharing ideas and resources to help others become successful in the real estate industry. An expert in law-firm transactions, she's represented more than 60 firms in South Florida and has been the exclusive representative for many financial institutions, corporations and nonprofit organizations. Regarding women's roles in the industry, Black doesn't believe there's a glass ceiling since CRE “is very entrepreneurial in nature. If you work hard, you will benefit.”

Ana Codina Barlick
CEO
Codina Partners
Coral Gables, FL
Named CEO in 2014 for one of the largest builder-developers in Florida, Ana Codina Barlick has excelled quickly in her 19-year career and demonstrated her professional acumen by managing Codina Partners' $1.35-billion real estate portfolio. In her tenure at the firm, Codina Barlick has spearheaded the company's $1-billion Downtown Doral project and secured several critical loans to move the project forward. Under her watch, the company is developing the 120-acre mixed-use project, which is transforming a decades-old office park and gray field into a new urban center for a community that has doubled in size over the last few years. Considered one of the most influential women in Florida's real estate industry, Codina Barlick is equally dedicated to the South Florida community, supporting several charitable causes. She says she believes we will continue to see the presence of women grow both at an executive level, and in the industry as a whole, and she looks forward to seeing women play pivotal roles as the Southeast market grows.

Jessica Doyle
Leasing Director, Southeast
John Hancock Life Insurance Co.
Atlanta
Jessica Doyle dives knee-deep into every task she takes on with a goal to enhance the company's practices. Her keen attention to detail has proven to be a great asset to the John Hancock team. Colleagues say Doyle goes well above and beyond her director duties to ensure her team operates in an effective and efficient fashion and never shies away from adding administrative support. During her short tenure with John Hancock, she has mastered several leasing platforms while training her team accordingly, ensuring the portfolio information is current and accurate. Although leasing is Doyle's specialty, she adds general knowledge to the team and industry as a whole and has proven to be an excellent resource in finance, negotiation, property management, technical systems and more.

Lisa Dunavin
Managing Principal
DTZ
Atlanta
Not only does Lisa Dunavin have more than 25 years of experience representing property owners and investors and an esteemed reputation in the industry, but she also became the first woman to assume the market-leader role for a global commercial real estate firm in Atlanta in mid-2014 when she joined Cassidy Turley (now DTZ) as managing principal. Dunavin leads DTZ's full scope of services in Metro Atlanta, overseeing the delivery of client services, developing new business opportunities, supporting the existing team of professionals and recruiting additional talent to enhance local service offerings. Most recently, she has led local recruiting efforts to significantly expand DTZ's industrial and retail capabilities in the Southeast. Her goals are to establish DTZ firmly in Atlanta as a top-three provider of commercial real estate services in the region; to continue to grow as a leader, mentor and motivator; and to further a culture within the Atlanta office of collaboration, respect, drive, pride and service to clients, community and each other.

Ingrid Fulmer
Senior Leasing Advisor
Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT
Boca Raton, FL 
With more than 30 years of experience in commercial office leasing, tenant representation and investment sales, Ingrid Fulmer has overseen more than 19 million square feet of property negotiations representing over $2.4 billion in transactions. She has consistently been ranked as a top real estate producer and earned the 2014, 2013 and 2007 designation of number-one sales associate in Florida for Coldwell Banker Commercial. Fulmer's real estate career started in 1980 when she took an administrative job in the leasing department at Arvida Corp. She attended real estate school to obtain her licensing and was running the commercial leasing department by age 22. Fulmer says when she started in the business, it “was definitely a male-dominated industry, and you didn't see many women in the business. But this just fueled my determination. I learned early that it was important to work harder and smarter than the next guy if you want to stand out and succeed.”

Kay Hill
Shareholder and Broker
NAI Earle Furman
Greenville, SC
As one of the top producers at NAI Earle Furman, Kay Hill is the only female among the firm's 42 brokers. In 2014, she became the firm's first-ever female partner. Hill co-chairs a three-person team in the multifamily division, one of the fastest-growing areas within the firm. She handles business development, deal sourcing and transaction management for the firm's multifamily division and works with both buyers and sellers on existing multifamily properties and land for multifamily development. After six years working in marketing and sales in Charleston, SC, in other industries, Hill moved to Charlotte, NC, and made a career change into commercial real estate. While working in the business full-time, she earned an MBA with a real estate finance concentration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has since developed a broad area of expertise, having held positions at the City of Charlotte, Cardinal Real Estate Partners LLC and Duke Energy's real estate services division.

Sandy Hostetter
President
CNL Bank
Orlando
Sandy Hostetter has been in the banking and commercial lending environment for 30-plus years and is considered an icon in the Central Florida real estate market, not only for her industry achievements, but also her commitment to the community. A recipient of numerous awards for women in business, she is passionate about mentoring young professionals. She's just as passionate about providing quality housing options for the poor and homeless. Hostetter has been involved in the affordable housing/coalition for the homeless during much of her career and has served, or is currently serving, as a board member with Central Florida YMCA, University of Florida's Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies, Winter Park Health Foundation, Foundation for Foster Children and the Heart of Florida United Way, among others. Hostetter is currently on the boards of Florida Hospital and Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Holly Hughes
CEO, Colliers International Management
CEO, Colliers Facility Solutions
Colliers International
Atlanta
With 18 years in the business, Holly Hughes serves as both CEO of Colliers International Management Atlanta, leading its 35-million-square-foot portfolio, and CEO of Colliers Facility Solutions, a majority women-owned organization created in collaboration with Colliers to provide facility solutions services for their clients. Hughes exemplifies the ultimate leader, with a true passion for gathering a team of talented individuals, encouraging them to grow to their potential and giving them great opportunities as her team grows the business. She sees her business as much more than making sure buildings are running efficiently for her clients. She believes she is supporting the associates in those buildings to create a happier, fulfilling and productive work environment. Her long-standing relationships with clients and her internal team members are a direct result of this holistic approach.

Lori Kilberg
Partner
Hartman Simons & Wood LLP
Atlanta
Lori Kilberg is currently president of CREW Network and the sole female equity partner of Hartman Simons & Wood. She has been responsible for the legal work for numerous high-profile mixed-use and retail developments. Kilberg has been in her current role for much of her 35-year career, starting her practice in 1980 at the law firm of Cofer, Beauchamp & Hawes practicing in CRE financing. With her partner Benno Rothschild, she's developed Hartman Simons & Wood's US outlet retail team. Kilberg sees the role of women in CRE changing, but it's going to take time. She believes there are still a lot of hurdles to overcome for women in CRE, especially in the Southeast market, as pay discrepancies and competitive positions are still an uphill battle, it seems. Kilberg believes women must, and will, become better negotiators in general.

Andrea Lopez
Senior Vice President
Transwestern
Miami
Andrea Lopez could be singled out for a number of reasons. She is one of Transwestern's most productive executives, is a superlative strategic thinker, has an unparalleled work ethic and is dedicated to mentoring those coming up behind her; her clients are fans. Lopez has produced exceptional transactional volume of 2.1 million square feet in new business assignments in 2014 and has contributed to the industry at large by promoting and being actively involved in the Better Buildings Challenge, the US Department of Energy's Green Team Program, EPA's Energy Star External Trainers Program, the Energy Star Low Carbon IT Campaign and the Battle of the Buildings. With 15 years in the business, Lopez has aided Transwestern's overall success, securing $500,000 in new revenue per annum, and generating an additional $125,000 in revenue/fees through oversight of major capital and tenant improvements in excess of $4 million.

Lauren Mattox
National Director, Integrated Corporate Solutions
Heery International
Atlanta
Lauren Mattox has been a household name in Atlanta's design/construction/project-management community for the past five years. She is arguably one of the most well-known leaders in the real estate community as well, working with brokers, leasing agents, property managers, subcontractors, clients and building owners to advocate relentlessly for her client throughout the entire process of a deal. Mattox brings a robust 15-year résumé of commercial real estate experience, with millions of square feet of directly managed construction-project knowledge to the table. Despite the South still being very much a “good ol' boys network,” she sees the market making a very purposeful effort to mentor and train female high-value talent and guide them toward top leadership positions. She says, “The main driver of this is the fact that CRE service providers are putting such strong growth goals on their bottom line and diversifying their product to gain the next competitive advantage, and clients have seen those features so much already that they look at national platforms, strategic purchasing programs, reduced fees and internal, synergistic service lines as industry standard.”

Suzanne Maynard
Senior Associate
CBRE
Atlanta
Suzanne Maynard serves as the workplace-strategy expert for Atlanta, with a goal of extending services throughout the Southeast. She is the Atlanta point person for CBRE's national workplace-strategy platform a division of the project-management team focusing on developing and transforming office space that will allow tenants and owners to personalize and flourish in their areas. Maynard's ability to stay ahead of the trends and serve as a consultant and advisor in workplace strategy sets her apart from competitors. Having been in the business for 15 years, she has a responsibility to her clients to ensure that she is one step ahead of the shifting market. It is her job to know which working environments will allow her clients to maintain the cultural feel they are striving for as well as remain within a set financial budget and obtain the most productive and efficient environment for each client.

Mindy McIlroy
Executive Vice President
Terranova Corp.
Miami Beach, FL
Mindy McIlroy's industry knowledge and experience were instrumental in the company's foray into mixed-use and High Street retail. With a track record of nearly $1 billion in retail leasing deals, McIlroy's expertise spans the gamut of retail properties, from suburban shopping centers to lifestyle entertainment centers to urban retail and mixed-use projects. With 35 years in the business, nine in her current position, McIlroy has lead the team in the design, development, and leasing of a new development just north of Lincoln Road and abutting Macy's on 17th Street in Miami Beach. Her career ascent hasn't been without challenges, though: McIlroy was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in early 2014. The news made her determined to take the Parkinson's condition head-on, and she has summoned all her resources, both at a personal and community level, to pursue a cure. 

Mindy Mora
Partner
Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod LLP
Miami
As a veteran attorney hailed for her work restructuring distressed assets and commercial finance transactions, Mindy Mora has quickly emerged as a leader both within her firm and within the commercial real estate industry. Her ability to juggle her various obligations is what truly makes Mora stand out. Her recent election to the American College of Bankruptcy—a distinction reserved for the top restructuring and bankruptcy professionals in the country—is a testament to her position as one of the foremost authorities in restructuring commercial-loan debt. Mora is known for her unwavering pursuit of the advancement of her client's interests and business goals. She doesn't just attack the problem as required; she works with clients to understand their future goals and strategically approaches her representation from a business perspective that not only offers a solution, but also positions the client for future success.

Cheri Morris
President and Owner
Morris & Fellows
Sandy Springs, GA
Cheri Morris, creator of the award-winning Woodstock Downtown and newly named developer of the $80-million Alpharetta City Center, is one of the most unique developers in the Southeast today. Morris is one of very few women to develop and lead major projects, especially for her niche of downtown revitalization. Her projects generate hundreds of millions of dollars in economic development for the communities they serve. Since opening in 2009, Woodstock Downtown has generated over $600 million in ancillary development within its environs. Morris is also unique in her design approach, which is grounded in a historical perspective and driven by the long-term benefit to the community. “We spend a lot of money on aesthetics . . . it raises our costs and narrows our margins, but it is essential that we create a 'pride of place' for the downtown to be a true community,” she says.

Karen M. Nelson
Partner
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Charlotte, NC
Karen Nelson has quickly made a name for herself as a commercial real estate finance attorney, ascending to the level of partner in a large law firm by the age of 35. Advising some of the biggest commercial and investment banks, insurance companies and REITs across the country, Nelson leads large and complicated finance transactions on behalf of her clients. In a typical year, she manages and/or closes between 40 and 50 deals worth more than half a billion dollars. Nelson's success stems from not only her diligence and business-savvy as an attorney and skillful practitioner in the real estate industry, but also her belief in the value of fostering relationships with her clients. “Working in a primarily male-dominated field, I've tried to lead by example,” Nelson relates. “The more women progress in the industry, the more it is recognized that women are a vital part of CRE leadership and success.”

Lynne O'Brien
Director, Corporate Real Estate
Coca-Cola Co.
Atlanta
Lynne O'Brien is a standout performer in the Southeast commercial real estate scene. Having worked in every state within the region on leasing, buying/selling and other specialty projects, the total transaction volume of her career is in excess of $100 million. She has contributed to the industry at large with her global perspective on the industry and is often consulted for her insights on markets and trends. O'Brien is a champion of diversity within the industry and, in particular, has helped shift the paradigm for women in commercial real estate. She has encouraged them to pursue contracts with the Coca-Cola Co., to dream bigger than they currently were, recruit top talent to grow their business and has encouraged them to reach back and help other women coming along in the business world. In addition, she takes time out of her busy schedule to meet with both men and women in the industry about their career paths.

Lauren Prevost
Partner
Morris, Manning & Martin LLP
Atlanta
Lauren Prevost has represented clients in approximately $14.5 billion of equity financings and approximately $19 billion in real estate M&A transactions in the past three years alone. She co-chairs the real estate capital markets group and also practices in the corporate and securities group at Morris, Manning & Martin LLP. Prevost has been involved in some of the nation's largest real estate-related M&A transactions and makes handling such huge deals appear effortless. Her ability to defuse highly charged situations makes her a particularly effective negotiator, problem solver and dealmaker. Other industry leaders respect her as a leader and colleague, and clients trust and appreciate her ability to close deals and create goodwill on their behalf. Peers describe her as a consummate professional who mixes legal brilliance, laser focus, insightfulness and good humor. Prevost says, “I believe that as more women in service professions are hired to advise real estate companies, those companies may be more willing to hire and promote women within their own organizations.”

Viola Sanchez
Vice President
PS Business Parks
Doral, FL
Viola Sanchez is responsible for property operations in the Southeast division of PS Business Parks, which consist of more than 3.5 million square feet of office, flex and industrial product catering to the small- to mid-sized tenants in properties located in Boca Raton, Airport West/Doral and Wellington, FL. Sanchez and her team took an underperforming building in West Palm Beach and redeveloped it into a storage facility, resulting in 95% stabilized occupancy in just a 10-month cycle. With the building stabilized, the overall park occupancy increased to 93% despite the lagging West Palm Beach market. Sanchez and her team have maintained strong customer relations in the industry, and she has built a reputation as a deal maker who continues to have one of the top-performing business parks in the Southeast. She says, “Women in business have certainly come a long way. Real estate is one of the last frontiers for us to break through the glass ceiling, and it is my hope that we are able to do it sooner rather than later. It is truly a fascinating and challenging industry.”

Megan Thompson
Director
HFF
Atlanta
Megan Thompson remains one of the few women in the highly competitive multifamily investment sales industry. In the 10 years she has been with HFF, she and her partner have closed $2.5 billion in deals through the Southeast. With more than 100 transactions under her belt in five different states, she maintains a vast knowledge of fundamental and capital-markets trends, while keeping her clients' needs at the forefront our her endeavors. The Atlanta multifamily investment sales team, of which Thompson is a key member, closed more than $412 million in sales across Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama in 2014. Also in 2014, Thompson ranked No. 3 in deal participation volume among all of HFF's female brokers across its 23 offices.

Krone Weidler
Associate Vice President, Investments
Marcus & Millichap
Tampa
Krone Weidler is a senior housing specialist with Marcus & Millichap of Tampa and has more than 25 years of experience in major residential and healthcare corporations. Recruited by the firm in 2004 as an assisted living specialist, she has been responsible for the disposition of more than 1,000 beds with an aggregate value of more than $50 million, and she has worked with and represented buyers with a total asset value of more than $1 billion. Weidler's efforts allowed the firm to deploy into a product type in which it was not involved—seniors housing/ALF/medical office and healthcare in Florida. She has earned more than 20% market share for transactions within this specialty niche, owned by private individual investors. She says women are taking advantage of opportunities to “lean in” and lead within their firms, particularly with building teams around their product type. This has become a vehicle, particularly at MMI, to help grow their leadership skills within their firm and community.

Kay Younglove
Senior Vice President and National Director
JLL
Atlanta
Kay Younglove is one of Atlanta's best-known landlord representatives with a 30-year-plus track record of successfully leasing up some of the city's most high-profile buildings. She is as iconic as the properties she's leased, including One Atlantic Center Plaza and Peachtree Center. A powerhouse with a reputation as someone who fills half-empty buildings, Younglove is an advocate for women in commercial real estate through CREW, where she serves as a past president and charger member. She's also on the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors diversity committee. Younglove is currently responsible for leasing and marketing Paces West in Vinings, the Pavilion at 5780 Powers Ferry Rd., Deerfield Center in North Fulton, and the Peachtree in the Downtown submarket. She says, “Women are making an impact in CRE. I see women taking on more senior-level positions in the industry and competing well with the men in transactions and volume. Although there is still a gap, we can see it slowly closing.”