One of life's most persistent and urgent questions is, 'What are you doing for others?'

We at Real Estate Forum wish we had the wisdom to have come up with that query on our own, but the credit goes to one of the great leaders of our day, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Not that we are comparing our feature of the commercial real estate industry's Best Bosses to Dr. King's life mission, but his words—these words in particular—can and do apply.

As does John Maxwell's axiom, “The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”

Or Norman Schwarzkopf's advice: “Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.”

Or one of our favorites from Theodore Roosevelt: “The best leader is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and the self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”

For the third consecutive year, we have examined the industry landscape in search of executives that exemplify the best in leadership. And boy, did we find them.

In almost all cases, the people we selected are noteworthy for the relationships they have forged with their employees. In others, we have lauded professionals who have guided their companies through perilous times or challenging markets. Some of these executives have overcome severe health challenges and still managed to maintain their corporate path. In other instances, people have had to step into the role of CEO on the heels of a departure of a beloved leader. In all cases they persevered.

As you read through the following pages we hope you are as personally and professionally inspired as we were when we first learned about their stories.

Click the links below to read the profiles on this year's winners . . .

OVERALL WINNER

John Combs, 2018's Best Boss in Commercial Real Estate

FINALISTS

THE MAESTROS

Decades of experience, innovative thinking put to work, multiple success stories and well-earned expertise on the industry battlefield have allowed these leaders to hone their skills and earn become grandmasters of the CRE game.

Joseph F. Coradino, The Virtuoso

Steven E. McCraney, The Visionary

Daniel M. Palmier, The Maverick

Angela Tucci, The Diplomat

THE SPARK PLUGS

Call it determination, charisma, ambition or simple chutzpa—these individuals make things happen against all odds. It's little wonder then, that they're among the most enterprising leaders on this year's list.

Ari Firoozabadi, The Man of Action

Scott Martin, The Warrior

Brian Good, The Innovator

Camille Renshaw, The Catalyst

THE GOOD GUYS

Be it through their dedication to their employees, the broader CRE community or general social causes, these leaders' efforts go toward making the world—and the industry—a better place.

Instant Insights /

The Leadership Issue

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