SAN FRANCISCO—In 1984, only about 100 CCIMs were women. As of 2016, some 2,000 CCIMs were women. And women are stepping into leadership positions in a number of industry organizations, including ICSC, NAIOP, IREM, CPM and the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute, which have all counted women as organization presidents.

Admittedly, women in commercial real estate are still a smaller percentage of the workplace population. However, the female ranks are growing, albeit gradually.

The CREW Network benchmark study conducted in 2015, the most recent data set of its kind available, showed that only 23% of US leasing and sales brokers were women that year. But that number was up from 20% five years earlier.

“Our biggest focus right now is being more intentional, strategic and better organized on how we support and develop the existing women we have as well as continue to shape a culture that encourages women from different industries and with different backgrounds to consider a career in commercial real estate,” Kimarie Ankenbrand, manager of the JLL Raleigh-Durham office tells GlobeSt.com. “We are having to be really honest and real about where we are today and how much work still needs to done, which will then allow us to start making monumental progress in this space. While we still have a lot of work to do, but I couldn't be more energized about where we are heading.”

Another prominent woman in CRE, Liz Hart, has ridden a stellar career trajectory at Newmark Knight Frank in San Francisco. During her stint with the firm, Hart has completed 437 transactions totaling 4.7 million square feet representing a transaction value of more than $778 million. And, that hard work has paid off.

NKF recently promoted Hart to the position of vice chairman, the company's first female vice chairman in the Bay Area. Hart is the fifth female vice chairman in the company.

“Liz is and has always been a formidable talent with unique abilities and extremely high standards,” says Chuck Seufferlein, NKF president, Northwest region. “She deserves this promotion. Our company and clients are indeed fortunate to benefit from her consistent productivity, dedication and exemplary work ethic.”

The promotion of Hart further strengthens NKF's diversity and inclusion initiatives. It also reinforces the mission of NKF's Network of Women organization, which represents the firm's commitment to the recruitment, development and retention of women across the organization.

“It is an honor to be promoted to this role, but an even greater honor to work with colleagues and clients who value having men and women working together on teams to create the best real estate results for their organizations,” Hart tells GlobeSt.com. “Without a long list of supporters, internal and external, who trusted in me and valued my contributions, this would not be possible.”

Hart joined NKF in 2005, advising technology and venture clients. She now focuses on collaborating with landlords on redeveloping assets to attract technology tenants and resolve complex real estate issues.

She is an expert at identifying specific real estate challenges a company faces at each stage of its growth cycle. In the last several years, Hart has brokered several of the top office transactions in San Francisco and Oakland.

“Liz embodies all the positive, professional qualities that one can possibly fathom,” says Bryan Courson, NKF executive vice president and regional managing director. “She is a driven top performer, a great communicator, a proven team leader and a consummate task manager. She's clearly an asset to our brand and mentors many young brokers and staff in our region.”

Hart is on the board of 1 Brush Initiative, a nonprofit focused on public art projects and art education in San Francisco. She also co-produced Last Glimpse, a travel and adventure show that visited places on Earth impacted by complex environmental issues.

➤➤ Join the GlobeSt.com Women of Influence 2019 conference July 10^th and 11^th in Broomfield, CO, which celebrates the women who drive the commercial real estate industry forward. The event will address the critical role of women in the CRE business. Click here to register and view the agenda.

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