Guiding a company in the commercial real estate space is never easy even in the best of times. In times of disruption and upheaval, as the last two years have been, it can be downright difficult. And we can expect another year of choppy waters as inflation grips our economy, to say nothing of the uncertainty brought on by the Russian-Ukrainian war. It is these years where identifying and acknowledging the top leaders in our industry matter the most. On the following pages you will find our selection for Best Bosses in commercial real estate—men and women who have had an indelible impact on their companies and our industry even as they navigated the unprecedented events of the last two years.

INDIVIDUALS

AL APUZZO Al Apuzzo is known for his encouraging and celebratory spirit and is often heard saying "go team" throughout the office. Apuzzo is president and managing broker of Lee & Associates' North San Diego County office, where he oversees all commercial real estate business and operations for the office and leads the Lee land team. Apuzzo holds 25 years of experience in real estate and financing, including three years in his current position. As a principal for the past ten years, he has expanded the land team and been part of hundreds of significant industrial and retail deals. In addition, he established committees focused on philanthropy and team building and implemented incentives, such as retreats and awards. Throughout the pandemic, Apuzzo has kept the team motivated and inspired, and led the firm to its most successful year to date in 2020. Team members describe Apuzzo as a consistent mentor who always makes time to answer questions and facilitate deals. He focuses on professional development for his team through initiatives such as a mentored training program, which pairs new agents with senior team members for two years to allow new agents to experience each CRE discipline and benefit from the guidance of seasoned agents. Apuzzo is described as approachable, patient, relentlessly positive and a leader who makes the good of the team his top priority. He has worked to create an accepting, creative and fun company culture where success is celebrated and struggles are met with a helping hand.