The industrial asset class shows little sign of wear and tear, although it is equally true that the category is not surging as it did last year. That, though, is a function of the economy and not necessarily industrial's fundamentals. Change, however, is underway in the category as we have discussed elsewhere in this issue and it will require the top men and women to continue to navigate these new trends. We believe we have picked that top talent with this year's industrial influencers.

INDIVIDUALS

MELISSA ALEXANDER Melissa Alexander insists that she didn't choose the industrial sector; the industrial sector chose her because she built her real estate career in Memphis, TN – a large distribution hub and inland port. Working as a broker in industrial tenant representation, Alexander distinguished herself in the male-dominated field. In 2017, she moved back to her hometown of Nashville and joined Foundry Commercial, where she currently serves as SVP and assists users of all sizes to lease and purchase industrial real estate. Although she was not new to the industry at the time, she started her industrial tenant representation brokerage business over from scratch in a new market. Alexander is well-recognized within Foundry Commercial as a top producer and an active go-getter, and she is looked to as a model of social media engagement and influence. Alexander teamed up with colleague Casey Flannery to create a monthly online Twitter chat called #CREchat that hosted CRE influencers. The Twitter chats have evolved into a podcast called CREchat Live, which accelerated to a weekly format during the pandemic. The chats proved to be a viable form of communication and an anecdotal source of information and support for the industry during the upheaval of COVID-19. Because the chats brought together thought-leaders during the pandemic, Alexander enabled brokers to gain insight from other brokers and leaders and navigate the crisis while helping their clients. In April 2020, Alexander launched a daily newsletter for her own clients that provided the top articles of the day pertaining to COVID-19. The project garnered praise for her guidance and insight during an uncertain time.