The last Twin Cities-based developer to win the award was theOpus Group, based in Minnetonka, MN, which won it in 1992. "Itfeels like winning an Oscar," says Boyd Stofer, president and chiefexecutive officer of United Properties, the commercial real estatefirm based in Bloomington.

United has three distinct businesses--development, investmentand corporate services--and has evolved to develop an expertise insuch areas as grocery-anchored retail centers, healthcarefacilities and senior housing, in addition to suburban office andindustrial development, Stofer explains. United's diversificationhas enabled it do survive and grown during both up and down marketand economic cycles, he adds."Our heritage is in suburban officedevelopment, but we have evolved and diversified in the face of theeconomy," Stofer says.

The award is given each year to a developer nationwide thatexemplifies leadership and innovation in the commercial real estatemarket. The selection is overseen by a five-member committee ofindustry peers applying six evaluation criteria: industry andbusiness leadership, involvement in NAIOP, quality of products andservices, financial consistency and stability, ability to adapt tomarket conditions and social consciousness.