Commercial real estate has long been considered one of the lastindustries where the glass ceiling hasn't been breached. But if thewomen on the next several pages are any indication, the "Old Boys'Club" may no longer be an apt description for the business. Womenentered the sector in droves over the past few decades, and manyhave risen to the C-suite and are among the top decision-makers attheir firms. As such, the editors of REAL ESTATE FORUM had a toughtime selecting this year's Women of Influence. We weeded throughsome 200 worthy nominations to come up with 45 exectives whoseaccomplishments were particularly impressive. With an increasingnumber of women currently paying their dues and rising tomanagement-level positions—not to mention mentoring a youngergeneration of female professionals—it seems like we'll have ourwork cut out for us in the years to come.

President and CEO Gables ResidentialAtlanta

Susan Ansel's impressive 30-year career reached an even higherpoint earlier this year when she was tapped to head GablesResidential. She's come a long way since starting her career as afinancial analyst at the Daseke Co. After that job sent her fromConnecticut to Texas, Ansel was eventually hired by Gables'predecessor firm, Trammell Crow Residential, to implement on-sitecomputer operations. She rose to become COO of the multifamilyREIT, a title she held for seven years until her recent promotion.In the past year alone, Ansel has helped the firm deliversame-store NOI of 7.9% in 2011, its highest results ever; grew itsthird-party management business, adding 18 communities with annualrevenue of $1.6 million; and implemented several technologicalinnovations, including a new award-winning website, amarketing-analytics program, a tablet program and an online leasingand application program. Ansel is obviously a strong believer intechnology's ability to increase efficiency. She also believesopportunities for women will continue to grow in the industry. "Asignificant number of women have been paying their dues for thepast 20 years and more talented women will push their way intoC-level positions," she relates.