Twenty-five years ago, Real Estate Forum ran its first ever feature profiling Women of Influence in the commercial real estate industry. It was a big event for us. Back then it was clear there was a need to highlight the (very few) women who were making inroads in the space—not only for the women themselves but also for the men who worked alongside them and appreciated their efforts despite the challenges they faced. Institutional memory has it that we were surprised by the number of applications we received for that long ago article. Since then we have expanded our coverage to include women who belong in our Hall of Fame and our Women to Watch categories.
Each year we are progressively surprised by not only the number of applications but the wealth of information that is included in them. These women have worked very hard for their careers and they have not been shy about letting us know. And why not? They have become CFOs, they have launched their own companies, they sit in boardrooms and talk to investors with funds in the billions of dollars.
Their journey has not been easy. As one woman told us: “You had to prove yourself by being better prepared and by working harder to connect with” others in the industry. At the same time these women also volunteer their valuable time for charities and other worthy causes. In many cases, these women have devoted themselves to mentoring other women coming up behind them. Another women, describing her efforts to make it a priority to mentor young women in the CRE space, said her mentees are “powerful yet humble” and “driven and accomplished.”
These are the stories we tell—and have told in previous issues—in the following pages. You will read stories of hard work, dedication, late nights, the juggling of family life and work commitments and, above all, the determination to succeed. Just like our readers did 25 years ago. Much has changed for women since then, but the essential ingredients for success have, for better or worse, stayed the same.—Lisa Brown and Steve Lubetkin
ERIN E. PATTON
SVP, Investments
Marcus & Millichap
Columbus
Erin Patton says the commercial real estate industry has empowered her and enabled her to show her three daughters what a strong woman can do with hard work. In the 13 years Patton has been with Marcus & Millichap she has become the top retail investment sales agent in Columbus and the State of Ohio. Since 2005, she has closed more than 440 transactions totaling 22 million square feet and more than $1.7 billion in sales dollars. Patton leads the firm’s Institutional Property Advisors Midwest Retail division, which manages and prospects the most senior firm clients. She and her partners oversee a team of 11 people, five of which Patton mentors personally in the Columbus office. She is strongly committed to helping bring more women into the CRE industry and has consulted with management on initiatives to do so. She most recently served on the planning board for ICSC’s Ohio/West Virginia/Indiana/Pennsylvania Annual Conference, and is a donor for several charitable organizations including Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the Mid-Ohio Foodbank and Fairy Goodmothers, an organization dedicated to promoting confidence and self-esteem in Central Ohio high school girls.
The link below will redirect you to page 50 of the Real Estate Forum where Erin Patton is featured as one of the 2018 Women of Influence
http://www.reforum-digital.com/reforum/september_2018?search_term=patton&doc_id=-1&search_term=patton&pg=52#pg52
