CBRE Hosts Women Leaders at "Power of We" Conference

Event Gathers Senior Women at CBRE and Top Women Real Estate Executives to Promote Career and Business Success

CBRE hosted its first "Power of WE" Conference on November 14-15 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Power of WE, which stands for Women Excelling, was organized by the CBRE Women's Network for the company's most senior business women and the top women executives from its client companies. The conference featured workshops, discussions and networking opportunities at which they could explore ideas and trends in commercial real estate, and discover new ways to continue excelling in their careers.

“We are extremely pleased to have such an impressive group of women here,” said Lisa Konieczka, the CBRE Women’s Network chairperson and executive vice president in the company’s Chicago office. “The fact that these women are all incredibly successful is inspiring. Each has risen to the top of her field, building her own legacy of leadership each step of the way.”

Among the more than 100 conference attendees were senior women from CBRE's Investor Leasing, Occupier and Capital Markets businesses. Women clients came from Allstate, The Coca-Cola Company, Fifth Third Bank, Hines, MetLife, Prologis, U.S. Bank, Waste Management, and many other companies. 

During the two-day conference, the women discussed business strategies and topics crucial to women's career development, and heard from an impressive list of guest speakers including: 

• Business woman and RARECAT winemaker, Sharon Harris;

• CBRE Head of Americas Research, Spencer Levy;

• Satellite Sisters, authors and podcasters, Liz Dolan and Julie Dolan Smith; and

• A panel of women from CBRE's board of directors: Beth F. Colbert (CEO of Skillful and Fmr. Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management), Paula R. Reynolds (CEO and President of PreferWest, LLC) and Laura D. Tyson (Distinguished Professor of the Graduate School, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley). 

The conference also included a reception with CBRE's entire board of directors and company leaders including CBRE CEO Bob Sulentic, and networking events at popular venues throughout "Music City."

Bob Sulentic, president and chief executive officer of CBRE, said, “CBRE is committed to advancing women in leadership by providing programs dedicated to our high-achieving women. Providing them with opportunities, like the Power of WE, where they can engage with other industry-leading women will build meaningful relationships that create better outcomes for our clients and company."

The CBRE Women’s Network was formed in 2000 and has more than 3,000 members from all levels of the organization, the company’s three regions and every business line. The group’s mission is to “Promote the Success of Women,” which is guided by three key principles: Growth, Connection and Mentorship.