DFW Power Women!

The biggest event in the Metroplex last night wasn't the Rangers game (good thing, too, since they lost to the Orioles). Nope, it was at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden where almost 300 packed in to celebrate Bisnow's 2014 Power Women in DFW CRE. (Sorry, Alex Rios.)

We also toasted all the women who defy that glass ceiling. (You can’t beat homemade sangria in the shade while overlooking White Rock Lake to do it, either.) Here’s just some of our winners: TREC’s Linda McMahon, Rosemont Realty’s Helen Rivero, CBRE’s Chelby Sanders, Dallas Regional Chamber’s Pat Priest, Butler Burgher Group’s Diane Butler, Thackeray Partners' Mary Hager, Cassidy Turley’s Beth Lambert-Saul, Jackson & Walker’s Susan Halsey, Peloton’s Barbara Houlihan, E Smith Realty’s Sharon Morrison, Hunt Realty Investments’ Patricia Gibson, Hudson Peters’ Kimberly Lay, and The Trocchio Advantage’s Liz Trocchio (check out the full list). 

Here’s two of our power women, Liz and Transwestern’s Nora Hogan, between Pickens Ridnour principals Brenda Ridnour and Sheryl Pickens. These lovely ladies have some secrets, we sense, but all they’d tell us is that they grew up in CRE together. (Another great thing about the women in commercial real estate: they aren't afraid to add some color to their wardrobe. Take notes, fellas.)

Here’s the City of Dallas’ Kim Moore, Seale Realty Advisors’ Alice Seale, Billingsley Co’s Marijke Lantz, and power woman Cresa Dallas’ Susan Arledge. We’re not sure how we missed Susan in our group picture, but we suspect a glass of wine and a potential deal lured her away.

We snapped event sponsor Springboard Consulting’s Cindy Cohn with Plan A Creative Design’s Sharla Hibberd. Cindy tells us Springboard Consulting assists companies, entrepreneurs, and individuals seeking perspective, elevated performance, and coaching. She’ll help you restructure, refine, and align your company as well as help you hone your own skills to enhance your career and your bottom line. We also know she’s a pretty good shot because we saw the buck she took down a few hunting seasons back.

Power woman Rosemont Realty’s Helen Rivero celebrates with Marcus Kirksey, daughter Ashley Griffin, and husband, Carlos Rivero on her left, and Rosemont’s Kirby White on her right. And for good measure, we snapped one more power woman, Jackson & Walker’s Susan Halsey. How’s that for a two-for-one on empowerment and influence?

Thomas Title’s Frank Busch was a lucky man to squeeze between power woman Hudson-Peter’s Kimberly Lay and Colliers International’s Mary Stoner-Yost. We hear Kimberly is on a campaign to see Hudson-Peters take home the title of favorite commercial real estate firm in the 2014 Addison Reader’s Choice Awards. The firm has won the accolades three years straight, she tells us.

Here’s Cassidy Turley regional managing director Bret Bunnett with event sponsor, lauckgroup managing principal Anne Kniffen. Anne tells us the interior architecture firm has a tradition of design excellence combined with a high level of client service. Among their specialties: law offices, corporate offices, tech, and higher education. We wonder if she could design a work space for us with a bar in the middle that would recreate some of that homemade sangria we had last night? Are you sensing we really liked it?

Event sponsor Bury brought two of its up-and-coming CRE women out to support Bisnow’s power women. Here’s Priscilla Maya and Kelsey Jones bookending Jay Marsh. Jay tells us Bury recently joined in the fundraising efforts for The Rise School of Dallas. We learned Bury did it with some pizzazz, well, literally with bubbles. The volunteers sponsored the Bubbles with Bury tent at the Rise and Shine 5K.

Our lucky giveaway winner of a one-year family pass to the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden was Investors First Capital Group principal Mai Nguyen. You can check out all the photos snapped at the event by clicking on our photo gallery here.