Bisnow Honors Bay Area Power Women: Part 1

Today we bring you the first installment in our 10-part series highlighting some of the top leaders in Bay Area commercial real estate. Bisnow's first Bay Area Power Women recognizes 50 influential players in the industry. We'll bring you profiles on each of these women and honor them this September at a special awards reception (details to follow).

Ginger Bryant, COO, Sares Regis Group of Northern California

Ginger Bryant (far right with friends from CREW Seattle) believes the best kind of financial minds are equally good storytellers. They turn a spreadsheet into a narrative and derive a strategy based on those facts. “When I can bridge the gap between the financial reports and the story they tell and share information in a way that the light bulbs go on, it’s a good day,” she tells us. Her career started in Denver, where she developed a deep appreciation of financials while working on the audit staff of a Big Eight firm. She then joined Prometheus Real Estate Group and gained experience on the investment/syndication front. Ginger met Rob Wagner and Mark Kroll at Prometheus and eventually moved to Sares Regis Group in 1993. Her experience taught her the power of going outside of one’s zone of expertise. Ginger advises the next generation of real estate professionals who are just entering the field to cultivate relationships across a broad and diverse network of people. “Successful people do more than great deals," she says. “They build great companies and create a legacy of great people to follow in their footsteps."

Connie Moore, Corporate Director, BRE Properties

Connie Moore says the most rewarding part of her job as CEO of BRE Properties is developing associates into amazing executives. Connie tells us she was first introduced to BRE Properties while she was still at San Jose State University. She started at BRE at age 21 as an analyst, while it was an externally managed REIT with very few employees, and led the company through its merger with Essex Property Trust in 2014. For people just getting started in the industry, Connie recommends getting exposure to many different product types as well as varying deal structures. Her current roles on a number of public, private and nonprofit boards are rewarding, but very different. Today, Connie worries, there is so much capital chasing investment opportunities there is potential for the industry to be in trouble if this cycle were to end badly. Connie and her husband own a cattle ranch in Texas that provides them with a beautiful escape from life in San Francisco. 

Mary Hines, Executive Managing Director, Newmark Cornish & Carey

There was no great plan for Mary Hines to become one of the top life sciences-related real estate professionals. Her journey started by chance, by stumbling onto a summer job in the industry. She discovered that she had a genuine talent for it. “At its core, it’s a relationship business,” she tells us. Mary keeps the long-term perspective in mind as she advocates for the best transaction on behalf of her clients. This dedication has led to deep and lasting relationships. “When there is trust, the opportunity goes beyond a real estate deal, as many of my clients have become friends and mentors,” Mary says. These relationships are especially crucial in life sciences as demand for laboratory space far outstrips supply. Advisers will need to become even more committed to working with their clients to find non-obvious solutions, Mary says. The transaction of the future will require advisers to think about the market and be more strategically and creatively involved to develop opportunities for their clients. Despite her many marquee deals, Mary's biggest joy and accomplishment is her family: children Lukas, Lincoln and Elyse, and her husband, Michael (married 11 years).

Jacqueline Dompe, Northwest Regional Director, JLL

Jacqueline Dompe is JLL’s Northwest regional director, responsible for project and development services. Her journey into the field began with curiosity. “I’ve always been intrigued with what happens when the social, natural and built environments intersect,” she tells us. Real estate and development attracted her precisely because it is one of the few sectors where these dynamics are absolutely essential. With an eye towards the future, Jacqueline considers technological change and innovation an exciting challenge to master. She is especially drawn to the promise of virtual reality and its ability to create “all sorts of opportunities for our clients and for us in our day-to-day work.” Whatever the future might hold, she is most excited about getting there working with team members who push industry boundaries.

Pamela Kershaw, Director of Commercial Real Estate, Port of Oakland

Pamela Kershaw started a public sector career in land use planning and development more than 27 years ago. She has held various positions in planning, redevelopment and real estate for various public agencies. Pamela joined the Port of Oakland more than 16 years ago and rose to serve as the director of commercial real estate in 2010. As a leader in her field, Pamela has to stay ahead of the rapid pace of economic and technological change to ensure the port is meeting the needs of all stakeholders. She has built an incredibly talented and dedicated staff committed to making sure the Port of Oakland is there for the community, commerce and the greater regional economy. The trick for a long-lasting career? “Do excellent work every day and remember to laugh at yourself often, that last part is what will sustain you for the next 35 to 40 years of your career.”