Bisnow Honors Los Angeles Power Women: Part 2
Today we bring you the second installment in our 10-part series highlighting some of the top leaders on LA's commercial real estate scene. Bisnow's Los Angeles Power Women recognizes 50 influential players in the industry. We'll bring you profiles on each of these women (see Part 1 here) and then honor them Oct. 11 at a special awards reception.
Adele Yellin, President, The Yellin Co
The Yellin Co president Adele Yellin oversees Grand Central Square, including historic Grand Central Market. Adele is committed to her late husband’s deeply rooted belief in the sanctity of rebuilding downtown cities. Restoring vitality to the heart of a great city is the most rewarding part of her job, and Grand Central Market is a key player in downtown LA’s revival. The Market is a gathering place that fosters community, in a city infamous for having no center, she says. Grand Central Market is the gold standard for food halls in the US and people visit from all over the world, according to Adele. The Market remains current by bringing customers today what they will want tomorrow. Adele sees challenges as opportunities to lead and to deviate from conventional industry thinking.
Darla Longo, Vice Chairman, CBRE
CBRE vice chairman Darla Longo began working for CBRE right after graduating from UCLA with a degree in economics. She says real estate has allowed her to pursue her interests of working with people and being a problem-solver. Her favorite part of the job is mentoring and helping others. A challenge she currently sees in the industry is keeping deals together despite the fast pace of change in market fundamentals. She also finds being a woman in the industry has more advantages than disadvantages. People will remember you because you are different, and as long as you work hard, you will have a strategic advantage, according to Darla. When she is not working, Darla (seen above with husband Sam) enjoys spending time with her family and friends and traveling.
Kacy Keys, SVP West Coast Region, Seritage Growth Properties
A fascination with the evolution of the urban fabric was Kacy Keys’ motivation to begin her career in real estate. She has been involved with economic development for the duration of her career; backed by a J.D. and an M.A. in urban planning, she worked with Mayor Richrd Riordan’s business team on Disney Hall, the Cathedral and Staples Center, also spearheading the drafting and enactment of the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance. After a decade with JH Snyder, where she contributed to several signature projects, including the redevelopment of North Hollywood and 959 Seward (here she is standing on the helipad at The Vermont in Koreatown, a project in which she played a pivotal role), Kacy recently joined Seritage Growth Properties, a national owner of approximately 42M SF of retail properties and 3,000 acres of land, as SVP of development for the West Coast region. Retailer demand for mall and shopping center space continues to outpace supply, which remains well below the historical average. This dynamic, she says, is one of the greatest challenges the industry faces, but one Seritage sees as an opportunity to repurpose and redevelop these spaces into exciting, multi-tenant shopping destinations, as well as larger scale mixed-use projects. She loves spending time with her three children, exercising and live music.
Lynn G. Kious, Senior Managing Director, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank senior managing director Lynn Kious knew she wanted to be involved in commercial real estate right out of college, after graduating from California State University, Long Beach, with a bachelor's degree in business focusing on marketing and finance with her real estate license. She became a tenant rep broker and immediately knew she had found her passion. She has had a long career as both a corporate real estate executive and a real estate broker. Lynn says the most rewarding part of her job is being a trusted adviser and being able to improve a company’s bottom line while making an impact on how people work every day. That includes creating a strategic real estate plan, finding the perfect space, negotiating a better deal than expected or solving a real estate problem. Outside of work, Lynn enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, running on the beach and volunteering. (Lynn is pictured in the center of this photo with her team at the Union Rescue Mission last fall after they served meals to 810 homeless individuals.)
Janet Neman, Senior Managing Director, Charles Dunn Co
Janet Neman, senior managing director for Charles Dunn Co, earned her bachelor of science in real estate finance and accounting and was encouraged by her professors to pursue her real estate broker's license. When Janet first started in the industry, she worked extremely hard to break the gender barrier and prove women could successfully get deals done. In turn, the work ethic she fostered early on has earned her many awards and public recognition. She has consistently been a top-producing agent with her firm over the past several years, and feels a sense of great accomplishment when two parties reach an agreement despite the many hurdles faced along the way. When she’s not in the office, Janet is spending time with her daughters, Hannah and Ella (pictured with her above).
