CREW DC Awards Savills Studley's Wendy Feldman Block With Top Honor
Many infuential women in the industry were honored at last night's CREW DC 2016 awards, but the top award went to Savills Studley senior managing director Wendy Feldman Block. Wendy won the Outstanding Impact Award, which last year was given to Cushman & Wakefield's Sherry Cushman.
Wendy has been with Savills Studley since 1987, advising tenants in a range of projects and has also taken leadership roles in numerous community, charitable and business organizations.
In her speech, Wendy referenced a recent story about female White House aides validating each other in top meetings to ensure they are given credit for their ideas. She also touched on the likelihood of the nation electing its first female president next month.
"Just like the women in the White House," Wendy said, "more of the women in our industry are getting a seat at the table."
The Rising Star Award, for the top young and emerging woman in the industry, was given to Capital One Bank assistant VP Jennifer Niedzwiecki. Jennifer's team underwrites high-volume transactions with a portfolio of roughly $2.5B.
The Corporate Leadership award was given to Coakley & Williams Construction senior vice president Lynn Bennett. Over the last year, Lynn more than doubled the number of women employed at Coakley & Williams.
The final individual award, the Annual Achievement Award, was given to Novus Residences Melanie Domres, who was one of two principals to launch the entity in 2011 under the umbrella of Cafritz Interests.
CREW DC's outgoing president, MKAssociates president and CEO Michelle Kilby, began the ceremony by discussing some of the milestones the organization has reached this year. She says membership is at an all-time high, the number of members who donated tripled this year and all of their events filled up in hours.
Michelle also introduced CREW DC's incoming president, MRP Realty SVP Phyllis Liebman Brill.
More than 400 members and CRE industry pros were in attendance for the ceremony, which was followed by a cocktail hour.
Other awards were given out for team achievements. The placemaking award went to StonebridgeCarras/PN Hoffman for the Lot 31 mixed-use development in Bethesda. The dealmaking award went to Cushman & Wakefield for bringing the American Psychiatric Association to The Wharf. The Best Interiors award went to Cushman & Wakefield, Bognet Construction and Davis Carter Scott for the American Society for Radiation Oncology's Crystal City HQ. The marketing award went to Cushman & Wakefield for The Wharf's marketing campaign.
