Pictured from left to right: NAIOP-MD women presidents Abby Glassberg, Principal, KLNB (1998-1999); Dianna Wilhelm, Partner, Wilhelm Business Enterprises (2012-2013); Kate Jordan, Principal, Lee & Associates | Maryland (2024-present) and Cathy Ward, formerly Senior Vice President, Corporate Office Properties Trust (2006-2007).
In the 40-year history of NAIOP Maryland, only four women have served as President, including Abby Glassberg, Principal, KLNB (1998-1999); Cathy Ward, formerly Senior Vice President, Corporate Office Properties Trust (2006-2007); Dianna Wilhelm, Partner, Wilhelm Business Enterprises (2012-2013); and Kate Jordan, Principal, Lee & Associates | Maryland (2024-present). These leaders, who have all made a significant impact on the chapter, recently gathered together to reflect on NAIOP successes and provide career insights and advice.
The secret to success
Dianna: “I am a firm believer that, when you surround yourself with the best people, success naturally follows. I have followed this philosophy with everything I become involved in, and this was especially true during my time as NAIOP Maryland president. The board of directors and many volunteers and staff played significant roles in elevating our mission, and many became trusted and long-term friends.”
Abby: “I owe a great deal of my success in this industry to the strategic relationships I was able to build through my NAIOP Maryland involvement and the depth of knowledge among its members. It is amazing how generous everyone has been with their time and knowledge. There is no replacement for these relationships and it has been invaluable.”
Cathy: “I consider myself extremely lucky to have worked for a company whose values aligned with my personal values, including integrity, trust, hard work, and putting the client first. That alignment provided the confidence to take risks, continue learning which ultimately led me to seek the NAIOP Maryland Presidency. As I progressed through my career, I realized that continually learning new things and taking risks were major factors in my success, so I never stopped doing both.”
Kate: “Intent is everything. I do not pursue deals just for the sake of completing transactions. I place myself in the position of my client, and make decisions or offer guidance as if I was acting on my own accord. When you let your client’s best interest be your guiding light, the path is clear. This approach pays dividends and results in repeat customers. The real estate business is a marathon, not a sprint. Relationships and integrity are critical. I have had more than one client tell me “you are the only broker I work with who convinces me NOT to do deals, not the other way around.’”
Achieving sustainable accomplishments
Dianna: “During my tenure, we gained momentum with our legislative activities, started the Developing Leader group, significantly increased membership, and enhanced programming, including educational initiatives. This culminated with our award as National Chapter of the Year, which was extremely satisfying.”
Kate: “I believe that our Developing Leaders are the most important people in the room. They are the future of NAIOP. Working alongside Michael Tait to reinvigorate the DLs after they had faced some challenges due to the COVID years has been rewarding. Michael is the leader of the Dream Team with creative programming, developing a new mentoring program and engaging every area of membership, which produced a trickle-down effect. My involvement with the Building Energy Performance lawsuit represented a true turning point for the Chapter and I was proud how we moved forward with this initiative.”
Abby: “There was tremendous economic uncertainty during my time as President and my efforts focused on keeping the Chapter viable and solvent. We restarted the Awards of Excellence program, which laid dormant for several years, and solidified the legislative and lobbying efforts based on the great efforts of Patrick Hughes.”
Cathy: “I remember encouraging key people to get involved in legislative activities, including Jim Lighthizer and Brendan Gill, both of whom went on to become strong NAIOP Maryland presidents. Establishing the Penny-Per-Square-Foot fund created an ongoing source of revenue to fund our legislative activities. The fund remains in effect today.”
Mentorship works both ways
Kate: “Mentees provide as much guidance as mentors. I am constantly learning new things — especially technology-related — from our young brokers. This is one of the main drivers for reorganizing the Chapter’s mentorship program last year. In general, do not be afraid to ask questions and, just because things are done a particular way, it is OK to change that, put your own spin on things, and be a disruptor.”
Dianna: “I give a lot of credit to the people at COPT, including Rand Griffin, Dwight Taylor, and Cathy Ward, for mentoring me and demonstrating the importance of embracing the community and giving back. I learned from the past leaders, listened, engaged others to get involved, and lead with passion.”
Abby: “I believe you should learn from everybody, including building engineers, property managers, and the day porters who work closely with the spaces and tenants every day. My advice is to lead with intention and lift up everybody in the way you would want to be lifted up.”
Cathy: “I had two mentors who had indelible effects on my career — Dwight Taylor at COPT and Patrick Hughes at NAIOP Maryland. One key takeaway from both: keep moving forward, realize the importance of the past and learn from those experiences.”
Overcoming career and workplace bias
Kate: “I had the extreme luxury of following in the footsteps of many women that achieved success in the commercial real estate industry but, unfortunately, challenges still exist. I was afraid to tell people I was pregnant because as a broker there is no maternity leave. The company I work for now is nearly 50/50 comprised of men and women brokers, which is not the industry standard. Part of that is because women brokers see Lee & Associate as a place where they can have a voice. Most of us keep our heads down and operate as if it is not a big deal, which makes it not a big deal.
Dianna: “Most women have pregnancy stories. During mine, I was told flat-out that I was not able to be effective in my current role and it was assumed that I would prefer to spend time at home instead of the workforce. When faced with awkward, inappropriate, or uncomfortable workplace situations, I choose to be supremely confident and never back away from the challenge. I remember leading a meeting where I was the only woman in the room that was filled with 20 men, and I led the discussion with conviction because I was extremely prepared. If anyone had an issue with me, I worked twice as hard to prove that I could lead as well as any other qualified person.”
Abby: “When I began my commercial real estate career, I was no stranger to male-dominated environments. I had already spent five and a half years on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade in an intense, high-stakes setting where few women were present. That experience taught me how to hold my ground, and it prepared me to work even harder to earn my place in commercial real estate. When I was pregnant, there was no maternity leave policy. I took conference calls from my closet when my kids were home sick so no one would hear my children in the background. You did not want to be labeled as being on the “mommy track,” because it could limit how people saw your potential and commitment.”
Cathy: “After working in the retail sector early in my career, I pivoted to commercial office and faced some career bias. Not many women were leasing office space at that time, and some people thumbed their noses at my retail background. I will agree with the earlier advice. The best way to show strength in the workplace is to exude confidence and never back down or shy away from any challenge.”