The Goldie Initiative Will Host 7th Annual Goldie Gala at Wintrust’s Grand Banking Hall
Record-breaking Cohort of Goldie Scholars to be honored along with Shero Award Winner
CHICAGO, Ill. – August 21, 2023 – The Goldie B. Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate Initiative (‘The Goldie Initiative”), a nonprofit organization designed to prepare women for senior leadership roles in all sectors of commercial real estate, is hosting its ‘Goldie Gala’ fundraising evening next month at Wintrust’s Grand Banking Hall. The 7th annual power networking event will take place on September 21 and bring together leaders from across commercial real estate to raise funding for The Goldie Initiative’s innovative scholarship and career development programing for women in the industry as well as their women’s mentorship programs.
The 2023 Goldie Gala will honor industry icon Mary Ludgin of Heitman, with the 2023 Shero Award for her outstanding career achievements and unparalleled commitment to helping women succeed in commercial real estate. She is the 6th Shero Award honoree since the organization began conferring the honor in 2018.
“I couldn’t be more honored to join the group of outstanding women who have received this award. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of them – others were role models for me. In creating The Goldie Initiative, Goldie Wolfe Miller has filled a gap by focusing on mentoring and supporting women who have chosen a career in commercial real estate,” said Ms. Ludgin recently.
The Goldie Gala is an opportunity to celebrate Goldie Scholars, valued stakeholders, and the commercial real estate industry. It is often referred to as ‘the networking event of the season,’ attracting the best and brightest throughout commercial real estate.
“The Goldie Initiative is growing by leaps and bounds, at a crucial time in our industry. Our incredible sponsors, many of whom have supported the Goldie Gala since 2017, make this all possible. Not only do our sponsors support us with generous financial contributions, but they also add so much to our community. They welcome our Goldie Scholars as interns, employees, and networking connections, all of which are essential to improving the commercial real estate industry for women. We are so grateful for the outpouring of support from our industry, and we look forward to achieving our goals with the help of our sponsors, board of directors, mentors and Gala Vice Chairs, allied universities across the country, as well as the Goldie Scholar and Alumnae community,” said Goldie B. Wolfe Miller, Founder and Chair of The Goldie Initiative.
The Goldie Initiative’s mission is made possible through donations from its generous sponsors. This year, The Goldie Initiative has raised over $800,000 for its Goldie Scholars program and continues to raise more.
Katie Kazas and Scott McKibben, two of Chicago’s leading CRE professionals, are the co-chairs for this year’s Goldie Gala. Ms. Kazas is Managing Director of Capital Markets at Longfellow Real Estate Partners and incoming 2024 Board President of The Goldie Initiative. Mr. McKibben serves as Chief Investment Officer at Brennan Investment Group.
“We would like to extend our appreciation to our Diamond and Platinum Level Sponsors as well as the over 120 additional Gold, Silver, and Bronze sponsors that have contributed to the event,” said Ms. Kazas.
Diamond Level Sponsors ($25,000+):
- Debbie Frank Legacy Fund/Golub Family Foundation
- Heitman
- Jack Miller Family Foundation / Jack and Goldie Wolfe Miller Fund
- Millbrook Properties
- Wintrust
Platinum Level Sponsors ($15,000):
- Avison Young
- Chicago Title Insurance Company
- Real Estate Financial Forum
- Waterton
To see a full list of sponsors, visit: https://goldieinitiative.org/gala/
Anyone interested in attending an evening of networking over sips, savories, and live entertainment in support of women in the commercial real estate industry can purchase tickets to the 2023 Goldie Gala here.
About The Goldie Initiative
Founded by Goldie B. Wolfe Miller in 2007, the mission of the Goldie B. Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate® Initiative (“The Goldie Initiative®”) is to prepare women for senior leadership roles in all sectors of commercial real estate. The Goldie Initiative does this by providing scholarship support for graduate study, mentorship, and networking opportunities to women with high potential who are committed to becoming leaders in the real estate industry.
For further information about The Goldie Initiative, visit https://goldieinitiative.org/.