makers.” CREW’s president is Barbi Reuter, who has been a member of the organization for a decade. A principal in PICOR Commercial Real Estate Services, Reuter said CREW is working on gender gap and pay equity issues and trying to bring more women to table representation in executive leadership in commercial real estate. CREW provides referrals for business locally and around the country, she said. The group’s recent member survey shows that “it’s about face time.” Social media works, she said, but “you don’t get the benefits of membership unless you’re here (at CREW meetings).” Lesli Pintor, of National Bank of Arizona, said her involvement with the group has evolved. “It’s been a mission of mine in the last several years to pay it forward and encourage women,” Pintor said. “I am a cofounder of my bank’s mentoring program.” Debbie Heslop, of Volk Company, joined Tucson CREW two years ago from a CREW chapter in Boston, where she also worked as a real estate broker. It’s her first time on Tucson CREW’s board. “Our business is all about problem
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It’s been a mission of mine in the last several years to pay it forward and encourage women.
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– Lesli Pintor Commercial Real Estate Manager National Bank of Arizona
solving,” she said. “There’s no difference between Tucson and Boston. If you’re good at listening and taking care of clients’ needs, it’s a pretty easy job.” A referral she received through a Tucson CREW member culminated in the closing in December of a multimilliondollar deal on a student housing project. “Tucson CREW is a very effective networking group and its referrals are quality referrals,” Heslop said. Beverly Weissenborn, of Burke Weissenborn, is a 2013 Tucson CREW
board member and certified general real estate appraiser. “Meeting people in the business when you’re forming sales or just want to know what’s going on – there’s a give and take. You can call a CREW member – you become acquaintances and friends, and you reciprocate,” Weissenborn said. Linda McNulty, 2012 president of Tucson CREW, is an attorney specializing in real estate law and a founding member of the group. It gives women “the ability not only to advance not just in their segments in the industry but as leaders in all segments of the industry. It gives women a way to understand the industry as a whole and have a forum to develop business and their reputation.” Real estate attorney Chris Young, of Kuhn Young Law Firm, is serving her first term on CREW’s 2013 board. “The members are really connected to the community. Having these relationships in place has been invaluable,” Kuhn said. Said 2013 board member Vivian Boggie, of Title Security Agency of Arizona, “People like doing business with people they know. It definitely affects the bottom line.”
Biz
Tucson CREW Award Winners Each of Tucson CREW’s annual award winners is a commercial real estate expert in a discipline integral to the success of the industry. All were cited for their professional achievements, commitment to the community and efforts to improve opportunities in commercial real estate for women. The winners are: Economic Improvement Award – Jane McCollum, GM, Marshall Foundation, which owns and develops properties in the Main Gate area west of the Park Avenue entrance to the University of Arizona. Career Advancement for Women Award – Lesli Pintor, senior VP, National Bank of Arizona. Pintor manages the bank’s commercial real estate group. Member-to-Member Business Award – Sally Bach, owner and manager, G2 Contracting. President’s Award – Loretta Peto, member, Peto & Company CPAs.
From left – Sally Bach, Owner & Manager, G2 Contracting; Lesli Pintor, Senior VP, National Bank of Arizona and Jane McCollum, GM, Marshall Foundation. Not pictured – Loretta Peto, Member, Peto & Company CPAs
Summer 2013 > > > BizTucson 143