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Economic & Community Improvement

This award honors MNCREW members who participate in a real estate project that transforms the built environment and transforms and/or revitalizes a neighborhood or community, often beyond the boundaries of the project. This award showcases the critical impact real estate development can have on the lives of real people in our communities. A new real estate project can inspire and provide hope in a community, house important programs or deliver services or provide jobs.

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters - Holly Dahlen, Gensler; Abby Menacher, Gensler; Heather Weerheim, Greiner Construction; Jake Machone, Greiner Construction; Tony Ghilani, Greiner Construction; Derrick Hillstrom, Greiner Construction; Diana Draayer, Intereum; Emie Crown-Wersal, Intereum; Kevin Gramstad, Intereum; Natalie Obee, Big Brothers Big Sisters

  • 2021 WINNER: The Family Partnership - Molly Greenman, The Family Partnership; Melanie Baumhover, BWBR; Doug Wild, BWBR; Miriam Figueroa, BWBR; Matt Sletten, BWBR; Sophia Good, BWBR; Bettina Hoye, NTH; Paul Johnson, NTH; Danielle Warren, NTH; Marcie Weslock, Elan Design; Ryan Bonniewell, Erickson Roed Associates; Matt Jensen, MEP Engineering Dunham Associates; Kelly Mansell, Mortenson; Sydney Wittmier, Mortenson; Joe Pritzkow, Mortenson

Past Winners:

  • 2019 Winners: The METRO Green Line Extension - Southwest LRT | Katrina Davis, Wendy Ethen & Matthew Foli - Guaranty Commercial Title, Inc.; Jim Alexander - Metro Transit; Chuck Hubbard - Canadian Pacific Railway; Ia Xiong, Magdalena Aguero & Michelle Selbitschka, Metropolitan Council

  • 2018 Winners: TIE - Treasure Islan Center and THOR World Headquarters

    • Treasure Island Center | Mindy Bohumolski and Darcy Futrell, RJM Construction; and B Kyle, St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce (formerly of the St. Paul Port Authority)

    • THOR World Headquarters | Richard Copeland, Ravi Norman, Damaris Hollingsworth, D’Angelos Svenkeson, Martin Matheny, Art Gardner and Lea Hargett, THOR Companies; Wendy Ethen, Michelle Kolling and Diane Johnson, Guaranty Commercial Title; Wade Anderson and Trina Sjoberg, Gray Plant Mooty; Michael Noonan, Real Estate Division at Hennepin County; Melissa Foster, Jayne Rizner and Rosanne Jones, City of Minneapolis; Linda Higgins, Hennepin County HRA; and Chris Ambourn, Wenck Associates

  • 2016 Winners: West Broadway Education and Career Center | Diane Johnson, Guaranty Commercial Title; Wendy Ethen, Guaranty Commercial Title; Michelle Kolling, Guaranty Commercial Title

  • 2015 Winners: Excelsior Redevelopment Project | Brenda Neuenfeldt, Klein Bank; Kara Olson, GTRE Commercial; Mythili Thiagarajan, Auromira Architects LLC; Joe Ryan, Oppidan; Rob Fendler, Fendler Patterson Construction

  • 2014 Winners: Riverside Plaza & Affordable Housing Redevelopment | Cindy Nosan, Guaranty Commercial Title; Carolyn Olson, Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation; Eden Spenser, Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation