Second Annual WOMEN OF INFLUENCE
Despite a challenging market, these women are having an impact
on commercial real estate and are encouraging others to follow
DONNA ABOOD
CEO
Colliers Abood
Wood-Fay
Coral Gables
Abood oversees all operations of the firm
and serves as principal for the production,
profitability and client service of the leasing division. She recently changed her
job description in response to the current
challenging market by taking an “all hands
on deck” approach and actively working
as a transaction broker. She serves on the
board of directors and executive committee of the Beacon Council.
Her View: “Our market has changed drastically during the past 12 months, and the
real estate values and rental rates experienced over the last six years are now history. Our economy will have some false
starts in the next six to nine months, and
two years later we will climb out of it with
a new floor. There will be tremendous
opportunities in commercial real estate,
specifically in foreclosure sales, advisory
services and workouts.”
LAURIE ALDEN
Director of Leasing
Highwoods Properties
Tampa
Alden, an 18-year com-
mercial real estate veteran, specializes in
office leasing and build-to-suit develop-
ment for Highwoods. Her office portfolio
includes close to two million square feet
in the Tampa Bay market. She is involved
in various professional organizations
including Naiop, the Real Estate Invest-
ment Council and Commercial Real Es-
tate Women.
Her View: “I believe commercial real es-
tate is an excellent field for young women
to consider when entering the work force
and am happy to see more women ex-
pressing interest in the industry. Although
today’s economic environment is tenuous
at best, we will eventually come out of this
cycle, the commercial real estate industry
will rebound and it will continue to be a
great industry for women.”
SILVIA
ALDERMAN
Office Managing
Shareholder
Akerman Senterfitt
Tallahassee
Alderman is one of only
four women in Florida serving as an office
managing shareholder for a major law
firm. She has more than 30 years of experience representing the land use and environmental interests of clients including
developers, agricultural interests, industrial entities and government agencies.
She was previously deputy general coun-
sel of the Florida Department of Environ-
mental Regulation.
Her View: “In addition to the challenge
of businesses struggling to succeed in an
economic downturn, we are seeing an
increase in environmental and land use
regulatory challenges as new standards are
proposed to be adopted or have been ad-
opted in the areas of wastewater and storm
water regulations and limitations on water
consumption. To succeed, businesses will
need to be aware of the changes and get
ahead of the regulations.”
SANDRA
ANDERSEN
Senior Vice President
Jones Lang LaSalle
Fort Lauderdale
With more than two decades in commercial real estate, Andersen specializes
in agency leasing assignments and asset
repositioning on behalf of landlords, as
well as tenant representation for national
and regional clients. As a national director of leasing and management, she oversees business development and leasing of
more than 1.1 million square feet of class
A office space in Broward and Palm Beach
Counties.
Her View: “Landlords are open to new and
creative ways to extend leases such as the
