Marlee Benson
Construction manager, Oppidan
Since joining Oppidan as construction manager in 2022, Marlee Benson has made an impact not just on the Excelsior-based property development firm but on the broader construction industry. In the
2025 Notable Women in CRE and Construction
The following 12 leaders in commercial real estate and construction have managed growing teams, improved processes, and fostered inclusion. In a field that has been historically male dominated, these Notables strengthen that community of women who innovate and take charge across local sectors of construction management, property development, and design.
Methodology: The individuals featured did not pay to be included. Their profiles were drawn from nomination materials. This list is not comprehensive; it includes only people who were nominated and accepted after editorial review. To qualify for this list, individuals must have at least five years of experience in their field and have shown the ability to effect change in their roles or areas of practice.
To nominate other best-in-class executives in their fields, click here.
Melissa Page Boeshans
CEO and founder, The Synthesis Organization
After she spent three decades helping shape some of the country’s most prestigious commercial title companies, Melissa Page Boeshans founded The Synthesis Organization, where title and escrow services reach the
Joan Firnhaber
Senior director, project and development services, Cushman & Wakefield
Joan Firnhaber has dedicated 25 years to Cushman & Wakefield (plus its predecessor company, United Properties), excelling in interior design and property and construction management. Today, she leads the Bloomington-based
Emily Heuring
Senior director, real estate design and construction, Caribou Coffee
After 20 years with Caribou Coffee, Emily Heuring is taking a break—but she’ll be back, she reassures her teammates, after a company-provided sabbatical recognizing her achievements in design and construction.
Burgundy Kolles
Senior director of construction services, Roers Companies
At Roers Companies, Burgundy Kolles leads in-house design, purchasing, and construction management teams. Her work has been transformational: She built a one-person internal design team into a group of seven,
Stephanie Lee
Founder and managing director, Global Street Partners
This year, Global Street Partners has achieved $10 million in transactions, fueled by the Minneapolis-based commercial real estate advisory firm’s strategic partnerships, and it has doubled in revenue since it
Anne Madyun
Vice president, brokerage, Davis
In her 13-year career with Davis, based in Minneapolis, Anne Madyun has shown excellence in health care real estate, even amid tough economic times. Madyun and her brokerage partner manage
Paula Prahl
Partner and COO, development, Dominium Development and Acquisition
Since a recent promotion, Paula Prahl’s responsibilities at Dominium Development and Acquisition have expanded to cover governmental relations across federal, state, and local jurisdictions. She started at the company about
Margaret Linvill Smith
President and CEO, Linvill Properties
In Maggie Linvill Smith’s 31-year tenure, Linvill Properties has grown from 1.5 employees to 12 and from seven properties to 40-plus. Linvill Smith has seen a 95% tenant retention rate
Shanna Strowbridge
Vice president and general counsel, Opus Group
Since joining Opus Group in 2022, Shanna Strowbridge has used her more than two decades of experience as a real estate and construction lawyer to serve the Minnetonka-based firm’s clients,
Aalayha Traub
Manager, virtual design and construction, Knutson Construction
In her six years with Knutson Construction, Aalayha Traub has led major initiatives in virtual design and construction while deepening the Minneapolis-based company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially
Betsy Vohs
Founder and CEO, Studio BV
Since founding the Minneapolis-based interior design, architecture, and environmental design company Studio BV in 2015, Betsy Vohs has honed her reputation as a design powerhouse, working with tech startups, Fortune