6th Annual Goldie Gala Honors 2022 ‘Shero’ Pamela Boneham, Expands Advocacy for Women’s Leadership in Commercial Real Estate
The 2022 in-person event raised more than $1 million from sponsors and donors representing leading names in real estate. The funds support scholarships and mentoring programs; the program has reached more than 140 women CRE professionals since 2007.
When preparing women for senior leadership roles in commercial real estate, providing access to scholarships is only the first step – truly setting the next generation of women up for success in this field requires opportunities for mentoring and modeling leadership. On September 22, a crowd of more than 700 came together in celebration of these ideals at Chicago’s Navy Pier for the 6th annual ‘Goldie Gala.’ The event was hosted by 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.
“I came of age in an era where I was often the only woman in the room, so it is the honor of my life to provide a new generation of women with the funds, professional network and female role models they need to forge a path to success in the commercial real estate industry,” said Goldie B. Wolfe Miller, Founder and Chair at The Goldie Initiative.
The Shero: Pamela Boneham
The 2022 Goldie Gala raised more than $1,000,000 in support of the organization’s Goldie Scholars and other programs. Institutional real estate investment executive Pamela Boneham was honored as the 2022 ‘Shero,’ an award presented annually by The Goldie Initiative to a woman executive whose achievements inspire the next generation of female commercial real estate professionals.
A passionate leader in the institutional real estate industry, over the course of her career, Ms. Boneham has held management roles at Barings, DWS Group/ RREEF, Equity Office, and JLL. She was instrumental in the founding of the ULI Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) in Chicago, sits on the Advisory Board of the Wisconsin School of Business Graaskamp Center for Real Estate, and is a former AFIRE Board Member. Ms. Boneham is also an active participant in The Goldie Initiative’s mentorship program, which provides Goldie Scholars with practical, hands-on training and experience.
“I am incredibly humbled to be named The Goldie Initiative’s 2022 Shero,” said Ms. Boneham. “Being a mentor for the talented, capable women served by The Goldie Initiative is a privilege and an honor. These are women who are looking to make a lifetime commitment to the commercial real estate industry, and it is very gratifying to help them find the right path to realizing their dreams and goals.”
Impact Shaping Women’s Leadership in Commercial Real Estate
Founded in 2007 by iconic commercial real estate broker and entrepreneur Goldie B. Wolfe Miller, since its inception, The Goldie Initiative has assisted more than 140 Goldie Scholars at 18 graduate schools around the country, including Northwestern University, The University of Chicago and Georgetown. In 2022, the organization supported 30 Goldie Scholars and expanded into 18 schools nationally.
“In a field where women still remain underrepresented, organizations like ours are crucial in bridging the gender achievement gap,” said Jen Sweeney, The Goldie Initiative’s Board President. “Thanks to the generous support of our 2022 sponsors, we will be able to continue providing our Goldie Scholars with the vital scholarships, meaningful mentor relationships and networking opportunities they need to become invaluable leaders in commercial real estate.”
The 2022 Goldie Gala was made possible with the support of more than 180 CRE firms and nonprofit organizations, and featured four Diamond Sponsors – The Debbie Frank Legacy Fund, The Jack and Goldie Wolfe Miller Fund Foundation, Millbrook Properties and Wintrust – each of whom donated $25,000 or more. View the full list of sponsors here: https://goldieinitiative.org/sponsors/
“On behalf of the Debbie Frank Legacy Fund, I am delighted to support The Goldie Initiative’s life-changing programming,” said Paula Harris, Founder of The Debbie Frank Legacy Fund. “Debbie Frank was a force to be reckoned with in commercial real estate and through this partnership, her memory will live on as each class of Goldie Scholars works to evolve this industry from the inside out.”
View photos from the 2022 Goldie Gala here: https://goldieinitiative.org/gala/
To learn more about The Goldie Initiative, donate to the Goldie Scholars fund or apply to be a mentor, visit: https://goldieinitiative.org/
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 the leaders in the real estate industry. Learn more about The Goldie Initiative at: https://goldieinitiative.org/
Thank you to our Sponsors
The Goldie Initiative would like to thank all our sponsors for making our advancement of women in commercial real estate leadership possible. Our sincere gratitude goes out to our Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze sponsors; a full list can be accessed here. Our Platinum and Gold sponsors are as follows:
Platinum:
Gold:
