The 12 women who made AZRE’s Most Influential Women in Commercial Real Estate list are an extraordinary bunch. While that seems implied in the recognition, it’s something that goes beyond their professional achievements. Many of these women have held minimum wage jobs, slowly working through the ranks to a C-suite. A few have known the struggles of being a single parent and what it’s like to be the only female voice in a boardroom. All of these women are active in their communities and industry organizations. And, all of them are changing the Arizona landscape one deal, drawing and deadline at a time.
Cindy Cooke
Senior executive vice president
Colliers International
Years in the industry: 33+
Cindy Cooke leads one of the top multifamily brokerage teams in the country. Throughout her career, she has completed more than $2B in transaction volume. In 2007, she set the record for the largest apartment sale in Arizona history; the $427.5M, 5,178-unit, 12-property portfolio sale in Phoenix closed in 67 days. Early in her career, she started her own commercial brokerage and mortgage broker firm, where she was the sole proprietor for a decade. She now works on a team at Colliers International with her son, Brad.
What is the hardest professional or personal challenge you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?
Achieving the next level of success without comprising service to existing clients and family, seizing opportunities as they arise and building strong teams.
What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishment?
Still working on it.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Creating success for my clients.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up and how did that aspiration affect your career?
I knew I wanted to be in the real estate business. I never deterred from that goal.
What is one little-known fact about you?
I have an organic farm in North Carolina where we grow corn, wheat and soybeans.
