The Industry Leadership Award is presented to a REIT executive who has made a significant and lasting contribution to the growth and betterment of the industry. Industry professionals whose acumen and integrity have helped heighten awareness of REITs and publicly traded real estate are eligible for the Industry Achievement Award.

Both awards were created in 1992 to honor Nareit members who have displayed excellence in their contributions to the real estate industry and to the programs of the association. The leadership award is presented in memory of Edward H. Linde, the late CEO of Boston Properties. The achievement award is presented in memory of E. Lawrence Miller, the former CEO of one of the industry’s first REITs, Bradley Real Estate Trust, and a past Nareit Chair.

Nareit Industry Leadership Award Recipients:
Titles reflect positions at the time of recognition.

2024: Timothy J. Naughton, executive chairman of AvalonBay Communities, Inc.

2023: Edward J. Fritsch, former president and CEO of Highwoods Properties

2022: Jim Risoleo, president and CEO of Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

2021: Glenn Rufrano, former CEO of VEREIT

2020: Connie Moore, former president and CEO of BRE Properties

2019: Ed Walter, former CEO of Host Hotels and Resorts

2018: David J. Neithercut, CEO of Equity Residential

2017: Ronald L. Havner, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Public Storage

2016: David Henry, former Vice Chairman, President and CEO of Kimco Realty Corp.

2015: Donald C. Wood, President and CEO of  Federal Realty Investment Trust

2014: Debra A. Cafaro, Chairman, President and CEO of Ventas, Inc.

2013: Bryce Blair, former Chairman and CEO of AvalonBay Communities

2012: Martin E. Stein, Jr., President and CEO, Regency Centers Corporation

2011: Nelson Rising, Chairman, Rising Realty Partners

2010: Douglas Crocker II, Trustee, President and CEO, Equity Residential Properties Trust

2009: Arthur M. Coppola, Chairman and CEO, Macerich

2008: Leland R. Speed, Chairman, Parkway Properties and EastGroup Properties

2007: David E. Simon, Chairman and CEO, Simon Property Group

2006: Edward H. Linde, CEO, Boston Properties, Inc.

2005: Hamid R. Moghadam, Chairman and CEO, AMB Property Corporation

2004: Steven Roth, Chairman and CEO, Vornado Realty Trust

2003: William D. Sanders, Co-Chairman, Verde Realty

2002: Kenneth B. Roath, Chairman and CEO, Health Care Property Investors, Inc.

2001: Bernard Winograd, CEO Prudential Real Estate Investors

2000: Samuel Zell, Chairman, Equity Group Investments

1999: Milton Cooper, Chairman and CEO, Kimco Realty Corporation

1998: Stanford J. Alexander, Chairman and CEO, Weingarten Realty Investors

1997: John P. McCann, Chairman and CEO, United Dominion Realty Trust

1996: Sylvan M. Cohen, Chairman, Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust

1995: William Newman, Chairman, New Plan Excel Realty Trust

1994: Arthur von Thaden, Chairman, BRE Properties

1993: Arthur Viner, Real Estate Consultant

1992: Royce B. McKinley, Chairman, Santa Anita Realty Enterprises

Nareit Industry Achievement Award Recipients:
Titles reflect positions at the time of recognition.

2024: Prentiss E. Feagles, partner at Hogan Lovells

2023: Tony M. Edwards, senior executive vice president of Nareit

2022: Mark Howard-Johnson, global head of real asset securities management at BlackRock

2021: Jeffrey Horowitz, head of global real estate, gaming and lodging for Bank of America Merrill Lynch

2020: Michael Bilerman, managing director and head of real estate and lodging research team at Citi

2019Sheila McGrath, Evercore Partners Senior Managing Director

2018Z. Jamie Behar, Managing Director, Real Estate and Alternative Investments at General Motors Investment Management Corp

2017: Michael Grupe, Executive Vice President, Research and Investor Outreach at Nareit

2016: Steve Buller, Portfolio Manager at Fidelity Investments

2015: Mary Hogan-Preusse, Managing Director and Co-Head of Americas Real Estate at APG Asset Management US Inc.

2014: Keith R. Pauley, Managing Director of LaSalle Investment Management Securities

2013: T. Ritson Ferguson, CEO and Co-Chief Investment Officer of CBRE Clarion Securities

2012: Robert H. Steers, Co-Chairman and Co-CEO, Cohen & Steers, Inc.

2011: Theodore R. Bigman, Managing Director & Global Head of Real Estate, Morgan Stanley Investment Management

2010: Gilbert G. Menna, Partner & Co-Chairman, Goodwin Procter LLP

2009: Thomas E. Robinson, Senior Advisor, Stifel, Nicolaus

2008: Martin J. Cicco, CEO, MJC Associates

2007: Barden N. Gale, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer for Real Estate of ABP Investments, U.S.

2006: Cydney C. Donnell, Executive Professor, Mays Business School, Texas A&M University

2005: Arthur Zankel, High Rise Capital Management, LP

2004: Ralph L. Block, Publisher, “The Essential REIT” newsletter

2003: Jon A. Fosheim, Principal, Green Street Advisors and Mike Kirby, Principal, Green Streen Advisors

2002: Barry Vinocur, Editor-in-Chief, Realty Stock Review

2001: Martin Cohen, President, Cohen & Steers Capital Management

2000: Robert A. Frank, President and CEO, Intellectual Capital Markets, Inc.

1999: Richard B. Saltzman, Managing Director, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

1998: Morris L. Kramer, Partner, Roberts & Holland LLP

1997: Mark O. Decker, Managing Director, Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc.

1996: Howard Mason, Senior Vice President, BRE Properties, Inc.

1995: Kenneth D. Campbell, Chairman, CRA Real Estate Securities

1994: William B. King, Partner, Goodwin, Procter & Hoar LLP