Congratulations to Our 2025 Gold Circle Award Winners!
The Gold Circle Award recognizes individual excellence within our professional community across six categories: building engineer, emerging leader, janitorial, property management, security professionals, and, new this year, DEI leader.
Emerging Leader of the Year
Annalise Andriacchi
CBRE
Annalise began her career in commercial real estate as a Meeting and Event Manager at 110 North Wacker, where she oversaw all corporate and social events in their conference space. After a few months, she aspired to broaden her skills and transition into building operations and management. Her ambition led her to a property management role at 400 N Aberdeen—a cutting-edge life sciences building managed by CBRE.
While life science properties share many similarities with other commercial buildings, they also present unique challenges that require specialized knowledge, dedication, and adaptability from property management professionals. Recognizing this, Annalise played a key role in implementing CBRE’s Life Sciences Certificate program for property managers and engineers, completing over 23 hours of coursework. She also recently earned her Illinois Real Estate Broker license, further demonstrating her commitment to professional growth.
Now serving as Assistant Real Estate Manager, Annalise continues to hold the Host Manager title. Beginning in 2024, she was also entrusted with managing 1234 W Fulton, showcasing her ability to take on new challenges and excel in her field.
Security Professional of the Year
Mike Carlson
Sterling Bay
Mike Carlson is a seasoned security professional with 16 years of experience in commercial real estate, currently serving as Director of Security at Sterling Bay’s 600 West Chicago. He has led major security upgrades, including modernizing access control systems and overseeing the installation of advanced safety features. Beyond technology, Mike drives tenant safety initiatives, conducts emergency preparedness training, and collaborates with local law enforcement for live security monitoring. Mike has been an active member of the BOMA/Chicago Preparedness Committee since 2018. He has contributed to ASIS International, the Illinois Security Professionals Association, and local community safety initiatives, including reducing crime in the River North area.
He has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation, driving projects that have significantly impacted both the team and the organization. He is known for his collaborative spirit and commitment to excellence.
Building Engineer of the Year
Patrick Barry
JLL
Pat Barry is a seasoned Chief Engineer with over 27 years in commercial real estate. He currently leads the engineering team at JLL's One South Wacker, a 1.2 million square foot property in Chicago that won the prestigious 2023 International TOBY Award.
Pat has overseen major capital improvement projects, including $32 million in upgrades, extensive tenant construction, and the property's recertification to LEED Gold. His commitment to energy efficiency has led to over $725,000 in rebates and annual energy savings of around $100,000.
Before his current role, Pat was Chief Engineer at 500 North Michigan Avenue and held roles at The University Club of Chicago and The Palmer House Hilton. Known for his problem-solving, leadership, and dedication to tenant satisfaction, Pat remains a respected figure in Chicago’s commercial real estate engineering community.
Janitorial Professional of the Year
Irena Zec
Hines | Harvard Maintenance
Irena is a dedicated and detail-oriented leader overseeing janitorial operations at Hines' 333 West Wolf Point – also known as Salesforce Tower She played a critical role in post-construction cleaning, ensuring all tenant spaces were pristine before move-in. Irena has trained her entire team, fostering efficiency and professionalism. Her commitment to excellence has created a stable, motivated workforce with minimal turnover.
Committed to safety, Irena leads weekly training sessions and collaborates with the Director of Safety for monthly joint training on equipment use and chemical handling. She also ensures all janitorial supplies align with the building’s sustainability programs, contributing to the building’s Well Health-Safety rating and assisting tenants with their wellness certifications.
DEI Leader of the Year
Andre Wiggins
Transwestern
Andre Wiggins is a Senior Vice President at Transwestern's Chicago office. He oversees asset management for downtown Chicago properties, including his role as General Manager of 69 West Washington.
At BOMA/Chicago, Andre serves as a Diversity Ambassador and inspires the next generation of CRE professionals through CRE Career Days. He was named BOMA/Chicago’s Property Management Professional of the Year in 2021 and REJournal Champion of Diversity in 2024. A passionate mentor, Andre played a key role in launching an internship program with City Colleges of Chicago at Daley Center and was instrumental in Transwestern’s participation in BOMA/Chicago’s inaugural apprenticeship program.
Andre is a licensed real estate broker and holds the BOMA RPA designation. He helped establish MBRE’s DEI Task Force and now leads Transwestern’s Chicago Youth Outreach Subcommittee, expanding industry access for underrepresented communities. He has driven efforts to increase minority- and women-owned business participation, launching an annual vendor open house that has connected over 36 businesses with decision-makers.
Beyond the industry, Andre is a dedicated community leader, mentoring through Build On Chicago, supporting Chicago’s Urban Initiatives, and partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs. His leadership has expanded opportunities for countless individuals, inspiring both colleagues and future professionals.
Property Management Professional of the Year
Blair Smith
CBRE
Blair Smith began her commercial property management career in 2012 with CBRE at International Tower and later moved to Illinois Center, 111 E Wacker, and 233 N Michigan, where she assisted with transitioning the US Equities/Equity Commonwealth portfolio. She then worked at MB Real Estate and managed several properties, including 181 W. Madison and 1 N. LaSalle, where she was involved in a major redevelopment. Blair joined Hines in 2017, where she was promoted to Property Manager at 333 W. Wacker Drive and oversaw various building projects. She returned to CBRE in 2022 as Real Estate Manager of 110 North Wacker Drive, where she was promoted to Senior Real Estate Manager in 2023 and General Manager in 2024. Blair has overseen significant tenant improvement projects and played a key role in the property, receiving the prestigious 2024 One Million + Square Foot Local and Regional TOBY Award. She has received multiple awards, including CBRE Chicago’s Young Professional of the Year and Team Leader of the Year, and is an active member of BOMA/Chicago