CBRE’s Villa to host Rush CRE Women’s Networking event

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CBRE Senior Vice President Marta Villa will host the inaugural Rush CRE Women’s Networking event Nov. 12.

Taking place at the Basking Ridge Country Club, the affair will offer a chance to make connections, hear from industry experts, learn, grow and make deals, according to organizers.

This year’s event marks an expansion of Villa’s annual networking event, held every year in November. The 2025 iteration is free to attend – and larger – with additional sponsors on board.

Supporters include: CBRE, JLL, Ripco, RJ Brunelli & Co. Inc., Acrisure, Cuhaci Peterson Architect, Social Jack Media and Appliance Palace.

“Amazing things can happen in a room filled with industry professionals,” said Villa.

She says the event takes inspiration from sorority rush, “harnessing the creativity, organization and presentation skills of the big universities’ Greek organizations. We want to emulate that and make this event memorable and fun for attendees, with the goal of making a deal or gathering a piece of information to help advance a future transaction.

“After all, commercial real estate is still a relationship business.”

According to 2025 CREW Network Benchmark Study, women comprise 38% of the commercial real estate industry. The figure marks a 1 percentage point increase since 2020. It has remained nearly constant over the last 20 years, CREW said.

A panel discussion will cover market trends with featured experts in industrial, office, multifamily, capital markets and net lease, retail, lending and municipal economic development.

Speakers include: Adenah Bayoh, founder and CEO, Adenah Bayoh and Cos.; Zenobia Fields, director, Plainfield Department of Economic Development; Karly Iacono, senior vice president, CBRE Capital Markets; Suzanne Macnow, senior vice president, CBRE; Bridget Wilcox, partner, G.S. Wilcox & Co.; and Villa.

The second hour of the event will include “rapid fire networking,” led by table moderators.

For additional information, to attend or sponsor the event, contact Villa at 973-715-8385.