CHICAGO, IL - Draper and Kramer, Incorporated, a national full-service real estate firm, today announced that Colleen Needham, assistant vice president and regional manager, was named Property Manager of the Year by Illinois Real Estate Journal (IREJ). The honor was presented to Needham at IREJ’s 2022 Real Estate Awards, held July 13 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago in Rosemont, Ill.
Needham has been a part of the real estate industry for 22 years and joined Draper and Kramer in 2009. She was promoted in December 2021 to regional manager, a role in which she oversees multiple apartment communities within Draper and Kramer’s portfolio including Lake Meadows Apartments in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, 1350-1360 N. Lake Shore Drive in the Gold Coast and Aspire Residences in the South Loop.
“Colleen is a committed leader and visionary, dedicated to resident needs, customer service, and improving efficiencies at the properties she manages,” said Julie Stevenson, senior vice president and director of management services at Draper and Kramer. “This has never been more apparent than during the pandemic, as she and her team set up multiple channels of communications to help residents navigate new guidelines while also organizing activities and social events to keep everyone active and engaged during these most challenging times. There is nobody more deserving of this IREJ recognition than Colleen.”
An active member of the local and national property management community, Needham assumed the role of president of the Chicago Chapter of the Institute for Real Estate Management (IREM) in January 2022. She oversees many new initiatives, including a committee to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the chapter and the industry. As chair of IREM’s national legislative and public policy committee, she has been instrumental in shaping policies on housing affordability, taxes, landlord/tenant relations, energy and environment and criminal offenses.
An Accredited Residential Manager (ARM) through IREM, and a licensed broker with the National Association of REALTORS®, Needham started her career in residential property management in 2001. She joined Draper and Kramer as a property manager in October 2009. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Roosevelt University in Chicago.
About Draper and Kramer, Incorporated: Founded in 1893, Draper and Kramer, Incorporated is a trusted financial and property services provider with a deep commitment to people, excellence, service, and integrity spanning more than 125 years. Family-owned and one of the leading privately held real estate services firms in the U.S., Draper, and Kramer is headquartered in Chicago with a national reach and broad offering of services. The company’s decades-long heritage has evolved over the years to meet the needs of its clients. Draper and Kramer today spans expertise in residential and commercial development, acquisition, property management, and leasing; debt and equity financing for commercial properties; and residential mortgage services through affiliate Draper and Kramer Mortgage Corp. Draper and Kramer provides a single source of real estate-related counsel to a diverse group of real estate investors across the U.S. including corporations; private and institutional owners and users of real estate; government agencies; and foundations.
For more information, visit www.draperandkramer.com