Wells Fargo & Company is pleased to announce that Kara McShane, head of Commercial Real Estate (CRE), has been named the inaugural 2020 Woman of the Year by Commercial Real Estate Finance Council (CREFC). The award is given to a member of CREFC who is nominated by industry peers, exemplifies strong engagement and leadership in the commercial real estate finance industry, has helped improve the marketplace, and demonstrates high ethical and professional standards.
McShane has more than 25 years of commercial real estate and fixed-income experience. She took the helm of Wells Fargo CRE, which is the #1 commercial real estate lender in the U.S., in February 2020.
“I’m humbled to be nominated by my peers for this incredible honor,” said McShane. “Thank you to CREFC for shining a light on the contributions and advancement of all women in our industry. I want to acknowledge my exceptional peers and colleagues, especially those in the CREFC Women’s Network, and those with whom I work every day at Wells Fargo. In this challenging year, our collective dedication and tenacity is what will help move us forward together.”
“I’m delighted to congratulate Kara on this honor. She is a strategic leader who focuses on innovation, accountability, and mobilizing resources to help solve client needs, particularly during these times of economic and market disruption,” said Jonathan Weiss, CEO of Wells Fargo Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB). “Kara leads with a unifying approach, and her commitment to the communities she and her teams serve is critically important to Wells Fargo’s mission.”
Since joining Wells Fargo in 2010, McShane has held a number of senior leadership positions, including head of Structured Real Estate and head of Commercial Real Estate Capital Markets & Finance. She currently serves on the Wells Fargo Management Committee, the Employee Benefit Review Committee, and the CIB Operating Committee. An active member of the industry and community, she serves on the board of Breaking Ground, a leading New York City nonprofit that offers supportive and affordable housing, as well as programs for homeless and other vulnerable New Yorkers. McShane also serves on the Real Estate Capital Policy Advisory Committee of The Real Estate Roundtable. She was a founding member and currently serves on the CREFC Women’s Network Advisory Board, and also served on the Board of Governors of CREFC’s predecessor, the Commercial Mortgage Securities Association.
CREFC is a trade association for lenders, investors, and servicers in the $4.6 trillion commercial real estate finance industry and represents more than 300 companies and over 11,000 individual members. CREFC promotes capital formation, encouraging commercial real estate finance market efficiency, transparency, and liquidity. CREFC provides education for market participants in this sector of the global economy.
