Jen Helm

Director of brokerage services at Cushman & Wakefield/ NorthMarq

Twin Cities retail and hotel broker Jen Helm, 39, is blazing new trails as the first female president of the Minnesota Commercial Association of Real Estate (MNCAR). The 20-year-old association serves Minnesota's commercial real estate brokers and provides the MNCAR Exchange, a searchable database of commercial real estate property for sale or lease in Minnesota.

Helm, director of brokerage services at Bloomington-based Cushman & Wakefield/NorthMarq, specializes in tenant representation and the sales/leasing of retail and hotel properties. Helm, an Inver Grove Heights native, started with the company as an intern 13 years ago. She provides strategic planning, market research and site selection for clients, which have included the Hilton, Which Wich, Fuddruckers, Office Depot, Casual Male and Darque Tan. She was named the Minnesota Shopping Center Association Member of the Year in 2010 and is a recipient of the CoStar Power Broker Award.

Q: Do you hope that being the first female president of MNCAR will help open doors for other women?

A: I think there are opportunities for women in our industry; we just don't have enough who are brokers. We've had many great women as trailblazers in brokerage. They created a path for the rest of us and I'm just continuing that path. I hope that having a female as MNCAR president will just remind other women that this is an industry that they should consider.

Q: What initiatives are planned for MNCAR in 2014?

A: We just came off a huge year working on transitioning to our new property exchange system, working on our strategic plan and hiring a new executive director [Matt Anfang]. So last year was a big year and Duane Poppe — our past president — did a fantastic job, so he left some big shoes to fill. This year we'll work on what we finalized in our strategic plan, which includes our branding, continuing to provide the best value to our members through strong programs and networking opportunities, continuing to provide accurate market information and staying relevant in the commercial real estate industry.

Q: What recent deals have you completed?

A: DSW Shoe Warehouse opened a 23,000-square-foot store at Broadway Commons in Rochester; I worked on the landlord side. DSW backfilled a hole in the center left after the economic downturn. … I've done a rollout with [Dallas-based restaurant chain] Which Wich. In the last two years, we've done 11 stores in our market and continue to add locations. That's a fast rollout for a franchise-driven concept. I work with them internationally as well — providing market information on areas like India and Mexico.

Q: Do you find it rewarding to help roll out new concepts?

A: It's great to do new stores and watch their success. Finding a great site for a retailer is what gets me to work every day.

Liz Wolf is an Eagan-based freelance writer. She can be reached at wolfliz99@aol.com.