mPower Moments: Byron Boston and Brian Stoffers, CMB, on Closing Gender Gap

In the latest episode of mPower Moments, mPower Founder Marcia M. Davies sits down with MBA Chairman-Elect Brian Stoffers, CMB; and Byron Boston, President, CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Dynex Capital, on on the importance of closing the gender gap in the real estate finance industry and providing a clear path for women to advance in their careers.

Stoffers, Global President of Debt & Structured Finance with CBRE, said his company had to adapt.

“Our customer base and our client base was changing and we were not reflecting that client base,” Stoffers said. “Our clients were becoming more diverse and more female and our workforce did not reflect that.”

CBRE established a Women’s Network and invested time and resources. “We’ve made significant progress over the past dozen years,” Stoffers said. “If you look at some of our top performers, whether they be sales, leasing, debt, they’re female, so we feel really good about the progress we made. But we need to make a lot more progress.”

Additionally, Stoffers said CBRE has added a number of women to its board of directors. “It’s a deliberate effort we’re making to get there,” he said.

Boston, who grew up with a number of powerful women, said as CEO he recognizes his role in diversifying the workplace.

“I have to be more deliberate as a leader in trying to identify amongst the people who work for me,” he said.

The full video can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TpbEneC9lE&feature=em-uploademail.