High-rise commercial buildings

Sub Markets

Property Sectors

Topics

Seattle & Northwest CRE News In Your Inbox.

Sign up for Connect emails to stay informed with CRE stories that are 150 words or less.

New call-to-action
Seattle & Northwest  | 

Women in Real Estate 2020: HFO’s Donna Brunner Stays Positive Despite Pandemic

Donna Brunner brings more than 27 years of real estate experience to the HFO Investment Real Estate team. She currently serves as HFO’s principal broker and is well-versed in multifamily and commercial leasing, residential sales, and new development.

Among the characteristics that set Brunner apart are her ability to stay positive and focused in good times and bad. She previously managed a portfolio of more than 15 apartment communities exceeding 1,000 units. She also has spearheaded the construction of a major shopping mall, including lease negotiations with anchor tenants. Prior to joining HFO in 2015, Brunner had spent nine years as an Operations Manager for Marcus & Millichap in Portland.

These are just a few of the reasons we chose Brunner as one of the 2020 Women in Real Estate Award winners in Seattle & Pacific Northwest. Connect Media’s Women in Real Estate Awards honor the achievements and inspirational stories of women who have reached respected positions of leadership and play key mentorship roles for others.

Brunner is always on the lookout for ways HFO can improve, and better serve its clients. One opportunity she saw that others missed was rather than of laying off people due to the pandemic, she learned about a State of Oregon program called WorkShare. By tapping into the program, it allowed the company to retain jobs during the recession. Ultimately it saved eight jobs and ensured the company remains continuously at the ready to re-engage at full force as the recession comes to an end.

For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Dennis Kaiser

Connect

Inside The Story

Meet the 2020 Women in Real EstateConnect With HFO Investment's Brunner

About Dennis Kaiser

Dennis Kaiser is Vice President of Public Relations and Communications for Connect Creative. Dennis is a communications leader with more than 40 years of experience including as a journalist and in corporate and agency marketing communications roles. He is responsible for Connect Creative’s agency client services and is involved in a range of initiatives ranging from public relations and content strategy, communications and message development, copywriting, media relations, social media and content marketing services. Prior to joining Connect Media in 2015, his most recent corporate communications roles involved leading a regional public relations effort across Southern California for CBRE, playing a key marketing role on JLL’s national retail team, and directing the global public relations effort at ValleyCrest (BrightView), the nation’s largest commercial landscape services company. He has worked on marketing communications assignments for such CRE companies as Blackstone/Equity Office, Carlyle, Caruso, Disney Resorts, GE Capital, Irvine Company, Hines, Howard Hughes Corp., Jeffries, Lennar, MGM, Marcus & Millichap, Prologis, Raleigh Studios, Simon, Starwood, Trammell Crow Company, Transamerica, UBS and Wynn Resorts. Dennis has also worked on communications and launch strategies for a number of consumer electronic, media and tech brands including SlingMedia, Channel Master, Deluxe Media Entertainment, BeIn Sports, EchoStar and Sprint. Dennis’s agency background included firms such as Off Madison Ave., Idea Hall and Macy + Associates. He has earned an outstanding reputation with organization leaders as a trusted advisor, strategic program implementer, consensus builder and exceptional collaborator. Dennis has developed and managed national communications programs for Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, both public and private. He’s successfully worked with journalists across the globe representing clients involved in major-breaking news stories, product launches, media tours, and company news announcements. Dennis has been involved in a host of charitable and community organizations including the American Cancer Society, Easter Seals, Boy Scouts, Chrysalis Foundation, Freedom For Life, HOLA, L.A.’s BEST, Reach Out and Read, Super Bowl Host Committee, and the Thunderbirds Charities.

New call-to-action