The Wisconsin Chapter of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, hosted the organization’s Annual Meeting and Awards Program Thursday, January 27 at Schlitz Park in Milwaukee. The program recognized outstanding volunteer leaders and formally installed the 2022 Board of Directors. 

NAIOP’s Wisconsin Trailblazer Award was awarded to Carole Schaeffer, Vice President of Business Development at Friede & Associates. Carole is only the second member to receive the Wisconsin Trailblazer Award, which is presented for extraordinary leadership and innovation in advancing the mission of NAIOP Wisconsin and is not presented every year. Carole sits on the NAIOP Wisconsin Board of Directors, the Public Policy Committee, and co-chairs the Madison Committee. She was instrumental in building NAIOP’s membership and programming in Madison. 

Carole is an active member of the Madison community, serving many local organizations. In 2018, she co-founded the Madison Downtowners, a group focused on supporting downtown Madison through social and educational opportunities. Carole was recognized by InBusiness magazine as one of the 40 under 40 and Top 5 Women in Economic Development. She was also the inaugural recipient of the 25 Most Influential Madison Area People.