Champoux of Crowell & Moring recognized by CREW

Name: Barbara Champoux Title: Partner Company Name: CROWELL & MORING LLP Years in Commercial Real Estate: 20+ In the last 12 months, which project, transaction, honor or accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Being recently recognized by CREW Network for 2 things: CREW Impact Award winner, and inductee into CREW Foundation's Women of Vision circle. CREW's Impact Award, for creating exceptional member-to-member business opportunities among CREW members, embodies the essence of CREW - DOING BUSINESS TOGETHER. So, this is a particularly great honor for me. It exemplifies the power we each have to advance other women through business referral and education, as the success of each woman in CRE, is success for ALL women in CRE. I have spent much of my career on efforts to eradicate the impediments to progress, and level the playing field, for women and all members of diverse groups - not to gain an inherent advantage, but to eliminate inherent disadvantages. For women to permanently shatter the glass ceiling, they must increase the extent to which they add value to their respective companies' bottom line. Many thanks to my fabulous CREW team, whose terrific work enabled me to win this award: Isabelle Pullis, Pat Lopinski, Lucy Carter, Beth Zafonte, Pauline Anderson Brown & Wendi Rossi. What was your first job and what did you learn from it? My first "real" job was waitressing, beginning at age 15 and all through high school and college, in order to earn money for my college education. Surprisingly, I learned quite a number of things - in addition to balancing 8 glasses at once - which were valuable lessons throughout my career. Among them: skills and attributes of an exceptional service-provider; not giving up when faced with challenges; handling difficult circumstances and moving on; balancing competing interests; and finding something you are passionate about what you are doing, so cleaning out bus pans is tolerable. What is your favorite quote? This may not be particularly profound, but the Nike slogan, "Just Do It" has always encapsulated for me, one of my key approaches to career, and philosophies of life - while also reflecting my deep love of sports and the lessons it teaches us for life and career. I see many people in CRE, and the law, who talk-the-talk (and talk and talk), but not nearly as many who can walk the walk.