Shown (from left) are: Lee, Tom Gormley, Marlena Demenus, Marita Demenus and husband Fred Demenus, owner of Medco Plumbing.

New York, NY  According to Sky Lake Partners, CEO and founding partner Marlena Demenus has received a “2016 Pioneering Women in Real Estate” award from Sokol Group.

Demenus and her partners, Thomas Gormley and Donald Dye, founded Sky Lake in 2014. Sky Lake is a private equity real estate firm that invests in multifamily and mixed-use buildings in New York City. In the two years since launching, Sky Lake and its affiliates have acquired 15 properties in the Bronx, Harlem and Queens, which they own and manage. Along with 15 years of capital markets experience on Wall St., Demenus brings lifelong exposure to the New York real estate market - her family runs one of the largest plumbing and heating contractors in New York City.

Growing up in a New York real estate family has given Demenus a unique insider’s understanding of the most complex and competitive real estate market in the world.

“I always knew I would somehow work in real estate. All of it was always interesting to me - the people, the properties, the deals,” said Demenus of her decision to launch Sky Lake.

Dye said of Demenus’ win, “In the short two years since our launch, Marlena has already made Sky Lake a power player in New York City real estate.”