Debbie Harms, CEO of NAI Maestas & Ward, is the recipient of the Albuquerque Journal’s 2020 Mentorship award

As the leader of a company of 13 skilled staff members and 34 licensed commercial real estate professionals, Debbie Harms manages it all through integrity, hard work, employee empowerment and more. She most recently won The Mentorship Award from The Albuquerque Journal by receiving the most nominations in that category. The criteria included executives who are committed to nurturing intellectual growth, career development, professional guidance and are positive role models. She also was among the top two nominated for the Excellence Award and the Leadership Award, and she won the Top Executive in Real Estate.

We couldn’t agree more. In addition to her passion for mentoring, educating and advancing those who work for her, she is passionate about philanthropy, creating a family-friendly company environment and the greater impact of commercial real estate on the New Mexico economy and our local community. Thank you Debbie for the drive and persistence you bring everyday to NAI Maestas & Ward!

Following is the write-up that appeared in the August 24, 2020 edition of the Albuquerque Journal Business Outlook:

by Glen Rosales
for The Journal

When Debbie Harms, CEO of NAI Maestas & Ward, first started in the commercial real estate business, she felt a little lost. She said she doesn’t want anyone working under her to have that feeling, which is one reason she earned the Mentorship award.

“Commercial real estate isn’t as easy field to go into,” Harms said. “There are a lot of intricacies. Lots of pieces of the puzzle that have to be put together. If you have a new person coming into this field, there is a lot of information readily available, but it’s not particularly intuitive to put everything together and see a reasonable outcome in the end.”

Harms came into the business with a strong background in the construction industry, working as an accountant with home builders and a large construction company that did commercial projects.

“My knowledge in commercial construction helped me dramatically in commercial real estate, “Harms said. “It wasn’t hard, but it would have been so much easier if I had a mentor. If I had someone who really understood what I didn’t know. I didn’t have that for the first two or three years.

Harms originally worked for the Hines Corp. under Frank and Delores Hines, for about two years, from 1993 to 1995. That’s when the Hines took Harms under their wing and really grounded her in the intricacies of the business. When they retired, Harms started her own company, but the Hines remained mentors.

“Somebody has to work with a person who is new to the industry,” Harms said. “It doesn’t matter what their age is. The fact that they’re new to the industry means that they have to learn this stuff. And the quicker they’re able to learn and the better they’re able to learn, the better they’re going to do. And that’s the ultimate goal, to give good service to our clients.”

Debbie Harms is a national notable commercial real estate executive who has nearly 30 years of experience in commercial real estate including brokerage, development, property management and leasing services. In addition, Debbie has extensive expertise in owner association management and has been involved in and managed all aspects of commercial real estate and development.