MINNEAPOLIS, MN (July 16, 2008)  At its "Women in Business" luncheon and award ceremony, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal named Joanna Hicks, director of development for Ryan Companies US, Inc., one of its Women to Watch. The award is given to a highly selective group of women who are making an impact on their industry and are expected to be industry leaders in the future.

Hicks was recognized for her efforts in bringing environmentally-friendly practices to Ryan’s development projects in the Minnesota Region, most notably Two MarketPointe, which the Business Journal awarded Best Green Project at its Best in Real Estate Awards. JoAnna has also worked on Transoma Medical, a brownfield redevelopment project that is roughly 20 percent more efficient than a traditional building.

Hicks got her start at Macalester College where she received her bachelor’s degree in urban studies and history. She went on to receive a master’s degree from the University of Vermont in natural resources planning. Upon moving to Minneapolis, Hicks assumed a role as director of development at the Neighborhood Development Center (NDC), a Minneapolis-based nonprofit training, lending and technical-assistance program for inner-city entrepreneurs. There she led the ambitious Midtown Global Market project within Ryan’s Midtown Exchange development in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and she was featured in The New York Times for her work on the NDC’s Plaza Verde redevelopment, also in Minneapolis.

Quoted in the Business Journal’s "Women in Business" special section, JoAnna said, “…environmentally sensitive design ought to help property owners sleep easy, knowing they are ready for whatever new circumstances may roll down the line. It is a hedge against what is coming in the future. I don’t think anybody is anticipating a steep decrease in energy costs in the near future, and if that is the case, how do you best future-proof your building?”

Her answer: Make it more efficient today as a safeguard against tomorrow’s uncertainty. (As published in the July 11, 2008 Minneapolis-St. Journal Business Journal “Women in Business” special section).