CHICAGO (December 10, 2025) – At the IREM® Leadership Forum held in Chicago last month, the IREM Foundation proudly honored its award recipients, recognizing leaders who elevate the real estate management profession through education, innovation, and service.
“Each year, the IREM Foundation honors individuals dedicated to advancing the real estate management profession,” says 2025 IREM® Foundation President Chris Mellen, CPM®, ARM®. “These distinguished awards not only celebrate excellence in teaching, mentoring, and innovation, they also pay tribute to the pioneers whose vision helped establish real estate management as a respected and enduring profession.”
Here are this year’s honorees:
The Louise L. and Y.T. Lum Award
Since 1975, the Lum Award has honored professionals whose influence extends beyond their own portfolios. This year’s recipient, Erin Hopkins, PhD, Associate Professor at Virginia Tech, is shaping the future of property management through her teaching and research on sustainability and mental health. Her book, Sustainable Property Management, explains how ecologically sustainable concepts can be implemented in property management, especially during the operations and maintenance phases of the building lifecycle.
Erin’s work inspires ethical leadership and advances knowledge across the industry.
The Lloyd D. Hanford Sr. Distinguished Instructor Award
Established in 1983, this award celebrates IREM instructors who set the standard for teaching excellence. Joe Greenblatt, CPM®, Founder and CEO of Cloudten Residential, is recognized for his decades of experience and commitment to mentoring future leaders. His people-first approach and deep industry insight have made him a trusted voice in multifamily housing.
The J. Wallace Paletou Award
Honoring those who make lasting contributions to the profession, this year’s award goes to Lynn Disbrow, IREM’s Chief Operating Officer. For 39 years, Lynn has led transformative initiatives that shaped IREM’s education, membership, and governance. Lynn has guided countless real estate leaders, built unbreakable bonds, and has established herself as an icon in our profession.
She leaves a lasting legacy that has shaped IREM and the IREM Foundation into the organizations they are today.
These awards reflect IREM’s commitment to recognizing those who teach, lead, and innovate, ensuring the profession thrives through shared knowledge and integrity.
About the IREM Foundation
We believe that well-managed real estate leads to thriving communities, and we value providing access to education and resources that assist those in the real estate management profession. The IREM Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity and was established in 1977. The Foundation is exclusively supported through donations from IREM members. iremfoundation.org