Nationally celebrated as a renowned deal maker, Goldie B. Wolfe Miller is known as one of the country’s top commercial real estate brokers. In her 40-year, award-winning career, Ms. Wolfe Miller has completed approximately $3 billion in transactions, making her one of the country’s most successful female real estate brokers, and also one of the industry’s most sought-after professionals.
In 1989, Goldie transitioned from her long-time association with real estate firm Arthur Rubloff and Company, to found a 20-member tenant representation firm. At that time, the company, Goldie B. Wolfe & Company, was reported to be the largest woman-owned commercial real estate firm in the country. In 1998, she sold her firm to the New York Stock Exchange – listed company, Insignia/ESG, Inc and the rest, as it is said, “is history.”
Ever active in the real estate industry, Goldie is the President of Millbrook Corporate Real Estate Services, a full-service consulting company specializing in the office and industrial marketplace.
The Miller family developed Millbrook Business Center in Buffalo Grove and Lincolnshire, consisting of approximately 700,000 square feet of office and industrial space. Millbrook Properties owns a major 4- Building complex in Lisle, Illinois, Arboretum Lakes, consisting of 725,000 square feet of office space, a 200,000-plus square foot building along the Eden’s corridor and another 200,000-plus square foot building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
As well-known as Goldie is to the world of real estate, she has another important identity as a strategic philanthropist. Although she has served on various boards throughout her career, including Urban Land Institute, she takes special pride serving as an officer and director of several family foundations.
In 2007, she launched The Goldie B. Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate Initiative, The Goldie Initiative®, at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Its mission is to prepare women for senior leadership roles in all sectors of commercial real estate. The Goldie Initiative does this by providing scholarship support for graduate study, mentorship, and networking opportunities to women with high potential who are committed to becoming leaders in the real estate industry.
It has expanded from its original base to more than 20 campuses nationwide, including the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Notre Dame, University of Wisconsin, Columbia University, Harvard, MIT, University of Miami, and Georgetown. The program is dedicated to redefining the commercial real estate industry by elevating and advancing the careers of women with high potential.
To date, over 150 graduate students have participated in The Goldie Initiative as Goldie Scholars®. Additionally, Goldie supports a wide variety of Jewish and community development organizations. She and her husband, businessman Jack Miller, are deeply involved with The Jack Miller Center for Teaching America’s Founding Principles.
Because of her long, distinguished career as a leader in Chicago’s Real Estate industry and for her advocacy of the advancement of women in Real Estate, Roosevelt University conferred upon her an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa at the May 9, 2015 commencement where she also presented the commencement address.
Goldie has received the following awards: University of Wisconsin Graaskamp Innovator Award, 2021; The Legend Award, Food Depository, 2018; CREW Network Woman of Vision, 2016; CREW Network Impact Award – Career Advancement for Women, 2012; Chicago Association of Realtors Hall of Fame, 2011; Lifetime Achievement Award, Roosevelt University, 2010; Distinguished Women’s Award, Northwood University, 2010; Strategic Philanthropist of the Year Award, Commercial Real Estate Women, 2008; Entrepreneur of the Year Award, YMCA, 1989; and Broker of the Year, Chicago Sun-Times, 1988.