The winners of Nareit’s 2014 Investor CARE Awards were announced on June 4 in New York at REITWeek 2014: NAREIT’s Investor Forum. This is the 14th year that Nareit has handed out the annual awards, which honor excellence in communications and reporting to shareholders.
In the large cap equity REIT category, the gold award went to Camden Property Trust (NYSE:CPT). Boston Properties (NYSE: BXP) received the silver award, while the bronze award went to Health Care REIT, Inc. (NYSE: HCN).
Kim Callahan, Callahan Property Trust's senior vice president for investor relations, accepted the award. "Our company's tag line is 'Living Excellence' and we strive to provide outstanding service to the investment community and to our 100,000 residents across the country," Callahan said.
In the small cap equity REIT category, GIimcher Realty Trust (NYSE: GRT) was awarded gold, while Aviv REIT (NYSE: AVIV) received the silver award and Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE: KRG) took bronze.
Because of its smaller size, only one Investor CARE Award was presented in the mortgage REITs sector. This year’s recipient of the gold award for mortgage REITs was Starwood Property Trust (NYSE: STWD).
The criteria used to choose winners was broadened this year and now consist of a company’s online presence, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings and investor relations practices. All three categories are weighted equally.
The awards are intended to recognize those companies that interact most effectively with their investors online, as well as through written and verbal communication. The awards also highlight companies that provide investors with the most comprehensive, clearly articulated and useful information in the most efficient manner.
Steve Wechsler, Nareit’s president and CEO, announced the companies that had been recognized for their efforts in communications and reporting.
The Nareit CARE Awards are judged by an independent panel of REIT securities analysts and portfolio managers.
This year’s judges included: the Chilton REIT team of REIT analyst Blane Cheatham , managing director Bruce Garrison and portfolio manager/analyst Matthew Werner; the Forum Securities team of managing director Sophia Banar, managing director Douglas Funke and research analyst Peter Siciliano; the ICR real estate team of partner Brad Cohen, , senior associate Shannon Devine, senior vice president Rodny Nacier, managing director Nikki Sacks, senior vice president Kara Smith and managing director Steve Swett; the Lazard Asset Management team of vice president Gautam Garg and managing director Jay Leupp; Eden Levinson, senior vice president with Harrison Street Securities, LLC; Neil Malkin, associate at RBC Capital Markets; and Steve Sakwa, senior managing director and partner at ISI Group LLC.