Nareit President and CEO Steve Wechsler opened Tuesday’s lunch session during REITweek 2026 by recognizing the 20th anniversary of the FTSE Nareit U.S. Real Estate Index Series and honoring a range of industry leaders and companies for excellence in investor communications, leadership, and service to the REIT industry.
Wechsler noted that the FTSE Nareit Index Series has become one of the REIT industry’s most important benchmarks over the past two decades, helping investors analyze, compare, and allocate capital across listed real estate. As of December 2025, the series served as a benchmark for nearly $130 billion in total assets. He also highlighted the broader FTSE EPRA Nareit Global Real Estate Index Series, which supports more than $300 billion in assets worldwide.
“It’s not an overstatement to say that during the past two decades, this series has become the benchmark with the greatest reach and integrity in the REIT industry,” Wechsler said.
Wechsler also reflected on the role of the late Nick van Ommen, founding chair of the European Public Real Estate Association, in helping establish the global listed real estate benchmark partnership between Nareit, FTSE Russell, and EPRA.
A video message from Fiona Bassett emphasized the importance of the longstanding collaboration between FTSE Russell and Nareit in supporting transparency, liquidity, and innovation across the listed real estate market.
The session also included recognition of this year’s CARE (Communications and Reporting Excellence) Award recipients, which honor excellence in investor communications and reporting practices:
- In the large cap equity REIT category, Welltower received the gold award, while Prologis earned silver, and UDR received bronze.
- Among small cap equity REITs, Tanger received gold, Easterly Government Properties earned silver, and Highwoods Properties received bronze.
- In the mortgage REIT category, Starwood Property Trust received the top honor.
Wechsler also presented Nareit’s two major individual industry awards: the Industry Leadership Award to Tom Baltimore; and the Industry Achievement Award to Bill Ferguson.
Thomas J. Baltimore Jr., chairman, president, and CEO of Park Hotels & Resorts, received the Edward H. Lindner Industry Leadership Award, which recognizes significant and lasting contributions to the REIT industry. Wechsler highlighted Baltimore’s more than 25 years of leadership in the lodging REIT sector, including his previous role leading RLJ Lodging Trust and his service as Nareit’s 2018 chair. He also praised Baltimore’s longstanding commitment to leadership development and advancing opportunities for future generations of REIT professionals. In accepting the award, Baltimore reflected on the industry’s impact on his career and thanked colleagues, family members, and Nareit leadership for their support throughout his career.
Nareit also presented the E. Lawrence Miller Industry Achievement Award to Bill Ferguson, co-chairman and CEO of Ferguson Partners. The award recognizes individuals whose leadership and insight have helped build awareness and understanding of REITs and publicly traded real estate. Wechsler noted Ferguson’s decades-long influence on executive recruitment, governance, succession planning, and leadership development across the commercial real estate industry, as well as his work supporting future industry talent through the Ferguson Centers for Leadership Excellence Foundation.
The lunch session preceded a capital markets panel moderated by Sumit Roy, president and CEO of Realty Income and Nareit’s 2026 chair.