Michelle is the Executive Vice President at Transwestern and our longtime Board Chair of the North Houston District. 

In an effort to highlight the talented and forward-thinking women creating positive change in our area, we are proud to present a new series: North Houston Leading Ladies. In each feature, we will spotlight a woman leader of a business or organization located within or in active partnership with the District. 

She has been a Top 10 broker in the real estate industry for the majority of her career, and in 2011, she was the top woman producer at Transwestern nationally and was voted one of the top 15 women in real estate in Houston, Texas. Michelle is a recognized business leader in the North Houston submarket, serving as Chairman of the Board for the North Houston District since October 2013. Since 2004, Michelle’s team completed more than 1,000 lease transactions equal to over 10 million square feet valued in excess of $1.2 billion. She was also recognized as one of the top producers for the past 14 years at Transwestern and being part of the Transwestern Champions Club, and she was consistently a top producer at CBRE.

Michelle Wogan joined the team at Transwestern in 2004. In her role as Executive Vice President, she helps take care of the needs of owners and landlords, representing corporations looking for office space or looking to sell assets. Wogan has worked with clients with specialized property requirements for over 37 years and knows the commercial real estate inventory in the North Houston District like the back of her hand.

Spreading the Word About North Houston

In tandem with the District, she works to bring commercial businesses to the area by helping them secure the perfect space for their needs.

Wogan wants people to know that there are high-quality commercial leasing options in the North Houston District in a variety of inventory types. The landlords in the area are well-capitalized and have done a fantastic job renovating buildings to outfit them with updated and enhanced amenities that tenants are looking for, at half the price of other competitive markets. “Conference rooms, responsive property management and onsite security, comfortable common areas, fitness centers, food halls—you name it, these assets have it,” she says.

A CRE Paradise

Wogan says the biggest draw to the area she highlights for clients is the location.

The real estate pro says the prime location has a lot to do with the commercial success of the area, bringing national and international companies to North Houston. “Without a doubt, you get the best value for the money within the North Houston District. We have a higher vacancy rate compared to some other submarkets, but we also have really strong retention rates. Businesses that come here, stay here,” Wogan tells us. Many commercial tenants and buyers would be hard pressed to find similar available space at comparable rates elsewhere in the city.

Leading & Learning

Recognized as a top producer for the past 20 years, Wogan is most proud of her successes for clients during her time at Transwestern. She is observant and open-minded, leading with curiosity and a willingness to consider new points of view.

“If I ask someone to do something, they might do it differently than me and that’s okay, because I might learn something from them. Their way might be more efficient than my way. Letting individuals showcase their individual talents is so much more productive than a ‘my way or the highway’ attitude,” she explains. 

At the December 2008 Volunteer Appreciation Event. From left, District Board Chair, James Curry, District President, Jack Drake, Elvin Franklin – TIRZ Board Chair receiving 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award, District Vice-chair, Michelle Wogan

Taking Time to Mentor & Help Others

Wogan has mentored many people during her 37 years in the industry, joining the board of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), an organization which helps young women enter the CRE industry which can be difficult and daunting without guidance or a network to tap into.

She also has served as Chair of the Lone Star Giving Foundation Board, serves on the Executive Board of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and is Chair of the Board for the North Houston District.

She has also volunteered for Light the Night for the last 14 years. “There has been a lot of cancer in my family and circle of friends, so this is a cause I am really passionate about. I want researchers to find a cure for cancer during my lifetime,” she tells us. Wogan says there has been huge progress with regard to treatments and survival rates for children diagnosed with blood cancer. “The fundraising is helping, the research is working, and every day we are finding new and better ways to fight cancer.”

Family Support

Wogan has five brothers and sisters and was born and raised in Houston. She has been married for 31 years and met her husband when they were both students at the University of Texas. She notes that she is fortunate to have good people in her life who have been positive and supportive throughout her career. “My husband is an excellent partner who took the reins when I couldn’t get home to pick up our daughter or let the dogs out. I can’t do what I do without him, I am grateful,” she says.

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn to see what she does from here.