L E A D E R S H I P  T E A M

Michelle Foreman-Barnet
President and Chief Operating Officer
In 1997, Michelle Foreman Barnet joined Columbia West Properties Inc. (CWP), a firm founded by her mother Diane Foreman in 1988. She became president in 1999 and has the primary role in finding, analyzing the financial benefits and risks, and purchasing commercial and hospitality properties. She leads the team that manages properties and tenant services.

With the energy, passion and drive of an innovator and the consistency and analytical powers of a savvy businessperson, Michelle quickly makes decisions and jumps on good investment opportunities. Her approach is to make qualitative decisions driven by numbers and balanced with the willingness to take educated risks.

Her style is best described as “casual intensity.” She has a business-casual attitude, servant leadership approach and intense method of analyzing, buying and profitably managing quality office and hospitality properties.

Michelle is a good judge of finding outside talent and has chosen an outstanding staff. She works with her employees in a coaching role and gives people the room to do their jobs and the respect to seriously consider their advice. She has created a staff that is extremely flexible and able to move their focus to emerging opportunities.

Michelle received her Bachelor of Science in Hotel Restaurant Management from the University of Nevada Las Vegas Hotel School and worked for 10 years in major U.S. cities on a variety of hospitality projects. She is a member of Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), a premier association of global business leaders.

Michelle has been married to Steve Barnet for eight years. They are the parents of a young son, Max, who accompanies her to work.