Meet the 2015 WeDC Award Recipients

The Washington DC Economic Partnership Announces Winners for Inaugural We DC Awards

The Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) announced the winners for their inaugural We DC Awards to recognize Washington, D.C. leaders that have contributed their vision, energy, investment, and time to DC’s thriving economic ecosystem in the areas of Real Estate, Innovation + Technology, and the Creative Economy. The winners were honored at today’s WDCEP’s Annual Meeting and Economic Showcase, an annual event that highlights the organization’s contribution to DC’s economy and celebrates the city’s economic accomplishments.

This year’s We DC recipients  were selected by select members of WDCEP’s Board of Directors.

The recipients of the We DC Awards for each category are as follows:

We DC | Real Estate  | We Dream

This award recognizes an individual and/or company that are in commercial or housing development, architecture, construction management, real estate brokerage, and property management.

Monty Hoffman, Founder and CEO, PN Hoffman (Developer)

PN Hoffman is known for its longstanding track record of successful projects that enhance communities. A design forward vision, a strong community commitment, and a long-term quality perspective have earned PN Hoffman a sterling reputation.

The results have revitalized entire neighborhoods and brought new life to communities. PN Hoffman was one of the first developers to revitalize the 14th Street Corridor, Logan Circle, and Adams Morgan. PN Hoffman was also on the forefront of sustainability having developed the first LEED certified residential high-rise in Washington D.C., (the Alta) years before environmental considerations were commonplace. Of course, every PN Hoffman project since that time has been LEED certified.

We DC  | Innovation + Tech  | We Imagine

This award recognizes an individual or company in the high technology, web application, graphic design or data and research. 

Ben Miller, Co-Founder and CEO, Fundrise

Founded in 2012 by Ben and his brother Dan, Fundrise was the first company to crowd fund real estate online, including investments in projects such as 3 World Trade Center in Manhattan. The site allows investors to earn favorable returns (historically 12% to 14%) for as little as $100, and as much as $10 million. Based in Washington, D.C., Fundrise offers investors the opportunity to invest in private real estate more efficiently and transparently.

We DC  | Creative Economy  | We Create

This award recognizes an individual or company in the theatre, restaurant, or culinary, culture (museum, gallery, etc.), music, art, or film industries.

Jonas Singer and Cullen Gilchrist, Co-Founders and Co-Owners, Union Kitchen

Jonas Singer co-founded Union Kitchen after launching Blind Dog Cafe in 2012. Since the inception of Union Kitchen in 2012, Mr. Singer has worked with more than 120 businesses, supporting their growth and providing a long-term vision to provide scalability to local businesses, keeping them competitive in a landscape in which it is increasingly difficult to survive. Cullen Gilchrist has wide experience in the food industry, from washing dishes to managing restaurants to owning his own business and continues to oversee operations at Blind Dog Café.

Union Kitchen believes that to create a diverse, exciting, and prosperous creative economy, local businesses need to thrive and local entrepreneurs must bring their passion to their community. Union Kitchen exists to grow and promote food-based businesses with the goal to build an interconnected platform for small businesses by providing a low-cost, low-risk, full-service kitchen for local businesses to establish their operations, streamline their distribution, and drive growth at every stage of the entrepreneurial process.

Posted on October 30, 2015