Sarah Wick, Senior Vice President of Affordable Housing at Related Midwest, has once again been recognized for her many contributions to the industry as recipient of the 2025 Graaskamp Center Innovator Award. Established in 2009 by the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate at the Wisconsin School of Business, this prestigious award honors leaders who exemplify creativity, excellence and innovation in real estate. Wick received the award, bestowed by the Wisconsin Real Estate Program, at an event held on Thursday, March 13.
As the 18th honoree — and only the second woman to receive the award, following Goldie Wolfe Miller — Wick was recognized for her visionary leadership and unwavering advocacy in affordable housing. She played a pivotal role in passing Affordable Illinois legislation, a landmark policy that incentivizes developers to set aside 20% of a project’s units as affordable. The Row Fulton Market, which Related Midwest completed in 2023, was one of Chicago’s first “80/20” buildings under the legislation, with other projects like 400 Lake Shore utilizing the same model. In leading Related Midwest’s affordable housing practice, Wick has been instrumental in managing the creation and preservation of nearly 10,000 affordable homes, including transformative mixed-income projects like Lathrop on the North Side and Roosevelt Square on the Near West Side, both of which are ongoing.
The Graaskamp Center recently established a new graduate track in Affordable and Sustainable Housing Development and cited Wick’s work as “a shining example of ingenuity and purpose, providing inspiration to [its] students as they prepare to shape the future of real estate.”
A longtime supporter of the Wisconsin Real Estate Program, Wick regularly engages with students, most recently presenting at the 2024 Wisconsin Real Estate Trends Conference and connecting with students during a field trip to Chicago. Program directors noted her insights left a lasting impression, further enriching its academic community.
Through her leadership, advocacy and mentorship, Wick continues to shape the future of affordable housing in the Midwest while inspiring the next generation of real estate professionals to forge their own paths.
