Artemis Real Estate Partners co-founder Deborah Harmon, a PERE Lifetime Achievement Award winner, has proven championing diversity and delivering strong performance are compatible. Her firm, Artemis, was acquired by Barings, MassMutual's asset manager, ending its 17-year independence. Artemis grew into a $12 billion real estate manager, consistently achieving high returns.

Harmon views the sale as validation that diversity drives performance, a core Artemis principle. PERE data shows Artemis's flagship funds delivered 14.6%+ net value-add returns and TVPI of 1.29x+ from 2012-2019, with Fund III achieving 16.1% IRR and 1.34x TVPI. Harmon's legacy extends beyond finance; she broke barriers as a woman in real estate, founding Artemis when less than 1% of US AUM was managed by women-owned firms.

She pushed for diversity in investing, facing skepticism but securing $436 million for her debut fund despite initial rejections. Her grit and vision paved the way for others.