Judy Frydland

Judy Frydland is a leader. As the former Building Commissioner to the City of Chicago and 25-year veteran of the Chicago Law Department, she has many years of valuable experience under her belt, though it was some of life’s first lessons that she learned from her boss at her first job at age 15, that she always takes with her: 1. You can do more with honey than vinegar. 2. You don’t always have to show what you know – You learn more by listening to others. 3. Evaluate every important decision in life with one question—will this make me better? In a leadership role, every decision should lead to improvement.  

Frydland believes in a lead-by-consensus approach. She listens to multiple points of view and finds common ground to address the issue at hand. She reinstated the Electrical Commission after a hiatus of 14 years to be proactive on electrical code and inspection safety. She was able to modernize the Chicago Building Code after many failed attempts that spanned 70 years.  

In her next chapter, Frydland will continue to wield her law practice to assist others to navigate government and address needs as it pertains to compliance and conflict resolution. She has left a legacy to be proud of as Building Commissioner, but her work and desire to make positive impacts on the city she loves are unrelenting.  

These are just a few of the reasons we chose Frydland as one of the Chicago 2021 Women in Real Estate Award winners. Connect CRE’s Women in Real Estate Awards honor the achievements and inspirational stories of women who have reached respected positions of leadership and play key mentorship roles for others.