Akrete: Evanston B2B Real Estate PR Agency Profile

Originally published May 2021. Updated October 14, 2026.

What is Akrete?

Akrete is an Evanston, Illinois, B2B public relations, content and marketing agency founded in 2011 by Margy Sweeney. It serves commercial real estate, financial services, professional services and cannabis clients, and describes itself as woman-owned. The firm has about 30 professionals working across several U.S. cities, and O'Dwyer's has ranked it third nationally among real estate investment and development specialists.

Who founded and leads Akrete?

Margy Sweeney founded Akrete in 2011 and serves as founder and CEO, after what her Stevie Awards biography describes as time leading the Great Lakes office of a New York City-based PR firm and holding agency and in-house corporate marketing roles. Her GlobeSt. biography describes a 30-year career in commercial real estate as a development marketing manager, journalist, ghostwriter and agency leader, and names her a 2023 GlobeSt.com Woman of Influence. Nicole Stenclik became the firm's first president in a newly created role, working with Sweeney to run client service and operations for a team of about 30. Stenclik previously worked in client leadership at Text100's Boston office, at healthcare IT startup Imprivata, and at BlissPR in New York, per the Real Estate Journals report. EPR's earlier profile did not list the president role.

What does Akrete do?

Akrete offers media relations, PR advisory, corporate communications, content development and marketing services for its focus industries. Sweeney's Stevie Awards biography describes a "work where and when it makes sense" model that recruits B2B writers, media professionals and marketers wherever they live, and the firm's own statement stresses senior-level teams with deep industry knowledge and no ramp-up. EPR's earlier profile also listed branding, social media and crisis work; those items came from the firm's older marketing copy and were not re-verified.

Which clients has Akrete worked with?

Akrete has worked with JLL, Steelcase, BGO, Unispace and Kingbird Investment Management, according to the president announcement, which says Stenclik led that work. Sweeney's GlobeSt. biography adds Kiavi and KeyBank Real Estate Capital among more than 100 clients served to date. EPR's earlier profile named KeyBanc Capital Markets, Arbor Lodging Partners, Garden Remedies, Norman Partners, Free Market Ventures, Building Social, The Goldie Initiative and Third Federal, which could not be re-verified in this review. The KeyBanc name in particular may refer to the KeyBank Real Estate Capital relationship and should be confirmed with the firm.

What recognition has Akrete received?

Akrete won the 2025 Gold Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year in the United States and Canada, according to Sweeney's Stevie Awards judge biography. The same biography cites PRNEWS Agency Elite Top 120 recognition, a 2025 PRWeek Best Places to Work award, and a ranking of third nationally in O'Dwyer's real estate finance and development category sustained for nearly a decade. The 2023 company release also cites the 2023 O'Dwyer's ranking of third among independent firms specializing in real estate investment and development. Sweeney was named to the 2026 Top Women in PR and Communications list in the business entrepreneurs category.

How does Akrete compare with other agencies?

Akrete is a sector specialist, so it is best compared with other focused boutiques in the PR agency profiles directory rather than with large generalists. For real estate and cannabis buyers, the real estate PR, financial services PR and cannabis PR sections cover the surrounding market, and the best PR firms in New York and Los Angeles PR firms lists cover two of its larger markets. Other independent profiles include Coyne PR and Bliss PR.

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Related: PR agency profiles, Real estate PR, Financial services PR, Cannabis PR, Coyne PR