A pair of Quad Cities businessmen, whose careers intersect with development and construction, have been named to the Midwest Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Hall of Fame.
Paul VanDuyne, the president and CEO of IMEG, based in Rock Island, and Charlie Armstrong, senior vice president and director of NAI Ruhl Commercial in Davenport, were among the 46 professionals honored with 2025 award. Presented by Midwest Real Estate News, the honorees were highlighted in the industry publication’s Winter 2026 issue.
The award is presented annually to industry veterans who have succeeded in even the most challenging market conditions, evolved with the commercial real estate industry, embraced new technology, and are engaged in their communities.
To learn more about this year’s hall of fame class, read their profiles in Midwest REnews.
Here a closer look at the two QC honorees:
- Paul VanDuyne joined IMEG – then a small, Midwest firm known as KJWW – in 1976 as its 16th employee. He rose through the ranks to become president and CEO in 2003 and today oversees what has grown into a national, employee-owned firm of more than 3,000 team members and more than 100 locations across the U.S.
In his profile in Midwest RE News, he is credited with building IMEG into one of the nation’s fastest-growing engineering consulting firms. Headquartered in the Quad Cities, IMEG continues to expand through organic growth and strategic acquisitions.
Mr. VanDuyne began his career at an engineering firm in New Jersey before relocating in the 1970s to attend Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport. While earning a doctorate, he worked part-time as a draftsman for what then was KJWW in Rock Island, with the intention of leaving the engineering field. Instead, he joined KJWW and eventually combined his engineering expertise and healthcare insight to establish the firm’s design work in healthcare.
He shepherded the pivotal 2015 merger of KJWW and a California-based firm TTG, creating IMEG. Under his leadership, IMEG has grown from 500 Midwest employees to 3,100 across the country. IMEG is ranked among the top engineering firms in the U.S. (No. 4 on BD+C’s top Engineering Firms and No. 48 on ENR’s Top 500 Design Firms). In addition to his contributions to the company and the engineering industry, Mr. VanDuyne is active in the Quad-Cities serving on the boards of several local nonprofit organizations. He currently is vice president of the board of trustees for Palmer College.
He also is a member of the Design Futures Council, NSPE, IES, and AEE, and serves on IMEG Board of Directors. In addition, he is a member of Strategic Coach and Chief Executive Network.
“One of the biggest challenges I’ve encountered and worked to overcome is transforming IMEG from a regional engineering firm to a cohesive, nation firm with a deep bench of expertise while preserving the local relationships that define who we are,” Mr. VanDuyne told Midwest RE News.
- Charlie Armstrong, a longtime broker with NAI Ruhl Commercial Company, is being inducted into the 16th class of the Midwest Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame.
“For 25 years, Charlie has been a driving force at NAI Ruhl Commercial and a trusted advisor to clients across Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois,” NAI Ruhl Commercial President Chris Beason said in a company news release announcing the honor. “His consistency, professionalism, and deep expertise in the industrial sector have shaped his career and elevated the standard of brokerage in our market. This Hall of Fame honor recognizes the steady impact he has made throughout his career.”
Mr. Armstrong, now a company vice president and director, recently celebrated his 25th year at NAI Ruhl Commercial. He is a consistent top producing broker in the company as well as the Quad Cities market. He is a member of the Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS (SIOR).
“I am deeply honored to be selected to the Midwest Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame,” Mr. Armstrong said in the NAI Ruhl release. “This recognition belongs not only to me, but to NAI Ruhl Commercial Company, where I have worked for my entire real estate career, and my Ruhl co-workers who always do their best to make me look good.”
The veteran commercial broker specializes in industrial real estate handling acquisition, disposition, sale-leasebacks and investment properties as well as some corporate service and consulting assignments.
In his Midwest RE profile, Mr. Armstrong is hailed as a go-to referral partner for major brokerages that lack a physical presence in the Quad Cities, Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Prior to joining NAI Ruhl, he was the president and CEO of a multi-branch industrial distribution company operating across a four-state region
Last year, Mr. Armstrong was part of the team that handled one of the most significant industrial developments in the QC market – META/Facebook’s purchase of 328 acres in the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center for its $800 million data center.
“I am grateful for the great relationships with many loyal clients, as well as the other commercial real estate brokers I have done deals with over the years,” Mr. Armstrong said. “I have been fortunate to witness and contribute to the growth and prosperity of the Quad Cities region. As I look back over my 25+ years as a commercial real estate broker, it has flown by because I truly enjoy what I do and have had fun along the way.”
Mr. Armstrong is the second NAI Ruhl Commercial leader to be named to the Midwest CRE Hall of Fame. He joins Rick Schaefer, NAI Ruhl vice president/director, who was named to the list in 2015.
