Point of View: EDITOR'S NOTE

Why one woman?

I wasn’t surprised to see distress among some readers that we published a “25 most influential people in real estate” list last month that included only one woman. I understand the impulse to protest. I’m the daughter of one of the original “women’s libbers,” and I believe that men and women should be given equal opportunity in the workplace.

On the other hand, I can’t think of a profession where gender is less of an issue than real estate. This business has long provided entrepreneurial opportunity, independence, and flexibility to women who needed to support themselves and their family. Women have found phenomenal success in this business, in both sales and management. And over the course of their careers, they’ve influenced others, often in a profoundly positive way.

For whatever reason, however, not many of those women have moved into what I’d call mover-and-shaker roles. Although a lot of terrific women were nominated for “most influential,” there weren’t many whose influence extended to the national stage.

Twelve years ago, NAR’s first woman president, Dorcas Helfant, said she believed it would be a matter of time before women worked their way into the senior ranks of the business. Lo and behold, that’s starting to happen.

In November, NAR released its 2003 Member Profile showing that, for the first time, women slightly edge out men among members who are brokers. At about the same time, Long & Foster Cos., parent of the nation’s largest regional independent brokerage, announced the appointment of Brenda Shipplett as president and chief operating officer. A woman also heads one of the nation’s major franchises: Brenda Casserly has been president of ERA Real Estate since 2001.

If ever there was a glass ceiling in real estate, that barrier has been shattered—and I expect that future “most influential” lists will reflect that. When we reach that point, let’s hope we can relegate the gender equality debate to the history books.

—Editor Stacey Moncrieff

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