Meet the Leadership LAB Bloggers

 

Francisco J. Angulo, ABR, CIPS, CRB, CRS, GRI, ePRO born in Caracas, Venezuela and a resident of Florida since 1988 has been a REALTOR® since 1994. He is the division President of the United Team Group a company specializing in real estate, lending, insurance and title. The Real Estate division is partnered with the Century 21 System. He is NAR President’s Liaison to Venezuela since 2006 and a RPAC major donor. In the state of Florida, Francisco is a Director for the Florida Association of REALTORS® for the past 2 years. Locally he is a Director of the Realtor Association of Greater Ft. Lauderdale and was Chairman of the REALTOR® Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s (RAGFL) International Real Estate Council (IREC) until 2007. An active educator, he hosted a 13-week television program called "Camino a Casa con Century 21" on Telemundo's National Television network, educating Hispanic communities on the steps to home ownership.

 

William C. Bass has been a REALTOR® for 35 years. He was instrumental in founding the NAR Leadership Academy and serves as chairman of the Advisory Committee. He is a director of the National Association of REALTORS® and serves on NAR’s Housing Needs Committee. Bass was also the 2002 President of the North Carolina Association of REALTORS®, served for 10 years on the executive committee, was a Regional Vice President for three years, as well as member of numerous committees. He is president of Bass and  Royster Builders, Inc. located in Asheville, North Carolina. Visit his Web site: www.bassandroyster.com/.

 

Daryl Braham, GRI, CRB, Fargo, ND, is the 2009 Vice President of the North Dakota Association of REALTORS®, the 2009 Vice Chairman of the NAR MLS Service Forum and member of the MLS Issues and Policies Committee and a 2009 NAR State Allocated Director. He is the President & CEO of Prudential LRES Realty and Heritage Homes, homebuilders, he also founded iON Leadership Consulting to provide business, association, and corporate leadership training, coaching and energy delivery. Visit his Web site:  www.prudential LRES Realty.

 

Mary Ann Bush, ABR, ABRM, AHWD, CRS, ePRO, GREEN, GRI, SRES,, as broker/owner of Bush Real Estate, Mary Ann's vast experience as a REALTOR® for the past 25 years brings a unique perspective to training courses. For the past 18 years, she has been living her passion by presenting courses that are educational, motivational, and entertaining, thereby providing agents with the tools necessary to implement change, enhance professionalism, increase profitability, and improve their personal well-being. Her motto is – "Raise the Bar!"

 

Bob de Camara, CRS, GRI is Broker/Owner of Prudential Mountain Properties in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Boone, North Carolina. He served as President of the Avery-Watauga Association of REALTORS® in 2005 and serves on several CRS, NCAR and NAR committees. He was selected in 2007 as NC CRS of the Year. He has been a Golden R since 2005 and a Member of the President’s Circle since 2007. Locally he serves on several municipal boards and is currently Secretary of Boone Sunrise Rotary. Bob is an Eagle Scout, a father of five children age 17-25 and resides in Boone with his daughters Megan and Chloë. Bob is a member of the 2009 Leadership Academy, visit his web site www.prumountainproperties.com

 

Oronzo “Otto” Catrina,  graduated with a B.A. in Government from the University of San Francisco and has been a full time Real Estate Broker/REALTOR® since 2003. He is Broker/Owner of Catrina Real Estate & Investment in Castro Valley, CA. Otto is married to wife his Gigi, and has 3 children and 2 grandchildren. Otto has served on various Bay East Association of REATORS®’ committees: Pro Standards, Mediation Council, Grievance and Professional Standards, President of Central County Marketing Association, Chair of Marketing Councils, Director for District 1, 2009 Treasure, and State Director for CAR. He most recently served as California Association of Realtor’s Vice Chair of EXPO and was just appointed Chair for CAR EXPO 2010.

Otto was named “REALTOR® of The Year 2007” and is a recent graduate of NAR’s Leadership Academy class of 2009. He was just appointed to a 2 year term on NAR’s Leadership Academy Advisory Committee and the Land Use Committee. Designations Otto has earned are: CRS, GRI, SRES, GREEN, CNE, SFR, & e-PRO. He is also very active in various community projects. Visit his web site http://www.ottocatrina.com

 

Jan Ellingson, ABR, ABRM, CRB, CRS, Green, GRI, SRES, e-Pro

Jan Ellingson is a Past President of Washington REALTORS® and also served as a past Treasurer. She is a past President of the North Puget Sound Association of REALTORS®, and has served on numerous REALTOR® committees on the local, state and national levels. She is a National Director, and has built four homes around the country with the REALTOR® Habitat for Humanity project, as well as leading a team of 15 REALTORS® to Louisiana for a Katrina Disaster Relief build with Habitat. She is currently serving as the NAR President's Liaison to New Zealand, a member of the 2010 Finance Committee, and will be the 2011 Region 12 Vice President for NAR.

Further, she is currently a member of the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council (REBAC), the Women's Council of REALTORS® (WCR) and 2010 State Treasurer; Council of Residential Specialists (CRS), Council of Real Estate Brokerage Managers (CRB), Graduate REALTOR® Institute (GRI), serves on the Northwest Multiple Listing Service Disciplinary Review Board, the Advisory Board to the Skagit County Planning and Development Department, and is a past Skagit County Planning Commissioner. She also served on the Department of Licensing's RCW 18.85 review Task Force. As a member of the Washington REALTORS® faculty she teaches ABR, ABRM, Green, SFR, SRES, and WCR Designation Courses, Professional Standards and Ethics, the state CORE class, At Home With Diversity, Mortgage Fraud, and Environmental Hazards.

Finally, and most important, Jan is a practicing real estate professional as the Managing Broker of Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Executive in Mount Vernon, Washington. She lives in Sedro Woolley with her husband Van, and in her spare time enjoys singing and golfing.

 

Mark Foreman, a REALTOR® for 21 years, is owner of Cornerstone Capital Mortgage & Real Estate Services, Inc. The firm, owned by his wife and him, has worked with clients such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fleet Bank, Chase Bank, Bank of America, GMAC, Clayton National, the Charles Smith Foundation and the Bridgeport Housing Authority.  Foreman serve as the NAR 2009 Liaison to Law and Policy and served as the NAR 2008 Vice President and Liaison to Committees for NAR. In 2006, Foreman was president of the Connecticut Association of REALTORS®.

 

Darrin Friedman, branch vice president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Chevy Chase, MD, is the youngest manager in the NRT owned Coldwell Banker Residential Mid-Atlantic company. Friedman not only led the entire company in recruiting for 2007, but also has turned his office into a profit making operation in less than a year. He has been recognized for creating a business-focused, innovation-first culture, one which helped dramatically turn a long time suffering office into a highly touted regional success. Friedman lives in the Washington, D.C., area with his wife and daughter. Visit his Web site: www.darrinfriedman.com

 

Donna Harnett, CRS, GRI, ePRO, a real estate professional for 15 years, is a broker with Coldwell Banker/Ward & Misenheimer in Durham, North Carolina. A REALTOR® volunteer since 1999 at the local, state, and national levels with a focus on Professional Development, RPAC, Communications, and Equal Opportunity/Cultural Diversity. Harnett is a 2004 graduate of North Carolina’s Leadership Academy and 2008 graduate of NAR’s Leadership Academy. Visit her web site: www.donnaharnett.com/.

 

 

Jim Hirshfield, author of Fortune & Freedom: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Success and the now-retired founder of cable company Summit Communications, shares his ideas on how to become a better leader. Read more how you can have freedom and fortune. Visit his web site:  www.fortuneandfreedomthebook.com/

 

 

Tom Jones has been a real estate practitioner for only three years, yet he's already been honored by the Rogers Board of REALTORS® as its 2008 REALTOR® of the Year.  Jones is sales associate with Harris McHaney REALTORS® in Rogers, Arkansas.  Visit his web site:  www.tomjones.biz

 

 

John Kretchmar

With over 30 years of Brokerage experience, Mr. Kretchmar's career continually encompasses a wide variety of real estate. He is a recognized expert in the field of sales, leasing, management, development and construction. Prior to purchasing RE/MAX Alliance, Mr. Kretchmar was the vice president in charge of Coldwell Banker's Water Tower office in Chicago's Magnificent Mile. He was the President of Brokerage Operations at The Habitat Company.

Mr. Kretchmar was the 1992-1997 Secretary and Treasurer of the Chicago Association of REALTORS®. He is the past President of CONDEX, a Chicago condominium multiple-listing service.

Mr. Kretchmar is the current owner of Chicago Exclusive Properties, with offices at 400 E. Randolph. Mr. Kretchmar is currently working on Harbour Town Condominiums. He has completed six of the six for the designation of the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) and holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from Roosevelt University with concentrations in accounting and management.

 

Jared Martin, CCIM, is currently serving as 2009 President of the Fresno Association of REALTORS®, he recently completed his duties as the Chairman for the California Association of REALTORS®, REALTORS® Commercial Alliance Committee. In 2010, he will be serving at the pleasure of Steve Goddard on the California Association of REALTORS® Executive Committee. He is a NAR Crystal R and a member of the President's Circle. Jared also serves as a Director for Fresno First Bank, a community bank located in Fresno California. Jared has lived in Fresno for 26 years. He graduated from the Sid Craig School of Business at Fresno State with a emphasis in management. Jared was raised in this business, his mother Jennifer Martin has been a REALTOR® since 1986 and his grandfather since 1975. Jared knows the rigors of real estate and has worked as a REALTOR® with Westland Realty or Keller Williams Westland Realty for the past eight years. Before working as a REALTOR® Jared worked in commercial lending and in outside sales.

 

Rob Mehta

Rob has been in the real estate industry since 1997. Prior to joining Coldwell Banker Burnet, Rob was the founder and owner of RE/MAX Real Estate Group and spent a decade with the RE/MAX organization in both sales and management. Rob was also involved in the cofounding of a real estate company in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2006. While the core of his business is in working with individual clients, his varied experience has included involvement with both residential properties and project planning and development, in both the sale of and on a consultant basis. His real-world experience has proved useful to clients in all facets of the real estate transaction, from strategic planning, marketing, and negotiations to securing financing and closing.

Rob holds the Accredited Buyer Representative Designation and the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) Designations and is a graduate of the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® Compass Academy and of the National Association of REALTORS® 2009 Leadership Academy.

 

Paula Miller is an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker Premier Homes in Shepherdstown, WV. A licensed REALTOR® since 1987, twice past president of the Eastern Panhandle Board of REALTORS®, a past REALTOR® of the Year of the West Virginia Association of REALTORS® (WVAR), a 2010 director with WVAR and the National Association of REALTORS®, 2010 Regional Vice President of Region 3, a graduate of the 2009 NAR Leadership Academy and a certified instructor with the WV Real Estate Commission. Visit Paula's website paulamiller.realtor.com.

 

Chris Nichols is a REALTOR® at Prudential Utah Elite Real Estate in Orem, UT where he is a member of the Hall of Fame and a Legend Award winner. Nichols is currently serving as President Elect of the Utah County Association of Realtors where he also serves as liaison to several committees. Chris serves as a Director for the Utah Association of Realtors and is on the state’s legislative committee. He is a member of the 2010 NAR Leadership Academy Class and serves on NAR’s Public Policy Coordinating Committee.

 

Mark "Marco" Palace graduated with a B.A. in Spanish from California State University - San Marcos, served as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar at the prestigious University Iberoamericana in Mexico City working on his Masters in International Relations, conducted graduate work and doctoral research at the University of Oslo, Norway and speaks nine languages. 

Mark founded Palace Properties International, Inc. and has created global and strategic alliances with offices in Norway, Sweden, UK, Iceland, El Salvador and Panama. Mark and his wife, Kelly Palace, invest in residential and commercial real estate. Mark has served as the 2008-2009 Melbourne Area Association of REALTORS® International Committee Chairman, 2010 National Association of REALTORS® Leadership Academy Member, 2008-2010 Florida Association of REALTORS® International Committee Member, 2008-2010 National Association of REALTORS® International Operations Committee Member and 2009 Florida Association of REALTORS® Leadership Academy Graduate. Marco has also served as an ambassador with the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce, where Palace Properties International has been an active member since its inception. Palace Properties International has also adopted the highway A1A along the oceanfront in Indian Harbour Beach, FL, in an effort to encourage civic pride and civic duty with other local businesses and community leaders. Marco has earned the CIPS, AHWD and TRC designations. Visit his website http://www.MarkPalace.com.

 

Kenny Parcell, a real estate professional for 12+ years, is a sales associate at Re/Max Results a real estate brokerage in Spanish Fork, Utah. Parcell is the 2009 first vice president of the Utah Association of REALTORS®, has been inducted into the Re/Max Hall of Fame and the recipient of the Re/Max Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2001 Parcell was selected as one of the top "30 REALTORS® under 30" by NAR. He has been the number one top producing agent within the company of over 200 agents for the last six years. In 2007 Parcell was the number one Re/Max agent for the state of Utah for closed transactions. He is a participant in the 2009 NAR Leadership Academy.

 

Hanne Sagalowsky is a former president (2006) of the Dallas area (MetroTex) Association of REALTORS® and current president of NTREIS, the North Texas Regional MLS. She received the Lois Hair Bernays Award (Dallas REALTOR® of the Year) in 2003. She is a "Best Real Estate Agent" named by "Texas Monthly" & "D Magazine" 2002-2009. Hanne was inducted into the Omega Tau Rho fraternity for exceptional service to the Real Estate Community. She is also a member of NAR's Leadership Academy.

Real estate has become international and Hanne is truly an international REALTOR®. She is a member of the International Operations Committee of the National Association of REALTORS®. She was appointed Ambassador Liaison between NAR and the Danish Association. Hanne was born in Denmark and is fluent in Danish as well as German - and understands several other languages. She was the 2009 chair of the International Committee for the Texas Association of REALTORS® and led the largest foreign NAR trade mission to Mexico in cooperation with the Mexican Association of REALTORS® (AMPI).

 

Kevin M. Sears, 2010 President of the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®
Kevin M. Sears, an owner and partner of Sears Real Estate in Springfield, MA, is the 2010 President of the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR). In 2006, Kevin was named the Massachusetts REALTOR® of the Year. A REALTOR® since 1994, Kevin has served the REALTOR® Association as a Federal Political Coordinator to Bay State Congressman Richard Neal (D-Springfield) for nearly 10 years, and has been recognized as an RPAC Major Donor since 2004 and has been a "Golden R" contributor and member of the President's Circle since 2007. Kevin is currently serving as Vice-Chair for the NAR RPAC Trustees. In his hometown of Springfield, MA, Kevin has been involved with the Rental Housing Association of Greater Springfield, the Forest Park Civic Association, the Springfield Rotary Club, Cathedral High School, the Chamber of Commerce, and a director of the Mason Wright Retirement Community, an assisted living facility that provides housing for low-income seniors and elderly residents in the Greater Springfield area. Kevin received a BA in History from Providence College and earned his MBA from Western New England College. Lastly, and most importantly, Kevin is married to Molly and they have three children. Which has allowed Kevin to be a Little League coach for his children's various sports teams. Visit Kevin's website at www.KevinSears.com.

 

Baro Shalizi Baryalai Shalizi, or "Baro" as he is known, was born in India and lived overseas for many years. He has a Bachelor's degree from Brandies University in Languages with a Masters degree in International Law & International Business from The American University in Washington, D.C. 

Baro has lived in Santa Fe, NM, for many years and has been very involved in the community, such as Volunteer Involvement Service, Leadership Santa Fe Alumni Association; Foundation for Indian Leadership, the Santa Fe Community Theatre; Capitol City Jaycees; Cultural Affairs Committee, Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce; Small Business Advisory Group, Sangre de Cristo Animal Protection Center, Moving People Dance Theatre, Compassion Beyond Borders and the Laguna Education Foundation. Baro is a REALTOR® and owns his own brokerage, Shalizi Real Estate. He holds the Certified Residential Specialist and Certified International Properties Specialist which very few REALTORS® in the nation hold. Baro is also a GREEN and Certified Resort and Second Home Specialist. Baro graduated from the first NAR Leadership Academy class in 2008.

 

Cynthia Shelton, CCIM, CRE, GRI is director of investment sales at Colliers Arnold in Orlando and 2009 President of Florida Association of REALTORS®. To read a full profile, view her current listings and see her recent transactions visit Collier Arnold Orlando. Visit her website: www.colliers.com/cynthia.shelton

 

 

Todd Shipman, CIPS, GRI

The greatest challenge in developing REALTOR leadership is not identifying natural leaders, but helping to encourage, support and guide them into positions where each of them can grow both personally and professionally. This has been one of my pursuits as a Realtor leader.

Veteran residential specialist at Lakes Sotheby's International realty in Minneapolis and former President of Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors, Chair of NorthstarMLS, and graduate of The NAR Leadership Academy and life long volunteer leader that embraces change.

 

Leslie Rouda Smith, CRB, CRS, ABR, ePRO and PMN
Leslie was raised in the real estate business and has been actively involved for 30 years. She has served on most committees and many leadership positions at the local level. She is very involved in the formation of one of the oldest leadership programs in the industry. The program is entering its twenty-first year.

At the state level, Leslie serves as a PAC Trustee and Co-Chair of PAC orientation. She also serves on Strategic Planning, Government Affairs, Political Affairs and Professional Development Committees.

As incoming Chair of the NAR Leadership Academy, Leslie has served on the Advisory Board for 3 years. She has chaired the Professional Development Committee for NAR. In 2009 she was a Liaison to the Professional Development Committee and Forum, Research Committee, Communications Committee, Economic Issues and Trends Committee, Meeting and Conference Committee and Forum.

Leslie is currently the RPAC funding Liaison Elect and will chair RPAC Fundraising for NAR in 2011.

 

Theresa Stewart is the owner of Theresa Stewart, Coaching & Consulting. She is also the Owner of Stewart Properties of Oklahoma and has been a Real Estate Broker for 16 years.

Theresa is the 2012 Region 9 Vice President for the National Association of REALTORS®, Past National Director for the National Association of REALTORS® and is a past member of the National Association of Realtors Issues Committee, dealing with current and future issues which face the Industry. She was the 2005 President of the Oklahoma Association of REALTORS® , is a Director for the Oklahoma Association, is the 2008 REALTOR® of the Year for Oklahoma, 2009 REALTOR® of the Year for the Ada Board of REALTORS® and currently serves the State Association on the Finance, Strategic Planning, Legislative and Education Committees. She is the Facilitator of the Leadership Program for the Oklahoma Association of REALTORS®.

Theresa is a graduate of Leadership Ada, National Association of REALTORS® Leadership Academy and Leadership Oklahoma. She holds a designation from the REALTOR® Graduate Institute.

Theresa is a native Oklahoman. She resides in Ada with her husband, Danny. They have two children, Joshua 26 and Caleb 21. She is actively involved in her community and church.

Theresa is a Trainer, Consultant, Teacher and Coach across the United States helping Brokers, Agents and Board and State Leaders evaluate their business model then putting a more Successful plan of Action into place, designing a Future of Success.

 

Michael Tessaro, ABR, CRS, GRI, SRES is 2009 California Association of REALTORS® State Director and Vice-Chair of MLS and Business Technology Committee, 2009 Assistant Regional Chair and Regional Liaison to Strategic Planning and Finance, Liaison from the California MLS committee to new MLS CAL-REDD. 2008 NAR Leadership Academy graduate, A native of California with 25 years of experience and the distinction as one of the most productive agents in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information visit his site, myagent.rockcliff.com/splash.aspx?ID=2577

 

Patricia "Pat" Terrill, Pat Terrill, Born in Washington, DC. five children, nine grandchildren, eight great grandchildren. Past President of the Coastal Association of REALTORS, Current Secretary of the Maryland Association of REALTORS®.  Served on 80+ local, state and national committees. I am the Federal Political Coordinator for District 1 in the state of Maryland. Graduate of the Maryland Association of REALTORS® Leadership Academy and the National Association of REALTORS® Leadership Academy.

 

Suzanne Yost, CRS, GRI, has more than 30 years of experience selling residential properties including single family homes, new construction, and condominiums. She is a Broker Associate with Alain Pinel REALTORS®, the largest privately-owned and independent residential real estate company in California with 32 offices throughout the Bay Area. For 10 years, Suzanne has owned and operated Yost Management, which specializes in property management of single family homes, condominiums, apartments and homeowner associations. A member of the California Bar Association, Suzanne earned a J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law, and she serves as an expert witness and consultant in legal proceedings involving real estate. Suzanne also is an active educator; she is a Master instructor at the REALTORS® Institute teaching courses related to Agency, Ethics, Legal Issues, Risk Management and Contract throughout California. Visit her Web site: http://www.suzanneyost.com/