CEO
Reno, NV
Number of Employees: 9
Years in Nevada: 17
Years with Company: 2
How did you first get into your profession?
I entered the real estate profession in 1994, after years as a radio and television news reporter and anchor. We moved to the Carson Valley area to raise our children, and I became a successful Realtor, then a co-owner of a leading firm in the area. Two years ago, I transitioned into the position of CEO of the Nevada Association of REALTORS®.
What do you like most and least about your industry?
If you asked anyone in this profession, they’d tell you that it offers unlimited potential for personal and financial reward. Realtors help people with huge life-changing decisions. My position as CEO allows me to work with the nearly 14,000 Realtors in the state as they go about their business. What I like least is this down market we’ve experienced for the past four years and the drastic impact it has had on my members.
What business advice would you give someone just starting in your industry?
Real estate is a demanding and rewarding field. The best Realtors are those who listen and respond to their clients’ needs. It’s also absolutely imperative to always be prospecting and staying in front of industry trends.
If you had to choose another profession, what would it be? Why?
I would love to be a screen writer. I love movies, love to write and have a million creative thoughts moving through my mind at any time. It would be fun to explore that vision.
What is a little known fact about yourself?
I’m a musician. I’ve played drums professionally for all sorts of bands: jazz, rock, you name it.
What was the toughest lesson you’ve learned in your career?
When you get beaten up by life or circumstance, you need to jump back on your feet, brush yourself off and put a determined look on your face while marching forward. Never give up. Never.
What would you want your legacy to future generations to be?
I’ve always told my sons I want to be remembered as a person who treated everyone with respect, and tried to do the right thing at all times. That’s a good enough legacy for me.
2011-09-01
