GA REALCAST with Maura Neill

It's our final Women's History Month episode, and I sat down (via Zoom, in the midst of our Shelter in Place for COVID-19) to talk with Paula Monthofer, Past President of the Arizona REALTORS® and Immediate Past Regional Vice President (RVP) for Region 11 for the National Association of REALTORS® to discuss the role of women in real estate from a historical perspective, going back to the early beginnings of our nation, through real estate's establishment as a legitimate business, into the time of the early nineteenth century and the women's suffrage movement and into modern times. We discuss everything from traditional gender roles and the assumptions we make to female friendship, mentorship, and leadership. You can read more about women in real estate by visiting the NAR Library and Archives (see link below).

Paula and I have had lots of talks over the years about the role of women in our industry, gender roles, and how we can reshape the assumptions we make and the personas we project, so she seemed a natural choice for this organic and authentic conversation.

LINKS WE REFERENCE IN THIS EPISODE:

• National Association of REALTORS® Library and Archives (https://www.nar.realtor/library-archives) -- available for member use (just log in to nar.realtor). The Library and Archives offers a variety of research services and thousands of print and digital resources for use by NAR members and state and local association staff. You can also email the Librarians with questions at: [email protected], tweet them at @askNAR, or chat live on their website during Library hours, 8:30 - 11:30 am & 12:30 - 4 pm Central, Monday to Friday
• Women in Real Estate, National Association of REALTORS®: https://www.nar.realtor/women-in-real-estate

PAULA MONTHOFER: Paula’s experience as an active REALTOR®, National Speaker, and Business Leader translates in a fun and relatable way. She was the 2017 President of Arizona REALTORS® and 2017 AZ REALTOR® of the Year, was the 2019 NAR Region XI Vice President, and is the Owner of the Focus School of Real Estate. She has been honored with NAAR’s Distinguished Service Award and their President's Award, and was the 2014 winner of the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce’s Young Athena Award. Most people in Flagstaff know her by her favorite title; “Sam’s Mom.” (She also said I could simply introduce her as REALTOR®/Maura's friend, but she obviously deserves much more recognition than that.) You can find her online at www.PaulaMonthofer.com.

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March is Women's History Month, and I wanted to take a moment to briefly shine a spotlight on a few inspiring women in real estate (I say "briefly" because there's an entire podcast -- not just one or two episodes -- just waiting to be made on this topic). Join me as I highlight some of the interesting facts about women in real estate, from both a historical and modern perspective, as well as welcome some inspiring guests.

In this episode, join me for a fun brunch with three past female Presidents of the Georgia REALTORS® -- 2001 President Barbara Kennon, 2005 President Jan Baker, and 2013 President Robin Lance. Not only are they three of the 12 female Past Presidents of the Georgia REALTORS®, they are shining examples of leadership and they are fast friends -- the real kind, true "besties" who lift each other up, sing each other's praises...and are constantly on the lookout for future female leaders to continue their legacies.

Honoring HARRIET KONTER: The ladies wanted to be sure that we honored their dear friend, Harriet Konter, first female President of the Georgia REALTORS®, whom we lost in fall or 2019. In her honor, here is a little more about this inspiring woman. Harriet Konter blazed the trail for women serving in GAR leadership roles as the first female president of GAR in 1987. Her REALTOR® association involvement stretches over many decades and includes leadership roles with the Savannah Board of REALTORS® (SABOR), GAR, NAR, and the Women’s Council of REALTORS®. Harriet’s accolades include REALTOR® of the Year for both SABOR and GAR, the Omega Tau Rho Medal from NAR, and NAR’s RPAC Hall of Fame. Along with her late husband, Larry, Harriet founded Konter Realty in Savannah, which she still operates today. Harriet and Larry Konter were the second couple in the U.S. to serve as Presidents of a state association of REALTORS®. SABOR created the Konter Award in honor of the couple, which inducts REALTORS® into the SABOR Hall of Fame.

For the bios of these three inspiring women, please see below.

BARBARA KENNON: Barbara Kennon served as GAR President in 2001, and was tasked with presiding over the GAR Annual Convention that year, which began on September 11. On that infamous day and in the days that followed, Barbara brought her strength of commitment for the REALTOR® family and wrapped each of the attendees up in the warmth of family protection. She was truly the right person at the right moment to lead this organization and its members out of the darkness of the day and into the future. Barbara has served the Columbus Board of REALTORS® as a Director and has chaired multiple committees, including RPAC, Programs, Membership, Public Relations, and Strategic Planning. She served as the Columbus Board’s President in 1983. In addition to serving as 2001 GAR President, Barbara has served as an RPAC Trustee, GRI Dean and Governor, and two terms as Regional Director. She was an alternate Federal Political Coordinator (FPC) for U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson from 2008 through 2012, and is the current FPC for Senator Isakson. Barbara was named GAR REALTOR® of the Year in 1984, and was inducted in the GARPAC Top Investor Hall of Fame in 2011. At the national level, Barbara has served as NAR Region 5 Vice President, chaired the Meeting and Planning Committee, and has also served on the Executive and Issues Mobilization Committees. Barbara has been a member of NAR’s President’s Circle since 2005, and was inducted into the RPAC Hall of Fame in 2010.

JAN BAKER: Jan Baker currently serves as Regional Vice President for Berkshire Hathaway Homes Services and holds the GRI, ABR, and ABRM designations. Jan is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Club. She served as President of the Cherokee Association in 1987, the Northeast Atlanta Metro Association of REALTORS® (NAMAR) in 1997, and for Georgia REALTORS® in 2005. She is a past Georgia Chapter WCR President, and a past Chair of the National WCR Awards Committee, as well as a past National WCR Governor. At the national level, Jan has served as an RPAC Trustee, an NAR Director, and on both the Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction Committee and the Public Policy Coordinating Committee. Jan also served on a state task force that was charged with drafting of the Georgia Brokerage Relationships in Real Estate Act (BRRETA).

She is a member of the NAR President’s Circle and was inducted into the GARPAC Top Investors Hall of Fame at the Gold Level in 2012. She is also a member of NAR’s RPAC Hall of Fame.

Jan’s accolades include REALTOR® of the Year five times at the local level and 2003 GAR REALTOR® of the Year. She received the Dick McCrudden Award in 1999, and the GAR President’s Award in 2000.

ROBIN LANCE: Robin Lance is an Associate Broker and Co-Owner of Prudential Coastal Georgia Properties in Richmond Hill, Ga. She graduated from ...

This week, we are on location at the Georgia Capitol with GAR's Chief Advocacy Officer (and our lobbyist and REALTOR® Champion Extraordinaire -- that's not his official title, that's just what I call him!), Jeff Ledford. GAR's REALTOR® Days at the Dome is coming up in just two weeks -- March 3 and 4, 2020 -- and Jeff took some time out of his busy day at the Capitol, where our State Legislature is currently in session, to give me a preview of what to expect and why Georgia REALTORS® should register now to attend!

For more information about Georgia REALTORS Days at the Dome and to register, click here: https://garealtor.com/events/realtor-days-at-the-dome/ (Also, see below for the agenda, as well as Google Maps links to event locations!)

Jeff Ledford joined the Georgia REALTORS® staff in August 2016, and currently serves as Chief Advocacy Officer. Jeff directs political programs designed to protect the members of GAR from public policy decisions that may be harmful to private property rights and the real estate industry. He also serves as the spokesperson for GAR regarding legislative, economic development, and political matters at the state and federal levels. Jeff is GAR’s staff liaison for the REALTORS® Political Action and State and Local Governmental Affairs committees. Jeff graduated from Georgia State University with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Foreign Languages. He has been a registered lobbyist for 24 years and served as Georgia’s 3rd Real Estate Commissioner. Jeff is an active member of the Georgia Professional Lobbyists Association & is Vice Chair of the Real Estate Trade Group. He is also an active foster parent and active participant with Dream Weavers of Georgia and Giving Children a Chance of Georgia.

For a directory of all REALcast episodes and accompanying Show Notes, please visit: www.GArealcast.com

GEORGIA REALTORS® Days at the Dome is an annual event that brings REALTORS® to Atlanta from across Georgia to meet with our elected officials. This event takes place “under the gold dome” of the Georgia Capitol, where we speak in a collective voice to defend private property rights and the American Dream of home ownership.

AGENDA

Tuesday, March 3: DAY 1

• REALTOR® Party Training
• Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
• Location: Georgia Freight Depot – 65 M.L.K. Jr Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Attendees will learn about REALTOR® Party objectives, choosing REALTOR® champions, RPAC fundraising and more for success in 2020.
• Georgia REALTORS® Statewide RPAC Auction (Optional Ticketed Event – $25)
• Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• Location: The Masquerade – 50 Lower Alabama Street, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Tickets can be purchased through a link that will be provided in your registration confirmation email for REALTOR® Days at the Dome.

Wednesday, March 4: DAY 2

• Georgia REALTORS® Day at the Dome
• Time: 8:00 AM – 2:30 PM
• Location: Georgia Freight Depot – 65 M.L.K. Jr Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
• 8:00 AM Check-in and Continental Breakfast
• 8:15 AM Briefing
• Capitol Visits throughout the day. Contact your local board for details.
• 1:00 PM Lunch at the Freight Depot

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The topic of teams in real estate has been very much a topic of discussion by the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) over the past 12 to 18 months. Currently the real estate commissions in at least 33 states have some sort of regulation regarding real estate teams, and GREC has been working through the ways that they can better serve the consumer/public interest with regard to this somewhat controversial topic, while also keeping the lines of communication open between real estate licensees, REALTORS®, and REALTOR® Associations

I had the opportunity to sit in on two such conversations -- back in February 2019 at the Georgia REALTORS® Conference and in March 2020 at the GREC office. The GREC proposal on teams was open to public comment and received over 85 written comments during the comment period, and then on March 11, 2020, the Georgia Real Estate Commission held a public hearing, at which approximately 20 real estate agents and REALTORS® attended to give a 3-minute testimony with their feedback on the teams proposal.

Shortly after, of course, the coronavirus pandemic hit, and Governor Kemp issued his Shelter in Place orders for the state, which meant the temporary work-from-home orders for state agencies and a cancellation of in-person meetings for the foreseeable future. In today's episode, Chairman of the Real Estate Commission Paul Brower and Real Estate Commissioner Lynn Dempsey join me to talk the GREC-proposed regulations of teams and the forthcoming (though currently tabled) new ruling on teams from the Commission. We also briefly discuss the the feedback that was received on those proposed rules for teams, the process that has been embarked upon so far, and what the next steps are from the Commission. We also get an update from Commissioner Dempsey on how the real estate commission has fared during our state’s Shelter in Place, how staff was able to keep working and keep the work real estate licensing for the state moving during this time, and how it is to be getting back to work this week.

You can visit the Georgia Real Estate Commission website, here: https://grec.state.ga.us/

TO SUBSCRIBE to the GREC newsletter, go to https://grec.state.ga.us/ -- scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on SUBSCRIBE NOW and follow the prompts

PAUL BROWER, CHAIR - Georgia Real Estate Commission: Paul Brower of Marietta has served for ten years on the Georgia Real Estate Commission and currently is Chairman. He is a Director of the Georgia Association of REALTORS®, a member of the Atlanta and Cobb REALTORS® Associations, and a Director of the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials. He earned his salesperson’s license in 2003 and broker’s license in 2006. He has completed the GRI program and holds the ABR and other designations. He and his wife, Sheila, who was 2017 GAR President, are a team in the East Cobb Office of Harry Norman, REALTORS®.

LYNN DEMPSEY - Georgia Real Estate Commissioner: Dempsey is a second-generation auctioneer and the former president and managing broker of Dempsey Auction Company. He is a past president of the Georgia Auctioneers Association and was named to the Georgia Auctioneers Hall of Fame. Dempsey was a member of the Rome-Floyd County Development Authority and served on the Georgia Auctioneer’s Commission. He previously sat on the boards of directors for the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Chamber. Dempsey is a graduate and past chairman of Leadership Georgia. He sits on the advisory board for the Exchange Club Family Resource Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse and teaches Sunday School at Rome First United Methodist Church. Dempsey earned a bachelor’s degree in Real Estate from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Katie, have two children and seven grandchildren. They reside in Rome.

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"Change is the way to realize opportunity," --Kenneth Jenny

REALTOR® friends and colleagues: I have a few questions for you. Have you made some changes to your business in the last few weeks, in response to COVID-19? In response to the pandemic, to self-quarantine, to shelter in place -- to keep yourself and your clients safe? Have those changes and the circumstances causing them made you think about your business differently? Have you begun considering which changes are temporary and which may be less fleeting? And which may actually make more sense in a more permanent sense?

That’s what my conversation is about today with Kenneth Jenny -- Managing Director and CEO of tranCen, a consulting company which offers unique strategic business solutions for companies focused on the residential real estate industry. With clients like Zillow Group, MoxiWorks, OpCity, Trulia, Homefinder.com, PRIMEDIA Inc, LendingTree and the list goes on, it may seem like a conversation with tranCen’s CEO may not be accessible or applicable to an everyday practitioner, but I disagree. A former REALTOR® himself and now one of real estate's foremost trend-predictors, Ken is the perfect person with which to have this particular chat.

HEY! What's that song Ken talks about and titled his blog post after? Here it is:

"Defying Gravity" from Wicked - Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth(Ken refers to this song, so as promised, here's a link): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5V9KwppMfs&feature=youtu.be

Lyrics to "Defying Gravity" from Wicked: https://www.allmusicals.com/lyrics/wicked/defyinggravity.htm

I also reference Ken's blog a few times during this episode. To read more, you can access it, here: https://www.trancen.com/blog (and I highly recommend it -- quite good reading!).

KENNETH JENNY: Ken Jenny is an expert in the residential real estate brokerage industry and real estate marketing. Ken is a proven leader and management professional with over 38 years of progressive and diversified experience in the residential real estate industry. From sales agent to corporate executive to visionary, Ken has viewed residential real estate from nearly every strategic vantage point. Real estate firms, media companies, portals and technology companies worldwide have utilized his expertise, strategies and innovations to address the constant challenge of change facing the residential real estate brokerage industry.

You can learn more about Ken, here: https://www.trancen.com/meet-ken-jenny

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