Women have not only reached the top of the real estate leadership pyramid, they are proving themselves to be great leaders. Bold words, coming for a man, but my research shows that in the last couple of years women have moved into the #1 or #2 positions at many of the country's largest real estate companies.
When compared to many other professions and industries, real estate has long been one where women can more easily achieve success and equality with men. The National Association of Realtors profile even put the number of all sales agents at 65% female. But that's not what I am referring to - I mean management, and not even at middle management levels but executive levels.
For example here are some of the women in executive positions in today's real estate brokerage industry:
• Mo Anderson - President, Keller Williams Real Estate
• Shelia Bair - Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
• Tami Bonnell - President EXIT USA
• Lorna Borenstein - President, Move, Inc.
• Debbie Campagnola - CEO, ARELLO
• Brenda Casserly - President, ERA Real Estate
• Shari Chase - President , Chase International
• Sherry Chris - CEO, Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate
• Beverly Faull - General Manager, Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions
• Helen Hanna Casey - President, Howard Hanna Real Estate
• Dottie Herman - CEO, Prudential Douglas Elliman
• Laurie Janick - General Counsel, NAR
• Susan Johnson - President , Real Estate Settlement Providers Council
• Laurie Keenan - President, Prudential Real Estate Affiliates
• Margaret Kelly - COO, REMAX International
• Pamela Leibman - CEO, The Corcoran Group
• Gail Liniger - Vice Chairman, REMAX International
• Pam O'Connor - CEO, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World
• Joyce Paron - President, EXIT Canada
• Kaira Rouda - COO, Real Living
• Brenda Shipplett - COO, Long & Foster Companies
• Sarah Shoemaker - COO, Real Living
• Pat Vredevoogd Combs -NAR President 2007
Can you name others?
This eye-opening discussion is but the first part of Trend #10 in my 2008 Swanepoel Trends Report (http://www.ReTrends.com). Rounding out Trend #10, "Shattered Glass" as the trend is listed in the Report, is an evaluation of the important impact of the Youth and Minorities in real estate. I will discuss those two groups in another blog, on another day.
For now, it's the women. Let's see if we can create a list of the Top 100 Women in Real Estate right here on ActiveRain.
PS: If you were wondering who the pretty woman is in the blog, well I have to confess, it's my wife, Era Swanepoel.
Stefan,
I agree- women are the best. As a father of three duaghters, I learned that many years ago. As to women in real estate, I have three names to suggest:
1. Pat Jensen, current President of the Virginia Association of REALTORS
2. Carol Clarke, current Chair of the Virginia Real Estate Board, past president of VAR
3. Vicki Cox Golder 2010 President of NAR
@ Dave
All 3 great gals - thats puts us at 27 and counting.
Thanks for giving credit where credit is due. We are also in the field of credit repair at Credit Restoration Consultants. Please don't forget Mary Kay Ash. She was way ahead of her times in the cosmetic field. I should know I am a Mary Kay Consultant as well. Women are being accepted everywhere and are rising to the top. Thanks again for acknowledging that. You are a true prince.
@ Lori
Mary Kay is absolutely a leader in her field. However as we are focusing on real estate we will keep our count at 27. Thanks for the comment.
Smart man, advertising you wife. You are right she is quite pretty.
Here are a few women leaders that I have seen on Real Estate Wiki that should be included on your list of the Top 100 women in Real Estate:
Blanche Evans - Editor, Realty Times
Susie Hale - President, Frogpond
Laurie Moore0Moore - President, Inst. of Luxury Homes Marketing
Bernice Ross - CEO, RealEstateCoach.com
Don't forget Mary Tennant, the awesome COO of Keller Williams International.
Go Women Go!!!!!
Great post for a man. Stefan you are cool.
Add Barb Schwartz, the Queen of Staging, to your list. Don't know what her official title is but her website is stagedhomes.com
Kelly
Hi Stefan, Very nice blog. Thanks a lot for these informations. Ofcourse women are the best.
Best - Sash
@ DJ - Excellent plus 4
@ Susan - I agree with Mary so plus 1
@ Kelly - Yes Barb's is a good nomination - plus another 1
We are now up to 33 and counting.
Stefan ...
What a lovely idea!
I would like to recommend:
Gloria Joller, CENTURY 21 Prudential Estates (RMD) Ltd. in Richmond, BC, who was just named 2007 Sales Associate of the Year, after a glorious real estate career.
Marty Rodriguez, CENTURY 21 Marty Rodriguez in Glendora, CA, who has been the top-producing sales associate in the CENTURY 21 System for many years.
... Robin
I'd Add
Leslie Appleton Young, California Assn Chief Economist
(and Blanche is no longer with Realty Times as Editor)
Well if we are talking about national women, in top leadership roles, I would propose you consider Susan Johnson of RESPRO and Pam Lieberman of the Corcoran Group in New York.
Oops. Mow I am embrassed. I see both my nominations are already on your list. So I suppose I have to give you two more. What about Jessica Swesey of Inman News and Anne Murray of LORE magazine. Both are editors of great real estate publications.
Stefan, great post but I think its getting to hard to see who is on the list and who is not. Can you create a summary or something?
I dont think top agents should be on the list, but brokers that have reached national status like Cathy Whatley the 2003 NAR President or brokers of large real estate firms like Michael Saunders here in my back yard of Florida or Maragret Dixon over at Prudential Arizona.
These are some awesome women in real estate leadership.
Hi Stefan, how about Betty Graham, President of Coldwell Banker in Southern California(NRT)
@ Robin - great suggestions but lets focus for now on real estate business leaders and national influential real estate woman rather than top producing agents, and yes, that is a bit confusing, sorry, but if we start adding top selling agents the list will explode.
@ Joeann - Leslie is a fantastic example of a great woman in a real estate leadership role. Also Joeann I think that you qualify too - so thats plus 2.
By the way what happened to Blanche? Where is she now?
@ Mary - two good nominations.
@ Connie - great suggestion - I think we are at 40 with your 3 nominations but even I am getting confused so I will create summary for us tonight.
@ Endre - adding Betty to the list to make it 41 and counting.
As I was recompiling the list for us a few more successful woman in high leadership positions came to mind, so I added:
Janet Branton - SVP at NAR
Nina Cottrel - CEO of CRS
Frances Martinez Myers - Former Chairman Nat. Assn. of Hispanic RE Professionals
So I am posting the list, as it stands at this point in time, in the following comment box (duplicates removed and in alphabetical order):
The top 100 Women in Real Estate Business Leadership (so far) are:
and counting.... We need your help to reach 100. Please nominate "A Few Good Women."
Stefan - I'm glad to see you're including women who have made significant contributions to real estate. The comments already picked up my two suggestions, Laurie Moore-Moore and Anne Randolph. While not one of the huge real estate companies, what about Patricia Choi of Choi Realty in Honolulu? By the way, #28 is Michael Saunders.
Sarah Palin...Another category, but she should be an inspiration to ALL WOMEN! God love her and Gods Speed.
This industry has been blessed with many great women as this great post is illustrating. No surprise. The glass ceiling has been shattered here for years! Congrats to all the women of this industry! I'm a proud broker/owner of a franchise with Real Living. Keep an eye out for our company nationwide and for our C.O.O. Kaira Rouda. She's got a great book out for women entrepreneurs out there, called, REAL YOU INCORPORATED. I highly recommend it.
Dave Culbertson
Broker/Owner
Real Living Home Team
1485 Yauger Road, Mt. Vernon, OH
Dave.Culbertson@RealLiving.com
ph: 740.393.3777
cell: 740-485-1641
fax: 740.393.1369
RealLivingHomeTeam.com
Hi Stefan, beautiful wife!! I was going to say Mo Anderson and Margaret Kelly.
I have several nominations. Two notes: Jessica Swesey left Inman News several months ago; Ann Randolph of LORE magazine no longer wears the "Murray".
Sylvia Shelnutt, DREI, is President of the Real Estate Educators Association.
Mary Doyle Kimball is Excecutive Director of the National Assn. of Real Estate Editors.
Ann DeFreis is President of Women's Council of REALTORS.
Pamela Geurds Kabati is Editorial Director of REALTOR Magazine and Vice-President of NAR.
Stacey Moncrieff is EditorIn-Chief and Managing Director of REALTOR Magazine
Darlene Lyon is President of Broker Agent Speakers Bureau.
What about real estate author Ilyce Glink.
@ Sharon - Thanks for the nominations
@ Missy - Thank you for the kind words.
@ Frances - Fantastic group of women. I think you should also be added to the list with you heading up the RealTown community and numerous other social media activities. Removing Jessica if she is no longer in real estate.
@ John - Yes your right. Ilyce is one of the best female real estate book writers there is.
And that makes it 50. We are at the half way mark within 2 days!!
Posting the list separately in a follow up comment.
We have reach the half way mark. Here are the first 50 nominations:
Now lets do the next 50....
Danielle Kennedy - author and real estate agent, she was my first female inspiration in this industry.
Women are the Best and we are taking over!!!!!! Watch out Men
Stefan.. This is the best blog I have read in a long time... Congrats on it being "FEATURED". The title caught my attention, and the post was wonderful. Wish I was on that list... but it gives me something to strive to achieve.
My name is not on it yet but it will be! Thanks for the good vibes.
Great point! Even though they may be reluctant to admit it, I've often found that the men who make the best agents seem to be a little more in touch with their feminine side.
Thanks for the post! I hope one day I will be listed up high as well!
Stefan, Why do you think women can become more successful in real estate than other professions? Maybe because they can still be "women" as relating to people, we all start off as "independent contractors" so in a way, control our own destiny, and therefore don't have to break a glass ceiling of men---- just go and start your own company!
Just a few of my ideas.
Great post. I hope to make the list someday too.
Linda
Fran, Congratulations
Joeann, Congrautlations as well. You two are the best!!!!!
Monica McNamara
http://www/ActiveRain.com/MonicaC
http://www.Ocean-CitySales.com
Heres one you guys and gals didnt think of. Niki Rapattoni. She is the co-founder Rapattoni. Bet you didnt know that.
Stefan, I just looked you concured but never added Betty Graham from Coldwell Banker Southern Cal (president) an NRT co....
Awesome list. Here is my two cents. Virginia Cook the CEO of Virginia Cook Realtors and past President of TAR and HAR and Kimberly Gorsuch-Bradbury the Senior VP of RealEstate.com
@ Mary - Danielle, of course how could I have missed her.
@ Pamela - thanks, yes I didn't think of her.
@ Steve - I will add Avis to the list.
@ Endre - Sorry my slip. Will add to the list.
@ Cindy - good nominations. Thanks.
Rebuilding the list. Will publish were we are momentarily.
Good jon Rainers. We have reached the 60 mark. Here is the list so far:
40 more to go...
Nice blog, itsgreat to see that we woman can do what we always new we could.
Thank you for recognizing these woman.
Awww Stefan.....how sweet....great blog and beautiful wife! :-)
How about Leslie Rouda Smith and Ebby Halliday?
I'm honored! Thanks.
The two who come to mind are Dorcas Helfant-Browning and Sharon Millett, the first and second women presidents of NAR. The other women presidents are on the list already.
This is very exciting. Some women to consider if you don't have them already are Tara Nicole Nelson, Ilyce Glink, Marilyn Wilson, Kaira Rouda, Mo Anderson, Frances Flynn Thorsen, and Jennifer Cummings.
Awesome list! Just love it!!!!!!!!!!!
I would propose Ruth Ann Pepple, the president of the International division of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World.
I am thrilled that someone would consider me for the list.
You should definitely have: Leslie Appleton Young - Chief Economist for California Association of Realtors
Pamela Alexander - CEO of RE/MAX North America, Quebec-Atlantic Canada, and she and her dad own the franchise for Europe as well.
Marilyn Wilson, of WAV Group
Kelly Todd Amundson, CEO of RE/MAX All Cities
I will think of more soon.
@ Ann, Janet, Bernice, Lynn and Anne
Thanks for all the many great women names. I have lost count of where we are. Let me see who we already have on the list, and see who we should add. Once I have completed that I will publish us an updated list.
We have reached 75 and the updated list has been posted here.
We are looking for 25 more women in leadership - lets do it Rainers!
I am honored!
I'd like to add: Susan Ireland, Director of Education for Long and Foster, and Jennifer Cummings, President of Keytura.
WOW! What a great list! I
I would like to add: Darity Wesley, CEO and Legal Counsel of Privacy Solutions and Robin Muech, CEO of Heritage Texas Properties.
I propose Andy Capelluto, President of The Power of Staging.
@ Susie and Zarita, thanks for nominations - we are now around 90 nominations - hard to keep track as we now have multiple posts and nominations coming in from many places. I will consolidate all the names again tomorrow.
Has anyone nominated the Past President of the Women's Council Judy Moses.
Thank you to everyone for your huge support and participation.
We have reached the 100 mark in record time of only 4 days. Nominations are now officially closed.
The Top 100 list of nominations is being compiled and categorized and will be published later this week on ActiveRain at which time Rainers will be invited to vote for the candidates that they feel deserve to be listed as the Top 20 Most Influential Women in Real Estate.
Till then, thanks again.
Stefan
Voting is now open.
The Vote BALLOT BUTTON at this post.
Don't forget to vote.
Thank you Stefan,
Great post, as a proud father of daughters I loved your list and tribute. Tami Bonell is the most influential woman in the real estate industry. She's taught me so much more than most. Most woman leaders have the best interpersonal skills associated with mentoring and leading all personality types.
Thanks again Stefan and yes Era is beautiful
Frank D'Angelo
Women have been leaders for a long time, but it's always nice that others see it.