Hello world!

Not exactly the most appropriate title for my first blog post here at Active Rain. My best guess is that this is the sixth or seventh blog I've either started or contributed to.

I'm the Director of Communications & New Media at the Virginia Association of REALTORS. I've been working for associations of all kinds for coming up on ten years now, but have only been in the REALTOR family for about two months. The CEO at VAR invited me to join his staff after seeing the stuff I was writing about on my primary blog and doing at the Virginia Society of CPAs. I was encouraged (and invited) to blog on Active Rain by Frank Llosa of Frankly Realty in the Washington DC area. After sitting on the invitation for a few weeks I've finally joined the Active Rain conversation.

What am I going to write about here on Active Rain?

I'm not quite sure yet. I'd like your feedback on what you'd like to hear from a REALTOR association exec. Clearly, with only two months on the job, I don't know jack about real estate, compared to the average Active Rainer. As a career association executive, I bring a wealth of experiences from across multiple trades and professions, a lens through which I can interpret the effectiveness of REALTOR associations. As a social media evangelist, I can provide perspective on how REALTOR associations are using social media.  I can also provide insights into the world of REALTOR associations -- a peek behind the curtain.  For a small sample of what I've been up to in my first +/- 60 days on the job, check out www.VAR2007.com, a blog I put together for VAR's annual convention.

Some other things I'm proud of from my first few months on the job.

• Setting up a VAR group on facebook.
• Setting up a VAR group on LinkedIn.
• Convening the first ever Virginia Real Estate BloggerCon, which through the Butterfly Effect, spawned NAR's BloggerCon.
  
• Birthing 20 or more new bloggers (most of them right here on Active Rain) at a Social Media Lab, held in conjunction with our Conference & Expo.

I realize there is some hatred toward the REALTOR associations. Please, take it easy on me. I'm new here. I can assure you that REALTOR association employees like me are just like you: hard-working people with good intentions trying to do it right.