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Women are the Best !!

By Stefan Swanepoel

Services for Real Estate Pros with New York Times Bestselling Author & International Speaker

September 14, 2008 09:22 AM

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.

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Linda Jandura

Raleigh Cary Realty - Apex, NC

Realtor, North Carolina Buyer & Seller Specialist

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

Sep 14, 2008 10:45 AM

Anonymous

"Never underestimate the power of a woman" my grandmother always said. Patricia AUlson Hampton NH Real Estate

Sep 14, 2008 11:26 AM

#32

Monica McNamara

MonicaC@Ocean-CitySales.com Ocean City Maryland - Ocean City, MD

Fran, Congratulations

Joeann, Congrautlations as well. You two are the best!!!!!

Monica McNamara

http://www/ActiveRain.com/MonicaC
http://www.Ocean-CitySales.com

Sep 14, 2008 11:34 AM

Anonymous

Pamela

Heres one you guys and gals didnt think of. Niki Rapattoni. She is the co-founder Rapattoni. Bet you didnt know that.

Sep 14, 2008 11:46 AM

#34

Endre Barath, Jr.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA

Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Stefan, I just looked you concured but never added Betty Graham from Coldwell Banker Southern Cal (president) an NRT co....

Sep 14, 2008 01:02 PM

Anonymous

Cindy B.

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

Sep 14, 2008 01:37 PM

#36

Stefan Swanepoel

New York Times Bestselling Author & International Speaker - Ladera Ranch, CA

@ 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.

Sep 14, 2008 03:32 PM

Stefan Swanepoel

New York Times Bestselling Author & International Speaker - Ladera Ranch, CA

Good jon Rainers. We have reached the 60 mark. Here is the list so far:

Ann DeFreis - President, Women's Council of Realtors

Anne Randolp - Editor, LORE magazine

Avis Wukasch - Board member Texas RE Commission

Barb Schwartz - President, Int. Assn.of Home Staging Professionals

Bernice Ross - CEO, RealEstateCoach.com

Betty Graham - Regional President, Coldwell Banker Southern California

Beverly Faull - General Manager, Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions

Blanche Evans - Editor, Realty Times

Brenda Casserly - President, ERA Real Estate

Brenda Shipplett - COO, Long & Foster Companies

Carla Cross - Author and Coach

Carmen Multhauf - Author and Educator

Carol Clarke - Past President, Virginia Association of Realtors

Cathy Whatley - President 2003, NAR

Danielle Kennedy - Bestselling Author, Speaker and Coach

Darlene Lyons - President of Broker Agent Speakers Bureau

Debbie Campagnola - CEO, ARELLO

Dottie Herman - CEO, Prudential Douglas Elliman

Frances Flynn Thorsen - RealTown

Frances Martinez Myers - Former Chairman, Nat. Assn. of Hispanic RE Prof.

Gail Liniger - Vice Chairman, REMAX International

Helen Hanna Casey - President, Howard Hanna Real Estate

Ilyce Glink - Bestselling real estate author

Janet Branton - Senior Vice President, NAR

Joeann Fossland - President, Advantage Solutions Group

Joyce Bea Sterling - Author and Educator

Joyce Paron - President, EXIT Canada

Kaira Rouda - COO, Real Living

Kimberly Gorsuch-Bradbury - SVP RealEstate.com

Laurie Janick - NAR, General Counsel

Laurie Keenan - President, Prudential Real Estate Affiliates

Laurie Moore-Moore - President, Inst. of Luxury Homes Marketing

Leslie Appleton Young - California Assn Chief Economist

Lorna Borenstein - President, Move, Inc.

Margaret Dixon - CEO, Prudential Arizona Properties

Margaret Kelly - COO, REMAX International

Mary Doyle Kimball - Excecutive Director, Nat. Assn. of Real Estate Editors

Mary Tennant - COO, Keller Williams International.

Michael Saunders - CEO, Michael Saunders Real Estate

Mo Anderson - President, Keller Williams Real Estate

Niki Rapattoni - Co-Founder Rapattoni MLS

Nina Cottrel - CEO, CRS

Pam O'Connor - CEO, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World

Pamela Geurds Kabati - Editorial Directo, Realtor Magazine and VP of NAR

Pamela Leibman - CEO, The Corcoran Group

Pat Jensen - President,Virginia Association of Realtors

Pat Vredevoogd Combs - President 2007, NAR

Patricia Choi - President of Choi Realty

Rita Santamaria - Author and Educator

Sarah Shoemaker - COO, Real Living

Shari Chase - President, Chase International

Shelia Bair - Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Sherry Chris - CEO, Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate

Stacey Moncrieff - Editor and Managing Director, Realtor Magazine

Susan Johnson - President, Real Estate Settlement Providers Council

Susie Hale - President, Frogpond

Sylvia Shelnutt - President, Real Estate Educators Association

Tami Bonnell - President, EXIT USA

Vicki Cox - Incomming President 2010, NAR

Virginia Cook - CEO, Virginia Cook Realtors and former Pres. TAR and HAR

40 more to go...

Sep 14, 2008 03:35 PM

Teresa Lyons

Keller Williams Realty - Kirkland, WA

#1 Real Estate Team in Washington State

Nice blog, itsgreat to see that we woman can do what we always new we could.

Thank you for recognizing these woman.

Sep 14, 2008 04:04 PM

Amber Noble-Garland of Weichert Realtors Waterfront and Investment Properties

Weichert Realtors - South Amboy, NJ

Awww Stefan.....how sweet....great blog and beautiful wife! :-)

Sep 14, 2008 04:19 PM

Anonymous

Ann Banos

How about Leslie Rouda Smith and Ebby Halliday?

Sep 15, 2008 12:56 AM

#41

Stefan Swanepoel

New York Times Bestselling Author & International Speaker - Ladera Ranch, CA

@ 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.

Sep 15, 2008 09:02 AM

Stefan Swanepoel

New York Times Bestselling Author & International Speaker - Ladera Ranch, CA

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!

Sep 16, 2008 05:14 AM

Anonymous

I am honored!

I'd like to add: Susan Ireland, Director of Education for Long and Foster, and Jennifer Cummings, President of Keytura.

Sep 16, 2008 06:15 AM

#44

Stefan Swanepoel

New York Times Bestselling Author & International Speaker - Ladera Ranch, CA

@ 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.

Sep 16, 2008 09:39 AM

Anonymous

WCR member

Has anyone nominated the Past President of the Women's Council Judy Moses.

Sep 16, 2008 12:21 PM

#46

Stefan Swanepoel

New York Times Bestselling Author & International Speaker - Ladera Ranch, CA

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

Sep 16, 2008 03:21 PM

Stefan Swanepoel

New York Times Bestselling Author & International Speaker - Ladera Ranch, CA

Voting is now open.

The Vote BALLOT BUTTON at this post.

Don't forget to vote.

Sep 20, 2008 06:16 AM

Frank D'Angelo

EXIT REALTY NEXUS Minneapolis & St. Paul MN - Coon Rapids, MN

Helping people is my business in Real Estate

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

Nov 16, 2008 09:42 AM

Mobile Austin Notary

Apostille/Authentication/Embassy Legalization, Notary Public, Loan Signing Agent & Process Server Services - Austin, TX

www.mobileaustinnotary.com

Women have been leaders for a long time, but it's always nice that others see it.