By Beth McGuire
Being truly exceptional isn’t just a goal for Tom DeWine; it’s a business plan, a mindset and a way of life. Taking the helm of his father’s 30-year-old company, ERA Colonial Real Estate, earlier this year, DeWine set out to continue with the core values upon which his father successfully built the firm, and expand upon them to create a company that delivers a truly unparalleled experience for both its agents and consumers. Here, DeWine, along with Chief Operating Officer Linda Starr, explain their philosophy for leading the Central Texas firm into its next storied chapter.
Maria Patterson: First, let’s talk about your career paths. When and why did you join ERA Colonial Real Estate?
Tom DeWine: When I first entered the professional world, I was in sales for the medical device industry, and I stayed in that field for about 10 years. In 2005, I had a conversation with my father (Dennis DeWine), who asked me if I would consider joining him in running the business. That question coincided with an acquisition in the San Antonio market, which is where I was living. I joined the company in late 2005, having completed my licensing while I transitioned out of my previous industry. Since that time, I’ve been blessed to have occupied a number of positions and responsibilities within the company that have afforded me a valuable understanding of the challenges and requirements needed to run our operations. My dad formally retired as of the first quarter of this year and has been retained as a consultant, still passionately committed to the success of the company. We’ve had 30 years of success built around a strong culture and I take great pride in the fact that the core values my dad started the company with three decades ago are the same values that inspire us today.
Linda Starr: I had a very different path. I spent 35 years in the tech industry in various global, executive positions. Personal reasons led me to rearrange my priorities—I wanted a job where I could contribute highly, but keep my feet more on the ground. I was drawn to real estate and began to interview, but I wasn’t all that attracted to certain styles of real estate sales companies. Then I met Tom, and we very much have a shared view of things. The more we talked, the more it made sense to me. I could help on the technology side, which is coming to real estate in faster and bigger proportions. I could also help build the company from a product, sales and marketing standpoint. So, I joined the firm in the beginning of December 2016.
TD: Hiring Linda was an interesting process. I was committed to finding an individual with a fresh perspective from the institutionalized way we think about real estate. I wanted someone who could offer a different way to overcome the challenges of this industry. It’s been such a delight to be challenged by Linda, instead of just doing things the way they’ve …read more
From:: Real Estate News