NAR’s 2018 President Prioritizes REALTOR® Professionalism and Putting the American Dream Back Within Reach
With her engaging, approachable leadership style, Elizabeth Mendenhall will be advancing several critical goals during her tenure as 2018 president of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). CEO of RE/MAX Boone Realty in Columbia, Mo., Mendenhall is a sixth-generation REALTOR® with 20 years in the business. Her list of accomplishments and honors is rivaled only by her many industry roles in associations and committees over the course of her career. “This career provides more flexibility than most 9-5 jobs. It offers us the freedom to give back and get so much more out of it,” she explains. In this exclusive interview, hear what tops NAR’s priority list for the year ahead, and how Mendenhall believes the industry must evolve.
Maria Patterson: As a sixth-generation REALTOR®, it’s easy to see how you landed in the real estate business!
Elizabeth Mendenhall: My family had always been in real estate, so of course, I was curious about the business. My grandmother had a stroke in 1996 and that was the year I started with the company. Something my mom said at the time made a lot of sense. She said, “You’re young enough that if you like it, you’ll get a head start on everyone; and if you don’t like it, you’re young enough to go and do anything else.” With my family being in the business, it was easy to get into…but not as easy to leave!
MP: What are your thoughts upon assuming the role of NAR president for 2018?
EM: I’m very excited, and I think our membership is excited, and it coincides with the fact that we have a new CEO. I’m excited to be partnering with Bob Goldberg to develop the future of where we’re heading.
MP: You’ve had great success as a broker. What are some of the key factors in that success?
EM: Having a family business allowed me to understand as a broker that agents are a critical part of the team. Our agents are our customers—their success equals our success. We need to always keep that in perspective. Because of that, our agents know that we would do anything we can to help them improve their business.
MP: You’ve also been very committed to serving the real estate industry through various association and board roles. Why do you believe it’s important to have that level of involvement?
EM: There probably isn’t any other resource where I get more industry information and education than NAR. Being involved in the association means you get the information earlier, understand it better, and know how to relate it to improving sales. As managers, it’s our responsibility to give back to this industry. This career provides more flexibility than most 9-5 jobs. It offers us the freedom to give back and get so much more out of it. Almost all of our agents are involved on boards—it’s a culture. And I think it contributes to the fact that we have the highest marketshare in …read more
From:: Real Estate News