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Lives of Real Estate Magazine - Your personal interest real estate magazine with a look into the lifestyles of the great personalities.
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Winter 2012 • Volume 6 / Issue 3
Triumph: Comeback Real Estate Professionals • A Culture of Giving • Foodie Extraordinaire
In ThIs IssuE:
Vscreen Founder stephen schweickart and his partner, Amie Jonsson, are taking real estate video marketing to the
next level. They’re young, innovative and camera ready.
Dynamic Duo
Vscreen Video
We want to help make your client’s homeownership dreams a reality.
Citibank offers you:
n The confidence of a SureStart® Pre-Approval1. Your buyers can shop with confidence, knowing their financing is secure.
n Our On-Time Closing Guarantee2 proving our commitment to quality service.
n A dedicated Partnership Desk providing real- time support to you and your clients.
n A committed fulfillment team providing world-class mortgage fulfillment services.
To learn more about working with Citibank, please call 877-847-2484.†
Terms, conditions and fees of accounts, programs, products and services are subject to change. This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit and property approval. Certain restrictions may apply on all programs. Offer cannot be combined with any other mortgage offer. † Calls are randomly monitored and recorded to ensure quality service. 1 SureStart is a registered service mark of Citigroup Inc. Final commitment is subject to verification of information, receipt of a satisfactory sales contract on the home your client wishes to purchase, appraisal and title report, and
meeting our customary closing conditions. This offer is not a commitment to lend and is subject to change without notice. There is no charge for the SureStart pre-approval, but standard application and commitment fees apply.2 If your client is purchasing a home, we guarantee to close by the date specified in the purchase contract, unless prohibited by federal law*, and further provided that the date is at least 30 days after the application date and the
date of the purchase contract. If the loan fails to close on time due to a delay by Citibank, your client will receive a credit towards closing costs of $1,500. Offer not available for refinance loans, co-ops, unapproved condos, residences under construction, community lending loans, and government loans. In Texas, the credit may not result in your client receiving cash back. (*Federal law requires certain disclosures be delivered to the borrower at least 3 business days before consummation. The guarantee to close does not apply if such disclosures are required and the closing is delayed due to the 3 business day waiting period.)
© 2012 Citibank. Citibank, N.A., Equal Housing Lender, Member FDIC. Citi, Citibank, and Citi with Arc Design are registered service marks of Citigroup Inc.
Winter 2012Volume 6 / Issue 3
Building a Culture of GivingFor more than 100 years, the Stark Company Realtors® has been contributing to the community. Find out how they build the spirit of giving into their culture.
18Foodie ExtraordinaireWith restaurant-owner parents from Northern Italy, Marie Zazzi couldn’t help but share their love of food.
22
COVER STORY: The Yin and Yang of BusinessWith a steady stream of one liners and punch-you-in-the-arm jokes, the VScreen duo of Stephen Schweickart and Amie Jonsson have captured lightning in a bottle.
4
Letter from the PublisherThere’s a change in the market and things are looking up. However, the real estate professionals in this issue have weathered worse storms. Read about their triumphs.2
4
1822
Triumphant We’ve got four amazing stories of real estate professionals who have suffered tremendously but came back stronger than ever. This is a must-read.
10
www.loremagazine.com
Steve MurrayPublisher
Tracey C. Velt Editor-in-Chief
David GrassnickGraphic Designer
Travis SaxtonWebmaster
Doniece WelchAdvertising
Lore magazine is published online via Issuu four times a year—in February,
May, August and November—by REAL Trends Inc.
7501 Village Square Drive, Ste. 200 Castle Rock, CO 80108
(303) 741-1000
Free Subscriptions:
or call [email protected]
Letter from the Publisher
Real Estate Triumphs
Housing sales are up. Inventory has shrunk so far that many
markets are running low. Price increases are starting to look like
the good old days. Perhaps, finally, we have an old fashion real
estate recovery under way. Maybe we have something akin to the
good old days coming back—where buyers outnumber the sellers!
However, it’s good that some things don’t change. Real estate
professionals continue to go about their business and their lives.
For the most part, they take care of their families, stay close to
friends and when the chance arises, take vacations. Among younger
generations, the excitement of the future and the promise of new
technologies provide a sense of wonderment and excitement.
This issue of LORE covers both the traditional and the new.
We hear from men and women who have fought hard against
life’s calamities and persevered. These are real estate
professionals who beat the odds against illness and tragedy.
We also hear from two young leaders who are turning the
real estate world inside out with video applications that weren’t
even dreamed of just a few short years ago.
The young and the old, the traditional and the new frontier—
in this edition of LORE you will find both. These are the stories
of our times.
Warmest regards,
Stephen H. Murray
Publisher
2 LORE n Lives of Real Estate
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944694_101025_944694 3/15/12 10:05 AM Page 1
Cover Story
With a steady stream of one liners and punch-you-in-the-arm jokes, the VScreen duo of Stephen Schweickart and Amie Jonsson have captured lightning in a bottle.
The Yin and Yang of Business
4 n LORE n Lives of Real Estate
By Tracey C. Velt
Stephen Schweickart, CEO of VScreen, is your typical young entrepreneur—high energy, moving in a million different directions and ready to take on the world. So, in 2006, when his father came to him with the idea to start a video company that catered to the real estate industry, Schweickart, 31, jumped on it. “I was a real estate investor and went sideways on a couple of bad investments, so when my father came to me with an idea and told me to run with it, I was immediately on the phone calling my real estate contacts and gauging interest,” he says.
Six years later, VScreen has evolved from random projects shooting virtual tours and listing videos to a cutting-edge video production agency. “Our first big project was in Daytona Beach, Fla. We hired a kid to shoot the video for us and on the way there, the client asked us if we could do high definition (HD) video. We had to buy an HD camera on the spot,” he says. The camera was overnighted to the shoot and arrived only an hour before Schweickart’s team was scheduled to begin. “It was a nightmare, no one knew how to work the camera. But, the client stuck with it and still jokes with us about that job to this day,” he laughs.
Turning PointAt the time, Schweickart was doing
video tours and agent profiles—hiring kids out of film school. “We were learn-as-you-go,” he says. And, it was going so well that Schweickart had to start hiring scriptwriters and administrative personnel. It’s then
that Amie Jonsson, 31, now vice president of operations and an officer of the company, joined VScreen. The two met one night in downtown Orlando and hit it off. And, she was the first person Schweickart thought of for the position. “Amie is extremely detail oriented. I’m difficult to work for, I’m a perfectionist and all over the place, and she knows how to deal with me,” he says. Perhaps even more important, says Schweickart, is that she’s “very diplomatic.” After all, he says, “Doing business with my father has posed challenges along with the rewards. My father and I are polar opposites. Amie has taken his wisdom and my desire to conquer the world and turned it into a company that’s now breaking through after going through the worst economy ever,” he says.
Currently, the VScreen team consists of 15 people. “We’re like an agency. Some people work in this [Orlando] office, some are freelancers,” he says. And, says Schweickart, “2013 is our breakout year. We’re profitable and digging out of the trenches.” The company has evolved as well. “We still do community and video tours, but we also do custom videos such as testimonials, how-to videos, company promotions, listing videos and more.”
Learning CurvesDespite the chemistry between
Amie and Stephen, it was a rocky road at first. “When I first started, Stephen
Lives of Real Estate n LORE 5
“
“
“We’re not afraid of change. That’s helped
us stay ahead.” — Amie Jonsson, Vice President of
Operations, VScreen
would hand me a Dictaphone that listed everything I needed to do. I had to type it all out and go through the checklist with him every day,” says Jonsson, who stuck it out because she knew the company was going places.
“When she first started with us I was a complete control freak. I made her send me reports on what she was doing every day,” he laughs. “It took me two years to finally trust her completely. Now, I’ve turned everything over to her. I’m the dreamer and the relationship guy, she runs everything,” says Schweickart. “If Amie had not
come on board when she did, I may have buried the company based on my temperament, quick judgment calls and snap decisions. Amie forced me to focus and because of her I didn’t get frustrated and distracted,” he says.
The two have a brother-sister relationship—playfully needling each other one minute and locked in serious business conversation the next. And, they have fun. A recent Facebook post shows Amie’s shoe on a ledge in the window of Stephen’s second-floor office. She had thrown it there to get his attention rather than walk upstairs.
“
“
“I’m the dreamer and the relationship guy, she runs everything.” — stephen schweickart
CEO, Vscreen
VScreen Video
6 n LORE n Lives of Real Estate
“
And, those antics are everyday occurrences to break up the day. “The company culture is defined by being undefined,” laughs Schweickart. “We thrive on chaos, and we never have a normal day. I’m a bit of a dictator from a management perspective; while all the employees love Amie.” And, the company fits what you’d think a young company would be like: there’s no dress code, no knocking on doors. Instead, expect constant bantering between employees and blaring music.
Common GoalsNow, both Schweickart and Jonsson
are on the same page as far as growing the company. “From a real estate perspective we want to be the No. 1 company for all things video,” says Schweickart. “We want to be more of a video agency, not just a video production company. We want to do everything from concept to design and marketing,” says Jonsson. And, they’ve launched some new products that move the company in that direction. The first is Automated Market Videos, developed by VScreen and powered by metrics provider, Terradatum, Inc. By entering a zip code, users can instantly generate a Market Analysis Video that includes key data elements like active inventory, median listing price, days on market, median sale price and number of units sold. The video explains these metrics through the use of easy to understand
narration, charts and graphs. The company is also launching a video
widget where a sales associate can populate a video player full of high-end consumer-specific videos. “The player is completely branded with Facebook and Twitter lead capture built into the platform,” says Schweickart. “The player comes ready filled with 20 videos on how to pick the right agent, home design, staging and more. Every month, we’ll upload four new videos and take four down. It will come with a newsletter for a push campaign and it’s all branded to the agent,” he says.
SurvivorsIt’s these products and the never-
ending energy of Schweickart and Jonsson that keep VScreen going strong. “We’re pioneering the path and surviving while a lot of other companies are going belly up. People know they can call us, and it’s never a question of whether we can handle the project or do it within budget. People trust us to deliver a product that’s high quality, on time and on budget,” says Schweickart. “We’re very entrenched in the video space. We know where the video market is going and pride ourselves on being ahead of the curve. We can say to that broker or agent, ‘We’ve done the research, and we know what you’re going to need.’”
Says Jonsson, “We’re not afraid of change. That’s helped us to stay ahead. If there were a huge shift in technology tomorrow; we wouldn’t automatically throw out our business plan. We can handle it.”
Schweickart agrees. “We thrive on being ahead of the curve and able to adapt. We’re survivors.”
““We’re not afraid of change. That’s helped
us stay ahead.” — Amie Jonsson, Vice President of
Operations, Vscreen
L
Lives of Real Estate n LORE 7
Call 888.212.4793 | Visit www.Terradatum.com/market-videosFollow facebook.com/terradatum | terradatum@twitter
Welcome to Terradatum Market Videos!With video making up 50% of internet activity, Terradatum Market Videostakes the best of both worlds – Market Statistics and Animated Video – to create up-to-date market videos branded to YOUR brokerage that you simply “set and forget”.
With our engaging and informative animated videos, you not only increase tra� c to your brokerage website, you become THE expert in your market! Share the most recent statistics for Active Inventory, Price Days on Market, Median Listing, Units Sold, and Median Sales Price in EVERY video. You can even specify which key market areas you want to feature.
From ZIP Codes to cities to MLS areas, our Market Videos will help drive more tra� c to your website! Plus, with our video packages, the price per video is less than the cost of taking your family out to the movies!
Scan to watch a sample video:
Introducing the Power of Video to Drive Website Tra� c
Call 888.212.4793 | Visit www.Terradatum.com/market-videosFollow facebook.com/terradatum | terradatum@twitter
Welcome to Terradatum Market Videos!With video making up 50% of internet activity, Terradatum Market Videostakes the best of both worlds – Market Statistics and Animated Video – to create up-to-date market videos branded to YOUR brokerage that you simply “set and forget”.
With our engaging and informative animated videos, you not only increase tra� c to your brokerage website, you become THE expert in your market! Share the most recent statistics for Active Inventory, Price Days on Market, Median Listing, Units Sold, and Median Sales Price in EVERY video. You can even specify which key market areas you want to feature.
From ZIP Codes to cities to MLS areas, our Market Videos will help drive more tra� c to your website! Plus, with our video packages, the price per video is less than the cost of taking your family out to the movies!
Scan to watch a sample video:
Introducing the Power of Video to Drive Website Tra� c
EmergingLEadErsC O N F E R E N C E
L E a d E R s h i p i N s t i t u t E
d E N V E RJ a N2 3 - 2 5
2 0 1 3
i n s p i r at io nSOLUTIONSProfessional
Developmenti n c r e a s eperformance
Leadershipe m p o w e r i n g
tac t i c sEveryone in brokerage talks about the importance of leadership in creating healthy firms. and everyone seems to agree that the current leadership is not getting any younger. the REaL Trends Leadership institute (RtLi)– Emerging Leaders – is the first of a series of working sessions to address both issues.
this is built for those new to brokerage leadership, for those who are early into their responsibilities of taking their firms forward. Regardless of what stage an emerging leader is in at this time, this program is made to refresh one’s thinking about how to grow again.
We have custom designed the RtLi to be equally divided between presentation from topic experts and individual work groups that will attack key questions and share answers with each other and with the overall group.
THRIVEStrategiesplanningimplement
v i s i o n a r y
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®s p O N s O R E d B Y
10 n LORE n Lives of Real Estate
health scares, near-death experiences, and the death of a loved one—these major life obstacles can cause even the strongest person to crumble.
Cover Story
Triumphant!not these real estate professionals. Read their stories.
Running For Wounded Warriors
Lives of Real Estate n LORE 11
It was a beautiful fall morning when Terry Hamlin, a sales associate with Carolina One Real Estate in Mount Pleasant, S.C., decided to do some early-morning hunting on his property before starting his day showing properties. “I live on a horse farm and decided after sitting for about an hour hunting deer, I wasn’t having any luck,” says Hamlin, who’s been in real estate since 2006. Hamlin was high above the ground in a new tree stand, when he unhooked his safety harness to climb down. “I grabbed the fabric hand strap on the ladder and it just ripped out. I fell to the ground and landed in a standing position with all of my weight on my left leg. My leg literally exploded,” he says. Hamlin would soon find out he had six exposed compound fractures, his ankle and heel bones were crushed and he had severed his femoral artery. Hamlin was alone, in a semi-remote part of the property and was starting to bleed out. “Thankfully, I had the presence of mind to grab my Blackberry and call 911,” says Hamlin, who memorized the date and time of the accident: September 18, 2009 at 8:04 a.m. In addition, Hamlin’s training as a Berkeley county deputy taught him basic first aid. “I knew that if I lost consciousness I would die, and I knew that I needed to slow the bleeding, so I pulled my belt off and tied it as a tourniquet to my thigh,” he says.
Hamlin calmly told the 911 operator his deputy code, gave her details about the accident and told her to have the emergency responders bring morphine and plasma. “It’s amazing what the human body can do,” says Hamlin, who says he’s a “spiritual guy” and was praying for strength. He then told her that he had to hang up, a no-no to 911 operators, who try to keep the victim on the phone until emergency responders arrive. “I knew the ambulance would have a hard time finding me, so I had to call a friend of mine who could lead them to the place quickly,” he says. Unfortunately, his friend was about 17 miles away, but says Hamlin, “He was here in 8 minutes and thankfully the ambulance was right behind him.” That’s when Hamlin took a shell from his pocket, loaded his hunting gun and shot into the air so that everyone could find him. As they loaded him into the ambulance, Hamlin went into shock, but still had the presence of mind to call his wife. “I downplayed it to her but she quickly realized how serious it was once she got to the hospital,” he says.
Hamlin was immediately led into surgery. They saved his leg and less than three weeks after the accident, Hamlin attended a home inspection for one of his listings that was closing that month. “My colleagues were wonderful,” says Hamlin. “I had two closings
“
“
I downplayed it to (my wife) but she quickly realized how serious it was once she got to the hospital.
— Terry hamlin, Carolina One Real Estate
Triumphant!not these real estate professionals. Read their stories.
12 LORE n Lives of Real Estate
“ “coming up and they helped me with my business.”
Over the next seven months, Hamlin rehabbed his leg all while working. Unfortunately, it was determined that he would have to have it amputated. “I just wasn’t getting better.” Hamlin now wears a prosthetic limb. Despite being an athlete, who at 61-years-old was still running daily, Hamlin took the news in stride. “I had to improve the quality of my life and amputation was the only way to do that,” he says. Finally in December 2010, Hamlin got his prosthetic leg. In addition, his doctor surprised him with a running blade; similar to the one South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius wore in the Olympics.
Not only that, but it featured a painting of the American flag. “That was a special day,” says Hamlin, who years ago founded the Cooper River Bridge 10,000 meter run and was determined to run it again.
But, this time, Hamlin wanted to do more than just run it. Before his amputation, Hamlin had been getting
inspiration from the men and women of our armed services who lost limbs in combat. “I was talking with John Fernandez, an Iraqi war veteran and
West Point grad who lost both his legs in combat. “He worked for Wounded Warrior Project, so I decided to dedicate the run to that organization.” The run organizers named a division in his honor: the Terry Hamlin Mobility Impaired Division and Hamlin used it as a way to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. He’s raised over $43,000 so far. “I ran the Cooper River Bridge Run in March 2011, and I’ve been moving forward ever since,” says Hamlin, who still runs up to five miles, three to four times a week. “I believe this was a message that there’s more for me to do here. I’ve always loved my country and helping my fellow man. It sounds corny, but I really do have an innate love for people. I choose to have a good attitude and push hard.”
Through it all, Hamlin never took a leave of absence from selling real estate. He continues to ride horses, hunt, run and raise money and awareness for war veteran amputees. “My wife always said she wanted to marry a cowboy, now she’s not so sure,” laughs Hamlin.
I’ve been moving forward ever since. I believe this was a message that there’s more
for me to do here.— Terry Hamblin,
Carolina One Real Estate
Triumphant
Lives of Real Estate n LORE n 13
Love and LossIt was the middle-of-the-night phone
call that every parent dreads—a call from the police. “While the rest of the family was in Gloucester the night before Thanksgiving, my 22-year-old son, Seamus, had to work and said he was going to bed and would join us the next day,” says Stephanie Densmore, an associate-broker with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate The Masiello Group in Sanford, Mass. “Of course, he ended up going out with friends that night. He was a spitfire, a real man about town,” she says.
The rest, she says, is a blur. “When we got the call from the police, I thought Seamus had burned the house down or something, they wouldn’t tell me why they were calling, just told us to come down to the station. I woke up my husband, Jimmy, and our older son, Brendan, because I just knew something was very wrong,” she says. “My son, Seamus, passed away on November 23, 2006 (Thanksgiving) in a car accident. He was almost 23-years-old. It will always take my breath away,” says Densmore, who says her son had been drinking and hit a tree while swerving to miss something that was in the road. The car burst into flames. “His friends tried to take the keys away from him, even handing them to the bartender, but he went behind the bar and took them back,” says Densmore. “Almost six years later, I’m still angry. Brendan is getting married soon and he’s not even going to have a best man. He says that no one can take Seamus’ place,” she says.
A few weeks after the death, Densmore shocked her office by returning to work. “It was my outlet. I needed to reach out and have
wonderful people around me,” she says. Every day, she has to drive by the accident scene, which is right around the corner from her office. “I came back to work sooner than some thought I should after Seamus died and to tell you the truth, it’s still quite a blur. I just knew that I needed to connect with people to keep going and to make sure my son’s life went on somehow through me,” she says. “I honor him every day through the work I do helping his friends who come to me as first-time homebuyers.
I see Seamus in all of them, and we talk about him and say his name often; sometimes in laughter and sometimes in tears, always with the joy of having had him in our lives even for a short time.”
“ “I just knew that I needed to connect with people to
keep going. — stephanie Densmore,
Better homes and Gardens Real Estate
“
14 LORE n Lives of Real Estate
Like Father, Like SonLike most devoted sons, Derik
Baumgartner would do anything for his dad, Dean. And, when he says anything, he really means it, even going so far as to give his dad a kidney. The Baumgartners are a father-son team with Prudential Florida Realty in Stuart, Fla. “I got my license in 2006, right after the boom,” says Derik, who has been helping his dad by answering the phone and filing papers since he was young.
But, two and a half years ago, Dean’s health took a turn for the worse. “I had always suffered from kidney stones, but in 2000, I was in the hospital in Italy for 14 days,” says Dean. “My creatinine level (which measures kidney function) was 300 times what it was supposed to be. A kidney stone had gotten stuck in my ureter and caused my kidney to fail,” he says.
“As soon as my dad got sick I checked about donating a kidney to him,” says Derik. “After all, I had a fantastic, supportive father who not only allowed
me to walk out of college debt free, but went on to ensure I had a successful real estate career as well,” he says. But, Dean had other plans. “I was very conflicted. If Derik gave me his kidney, what would happen to him in 20 years if he needed a kidney?” says Dean. Thankfully, two people stepped up and were blood type matches, however both were overweight and not candidates for surgery.
As the wait continued, Dean’s situation turned dire. Dean was put on a donor list and started dialysis. “I took him to the hospital to a doctor’s appointment and when dad went to the restroom, I asked the doctor to test me to see if I was a match,” says Derik, who is now 35-years-old. “It was May 2011, and we had the surgery in October 2011.” By that time, Dean knew that he might be dead before a kidney became available and the ports coming out of his kidneys scared his younger son, who was 7 years old at the
Triumphant
Father and son team, Dean (left) and Derik (right), let nothing stand in their way.
time. “I was scared. Would I donate a kidney to my son? Absolutely, but I had a hard time accepting it from him. After all, people die in minor operations and taking out a kidney is a major surgery. You’re asking someone to suffer a lot of pain,” says Dean, now 65-years-old. But, Dean was desperate and Derik persisted until both realized it was the only thing to do. “I was dying,” says Dean. “Plus,” he says, “I figured the surgery would be harder on me than on Derik, but I soon found out that was inaccurate,” says Dean. “I awoke from the operation elated.” So elated that he grabbed his laptop and
cell phone and started doing business the day after surgery. Derik was out of work for 2.5 weeks. “But, when I came back, I had to come back with a vengeance. I worked 12 hour days for 9 months to get our business back on track,” says Derik, who must get that gene from his dad who is a self-professed “workaholic.” In fact, Dean worked full time despite being on dialysis three days a week. Although, says Dean, “I enjoy what I do but I
also have a responsibility to my young son—to be there for his soccer and baseball games, to play Legos and read together, just like I did with my older children. I have a full-time job during the day and am a full-time father the rest of the time,” he says.
Now, both father and son are back to work. “I’ve had three near-death experiences,” says Dean, who, in addition to the kidney disease, was pronounced dead at age 3 from heat stroke before his father brought him back to life with CPR and was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at age 18 and had emergency surgery to keep
him alive. “I’m so grateful to Derik for keeping me alive this third time,” he says. So grateful, that Dean flew Derik to Italy to join him on his first trip back since the operation. “I got to spend time with my dad and that is priceless,” says Derik.
Dean continues to work hard every day and, says Derik, “he doesn’t give up even when he doesn’t feel good.” And, says Dean, “I’ve been so fortunate. This type of illness makes you think twice about life and what’s important—family.”
“ “
Would I donate a kidney to my son? Absolutely, but I had a hard time accepting
it from my son. — Dean Baumgartner,
Prudential Florida Realty
Lives of Real Estate n LORE n 15
Derik and his dad, Dean, are avid fishermen.
As a thank you, Dean took his son on a trip to Italy. From left, Derik, step-mom Alessia and step-brother Dawson.
Derik builds a home for Habitat for Humanity.
16 LORE n Lives of Real Estate
Breathing a Sigh of ReliefA car accident saved 22-year real
estate veteran Jacqueline Patrick-Archer’s life. “It sounds crazy, but in August 2005, I was in a car accident and the emergency doctor ordered CT scans and X-rays to determine the
extent of my injuries,” says Archer, the vice president of marketing, affiliated businesses and leads management for ERA Sunrise Realty in Alpharetta, Ga. The good news—Archer suffered no injuries from the accident. The bad news: She had a fist-size lump in one of her lungs. “It turned out to be a fast spreading type of lung cancer,” says the non-smoking Archer. “There is only a 15 percent survival rate.”
Archer was floored. She had never smoked and didn’t have any symptoms. “I was 40 years old with three young boys to care for, this could not be happening,” she says.
Fifteen days after the car accident, Archer was on the operating table subjected to a 14-hour surgery where doctors removed her right lung and 31
lymph nodes. “Being in a management position, every project I had been working on was put on hold as my focus had to be shifted to getting well,” she says. The brokerage she was working for (she’s since changed brokerages) showered her and her family with food, cards and flowers. “The hospital told me they had never seen anyone receive more flowers than me,” laughs Archer.
Archer’s surgery was successful, but she had six months of chemotherapy treatments to endure, followed by years of treatments. “I took a leave of absence and as a Type A personality, it was very difficult for me to accept help from others. It truly was overwhelming,” says Archer, who came back to work with a new appreciation. “Every single morning, I wake up with a positive outlook. After all, if it had not been for that car accident, my cancer would have gone undetected.” And, she says, working helped her get better. “I couldn’t stand the four walls. I wanted to get back to work and get back to normal. It was hard, I worked shorter days and my company worked with me,” she says.
Archer is now considered cancer-free, as she has had no other occurrences for the past seven years. “It [the loss of a lung] obviously still impacts me but I’m
“ “Every morning, I wake up with a positive attitude.
If it had not been for that car accident, my cancer would
have gone undetected. — Jacqueline Patrick-Archer,
ERA Sunrise Realty
Triumphant
Lives of Real Estate n LORE 17
in tune with my body and I just work with it. You make the best of it,” she says.
And, “the best of it” for Archer was to give back and serve. “I obviously recognize that I am a miracle, and I believe in God’s grace. What I’ve done with that is help raise awareness and funds for lung cancer,” she says.
Already connected in her community through her work as a councilwoman, about a year ago, she met with a representative and told him she wanted to have a license plate for lung cancer awareness. “We did it in record time—it took seven weeks from start of process with Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles (GDMV) until it was signed into law,” she says. “I did a lot of hoop jumping, but because of these efforts and support from others who have been affected, we are the first state to have a license plate designated to lung cancer research and awareness,” she says.
The money from the $25 vanity plate charge that the GDMV collects, will be forwarded to the The Joan Gaeta Lung Cancer Fund and used for lung cancer research, early detection, patient advocacy and support.
In addition, Archer has worked with the lung cancer alliance and traveled to Washington, D.C. to support the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act.
But, says Archer, despite it all, she draws her strength from those around her, especially her mother. “My mother took me to all of my chemo treatments, and I can only imagine how she must have felt, watching her daughter going through all of this pain. When I was defeated, she picked me up. I can’t even begin to express how much that means to me. I hope that others who go through this
will have someone they can draw the same strength from,” says Archer.
“I’ve found that more than anything I smile a little bigger, I notice the sunrise, I enjoy the outdoors and time with my kids. There are no bad days anymore.” L
Jacqueline Patrick-Archer, seen here with legislators, was able to work with legislators to get a license plate for lung cancer awareness signed into law in record time.
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Building a Culture of
GivinG
eyebrow to come
for more than 100 years, the Stark Company realtors® has been contributing to the
community. find out how they build the spirit of giving into their culture.
The Sun Prairie office collects and sends care packages to U.S. troops. “We do this every year,” says Bonnie Dixon.
Building a Culture of
GivinG
It was 2008, not a stellar year for real estate, but it was the 100th anniversary for the Stark Company Realtors, and they wanted to celebrate.
“Our tradition has always been giving back to the community,” says Dave Stark, president of Stark Company Realtors, a Wisconsin-based brokerage founded by his great-grandfather in 1908. “So, while planning our 100th anniversary we decided to solidify that community activism by planning charity events in each of our seven offices.” The company now has six offices and 180 sales associates.
Bonnie Dixon, branch manager of the Sun Prairie office was part of the group that made the anniversary plans. “We decided it wasn’t about us—it was about our communities and our agents, so we challenged each office to pick a charity and plan an event to raise money,” says Dixon, who says 2008 was a turning point because it made the giving they had already done more purposeful. “One office decided to do a run/walk and raised over $2,000 for a community education center in their neighbor-hood. My office partnered with a local food pantry that was celebrating its one-year anniversary. We collected 14,800 pounds of food,” says Dixon.
Keep on GivingStark Company Realtors capped
off the 100th anniversary celebration with a giving-back golf outing. “We picked different charities, such as Project Home and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and raised money for them,” he says. “This was personal to us. We had lost two
Stark Company family members to pancreatic cancer within a year. It was very emotional.” In addition to the money raised by each individual office, the golf outing raised about $9,000.
What happened next is a testament to the giving nature of Stark’s real estate professionals and the legacy of its founding fathers. “While giving was already part of our company culture, this further drove home the point and really solidified that reputation for us,” says Stark. “It goes way back to the history of our company and my grandfather. He was influential in real estate in the 20s and 30s, helping to get the Board of Realtors going and an early pioneer in the local United Way,” he says. The United Way has been Stark’s “most consistently supported organization.” Stark has been chairman of the United Way board and a chair of the United Way campaign.
But, after the 2008 organized effort, each office continued to thrust themselves into community efforts. “Once the community got wind of our willingness to help, we were approached by several different causes,” says Dixon. One such cause was the Sun Prairie Education Foundation. “Board members of the education foundation saw what a fabulous job we did with the food pantry and asked us if we would organize a silent auction for them. We, of course, said, ‘Yes.’” So far, the Sun Prairie office has raised more than $80,000 for the foundation, which offers grants to teachers to
Lives of Real Estate n LORE 19
“ ““once the community got wind of our willing-ness to help, we were approached by several
different causes.” — Bonnie dixon, Branch Manager,
Stark Company realtors
participate in activities or buy supplies not in the public school budget. “In 2010, they named their construction classroom after our company,” says Dixon.
Company CultureThe culture of giving back permeates
each office—from the big events, to the little things. For example, at several offices, there is a jar in the break room where people throw in their coins. “During the holidays, we find a needy family and we deliver the jar of money along with a book called, “Christmas Jars,” by Jason F. Wright.
Dixon recalls one time where agents from her office put out over 300 American flags in people’s yards for July 4. “Veterans were pulling over to say thank you,” she says. “They get teary eyed to know that people out there cared about what they did for our country.”
“There’s a certain openness that we pride ourselves on having,” says Stark. “We had an agent who joined us from a competitor come to us and say, ‘There’s something different about your company. Everyone wants to help you. It feels like everyone is there for you,’” says Stark. “And, we are. We’re like a family.” That’s why Stark continually reinforces a nurturing environment and encourages agents to take up personal causes. “Baskets go around and that’s just who we are,” he says.
And, says Dixon, “This kind of cultural message comes from the top. People in the community see the local connection we have, and they’re drawn to it,” she says. “We certainly see a different kind of agent coming to work with us. After all, without a strong
community and strong connections, you have nothing. Giving back feeds your soul,” she says. “We’ve created a culture here where we attract great people who want community service to be a part of their lives,” says Stark.
The truth, says Stark, is that his company is part of the fabric of the community. “It goes back to our history. If our company went out of business, it would be recognized in the community as a real loss,” he says.
After all, he says, “Community activism is true to the spirit of what we do and who we are. It’s fun to see the agents put energy into it—not because I tell them to, but because they’re just really into it,” he says.
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Building a Culture of
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Lives of Real Estate n LORE 23120448
Four Generations oF trust. As the oldest, and one of the largest real estate companies in South Central
Wisconsin, Stark Company Realtors® has a rich heritage and a respected name.
The Stark Company was founded in 1908 by Presbyterian Minister Albert C. Stark. His son, Paul E. Stark, soon joined
the company. Paul believed that “a community isn’t built one house at a time, but rather one handshake at a time.”
Like his grandfather Paul and his father Phillip, David K. Stark now continues the family tradition of providing every
home buyer and home seller with an experience that is satisfying in every way.
And yet today, The Stark Company’s four generations of success is founded on
promises kept; to our customers, to our staff and to our community. David K.
Stark makes this pledge: “No other real estate firm of any size will be organized
to serve customers’ needs as completely, as professionally, and as successfully as
Stark Company Realtors®.” Company Headquarters Mifflin at Fairchild
Dave and Phil Stark in 1989
Paul E. Stark played a prominent role in Madison’s development
1920’s – 30’s
The Most Trusted Name in Real Estate for
over 100 years
With restaurant-owner parents from Northern Italy, Marie Zazzi couldn’t help but share their love of food.
At some point in every conversation with buyers and sellers, the talk turns to food. “I generally ask them if they’ve eaten at any good restaurants lately,” says Marie Zazzi, senior vice president-associate broker with Sotheby’s International Realty in East Hampton, New York. “Since I’m close to New York City, many of my customers love to share their favorite place.” And Zazzi, who says she loves to research new places to eat, can offer up a few of her own.
An Auspicious Beginning“My father owned a restaurant in
Manhattan, but I swore I’d never have anything to do with food,” laughs Zazzi. Despite her best efforts to follow her other love—fashion—once Zazzi graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), she
22 LORE n Lives of Real Estate
Foodie Extraordinaire
Marie Zazzi with Sotheby’s International Realty in East Hampton, holds a four-pound chicken mushroom, which she chopped, sauteed in olive oil and mixed with a scambled egg. “I put it on top of pecan raisin bread and it was delicious,” she says.
ended up as a sous chef at the NYC Waldorf Astoria. “Even then I loved to research recipes and restaurants, so I would go to Strand Bookstore (which sells new, used, rare and out of print books) in the city and buy used cookbooks,” she says. It was there she discovered Diana Kennedy, the “Julia Child of Mexican cooking.” Zazzi immediately called Kennedy and told her she would like to work with her. “As luck would have it, she was looking for a cooking-class assistant,” she says. Eventually, Zazzi moved to East Hampton and for a short time catered Mexican food in the area. She was also engaged in the organic movement.
“I’ve been involved in the sustainable agriculture/organic farming movement,” she says. “I helped bring the Northeast Organic Farming Association to our area.” After catering, she taught cooking classes at the local public schools. From there, she says, she needed a change so she moved into real estate.
Making FriendsWhile she doesn’t talk about her
foodie tendencies in her real estate marketing, she says she finds it easy to connect with buyers and sellers because of it. “I ask if they cook and we exchange recipes. I’ve become friends and traveled with customers because of food,” says Zazzi, who goes into New York City every chance she gets and is known to ask a random person on the street where he or she likes to eat. And, Zazzi still cooks, although for health reasons, she sticks to vegetarian meals at home.
Zazzi travels frequently to Italy, where she walks neighborhoods looking for interesting restaurants. She’s fluent in Italian, so will often stop a businessman and ask where he likes to eat lunch. “I find it stimulating,” she says.
Foodie Extraordinaire
“ ““I ask if (real estate clients) cook and we exchange recipes. I’ve become friends and traveled with customers because of food.”
— Marie Zazzi, Senior Vice President, Sotheby’s International Realty,
East Hampden, New York
Lives of Real Estate n LORE n 23
Zazzi’s Fav FoodWhile Zazzi refuses to say these are her all-time favorites, (she has so many!)
she put together a list of some of the places she frequents every chance she gets:
1. Tartine Bakery in San Francisco for bread and desserts2. Didovich Pasticceria in Venice, Italy for vegetable tarts3. Ciampini in Rome for gelato 4. Roscioli in Rome for Burrata (a fresh Italian cheese) and semi-dried tomatoes5. L’Ourcine in Paris. “A charming restaurant with delicious food.”6. Grandaisy in New York City for, “Delicious thin focaccia-potato and
rosemary, zucchini and parmesan sandwiches.”7. Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles. “I haven’t eaten here yet, but it’s on my list.”8. Maialino NYC. “Everyone I take there consistently tells me it’s the best
meal they’ve ever had.”9. Baoquette in NYC for Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) L
24 LORE n Lives of Real Estate
Diana KenneDy’s Guacamole Recipe
One of Marie Zazzi’s go-to recipes, she learned to make this guacamole during her apprenticeship with cook Diana Kennedy. It’s easy to make and delicious.
Yield: Makes about 2-1/2 cups
Ingredients1. 2 heaped tablespoons finely chopped white onion2. 4 serrano chiles, finely chopped (yes, seeds and all), or to taste3. 3 heaped tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro4. Sea salt to taste5. 3 avocados, (about 1 pound/450g)6. About 1/2 cup (125ml) finely chopped, unskinned tomatoes
For the toppings:• 1/2 cup (63ml) finely chopped tomatoes• 1 heaped tablespoon finely chopped white onion• 2 heaped tablespoons finely (but not too finely, just prettily)
chopped cilantro
DirectionsPut the onion, chiles, cilantro, and salt into a molcajete and crush to a paste. Cut the
avocados in half and, without peeling, remove the pit and squeeze out the flesh. Mash the avocado roughly into the base and mix well. Stir in the tomatoes and sprinkle the surface of the guacamole with the toppings. Serve immediately.
“From My Mexican Kitchen: Techniques and Ingredients,” by Diana Kennedy, copyright © 2003 by Diana Kennedy. Used by permission of Random House Inc. Any third party use of this material, outside of this publication, is prohibited. Interested parties must apply directly to Random House Inc. for permission.
