Above: Christy Budnick, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, shared the brand’s forever vision: the “where” we need to go and purpose; the “why” behind everything we do.
Las Vegas, for millions of visitors, evokes innumerable images and memories, which include two-person entertainment acts. Most notably, Penn and Teller, Siegfried and Roy, and for boomers like me, Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret teaming up in “Viva Las Vegas.” These iconic performers are considered to have set the gold standard for dynamic duos in a city that glitters beyond all others.
For the nearly 7,000 global network conference attendees at the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ Sales Convention 2023, there is now another duo that will be forever etched in their memories of Vegas, the team of “Blefari and Budnick.” Unquestionably, the paired “performances” provided by the teaming up of Chairman Gino Blefari and CEO Christy Budnick, brilliantly staged and supported by the convention-producing architecture and choreography of Corporate Magic, along with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ own Denise Doyle and team, was truly magical. The convention teamwork of Blefari and Budnick, which combined powerful and poignant motivation, vision and purpose-related messaging from the world-class and magnificence of Caesars’ convention center stage each day was true to the transcendent conference theme of M.V.P. (Motivation, Vision, Purpose).
The meticulous and stylistic manner in which Blefari and Budnick co-anchored our annual event—and in alignment with this year’s convention mantra—elevated what otherwise would have been just one more great and memorable Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Global Network Convention into a truly unforgettable experience. This year’s convention surpassed the brand’s legacy of unrivaled real estate events. So much so that the 2023 convention, celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the brand, is being hailed collectively as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ greatest convention of all time.
Blefari, an RISMedia Newsmaker Hall of Fame member and 2023 Newsmaker in the Luminaries category, appropriately and compellingly kicked off opening day with stirring examples of great leaders throughout time and from around the world. Each illustration was universally relatable to the participants representing 13 countries and territories. Chairman Blefari, although unwilling to have it announced that he was recently validated to be the industry’s G.O.A.T. (aka the greatest of all time), displayed no reluctance in honoring his father as representing his personal motivation, much of his vision, and deeply influencing his purpose in life. Blefari shared a letter which had been sent to his father decades earlier from a fellow World War II soldier, thanking Paul Blefari for taking his place to stand guard during the legendary Battle of the Bulge.
The chairman explained that he only recently found this letter and reached out to the surviving son of the author. They both agreed that neither of them might be in the world today were it not for Paul Blefari standing watch that night in place of the other soldier, who went on to write this letter. Paul Blefari not only fought through the Battle of the Bulge, but also survived unthinkable assault while landing on the beaches of Normandy. Blefari’s father was personally thanked by then General and future President Dwight Eisenhower as well as by the legendary General George Patton. He was awarded two Purple Hearts while recovering for months in a hospital in France. Blefari employed his poignant reminiscences as a pathway to presenting a riveting teaching lesson as he shared Paul Blefari’s “8 Recommendations for a Remarkable Life” with the captivated audience.
Budnick complemented her chairman colleague and executive contemporary by exhibiting her world-class charisma, high-level strategy and motivational suggestions reflecting her personal vision and purpose for the global network. Budnick, our supreme leader, in her keynote speech, reflected and represented astounding leadership, vast brokerage experience, deep industry knowledge, notable innovation, impressive intelligence and relentless dedication to the success of the network. Throughout the conference, Budnick’s galvanizing leadership and the significant respect she commands, was naturally and effortlessly on display. One would be hard-pressed to come across any aspect of the convention, in terms of its messaging, education or networking meetings, which our CEO had not either conceived of, created, inspired, guided or led.
Budnick introduced her phased-in brand refresh initiative, along with examples of “Real Stories About Real Estate” and the related commercials to the delight of conference attendees. Another dimension of Budnick’s vision on display was her enthusiastic explanation that Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is not only real estate’s Forever Brand, professionally represented by highly skilled Forever Agents, but also the industry’s For-Everyone brand. Budnick’s For-Everyone mantra and mission was on full display during the conference, reflected by a wide range of diverse networking events. Some of the most notable examples were the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion meeting where Budnick, in front of a packed ballroom of attendees, lauded Chief Diversity Officer Teresa Palacios-Smith, who also led her Women Who Lead group, for her unrelenting efforts in leading the global network’s most important initiative…Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Additional specialized assemblages included meetings held for the Military Network, Luxury Collection, REthink Council, the Forever Agent Coaching members and Budnick’s recently announced Forever Agent Ambassadors.
Although Blefari and Budnick were the headliners of the convention, the unmistakable stars of this and all Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices conventions were the Sunshine Kids and the recognition and gratitude shown to the global network’s most accomplished network agents, teams and brokerages. The Sunshine Kids Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing positive experiences for children with cancer, annually transcends everything else that takes place at the convention. The visitation onstage of the children, where they are lovingly embraced and applauded by the entire audience, remains a vivid display of the heart of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the visible courage of the children.
The entire network rallies behind the competitive goal of which companies raise the most money each year for the charity, with millions of dollars being donated over the last decade. After the Sunshine Kids are first and appropriately honored, those most responsible for each convention are then resoundingly honored and celebrated by their attending colleagues. Many of the honorees brought onstage by Budnick and Blefari shared their personal motivation, vision and purpose, which drive their success.
But what makes a convention a perfect 10? The answer is a combination of many components and the convergence of the proper mix of education, entertainment and enthusiastic engagement. Regarding education, the dozens of varied university classes addressing topics from social media through how to most effectively serve clients and consumers, were all described as world class. So too will the transformational keynote speeches delivered by world-renowned Kevin Brown and Vinh Giang forever live in convention lore. The entertainment offerings, including The Young Artist Orchestra of Las Vegas, through to the closing crescendo performance by the ultra-talented OneRepublic, lived up to the highest expectations that anyone could have on a visit to the Entertainment Capital of the World.
The engagement began with the special chemistry that radiated from the very beginning of the conference between the brand’s chairman and CEO, through the personal connectivity of all of the brokers at the Elite and Genesis events, and was supplemented by engagement with the 100 vendors providing a wide range of strategic resources. Adding to what a perfect 10 represents, Wendy Durand, senior vice president of Global Marketing & Communications, who I consider to be the most talented brand manager in the industry, presented across several Times Square-sized video screens a celebration of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ anniversary by showcasing the brand’s illustrious and most memorable milestones of the first decade.
Budnick’s commitment that the MVP Convention must first and foremost exalt, educate and entertain the global network’s richly deserving agents and their brokerages was fulfilled, and will endure. The thousands of network members upon leaving Las Vegas, whether it be to prepare to become Forever Agent Certified Remodeling Advisors or to begin planning for June’s “Real Estate Planning Month,” I’m sure would all agree that what happened in Las Vegas during the last week of March 2023 most assuredly should not stay in Vegas.
For more information, please visit https://www.bhhs.com.
