Securing long-term success for your real estate firm means courting new ideas, new business models and new partnerships. This September, three top Power Brokers will share rare insights into how they built firms designed to withstand the changes of a volatile marketplace and succeed for the long-term. During the unique kick-off session of RISMedia’s Real Estate CEO Exchange in New York City, Long & Foster’s Jeff Detwiler, Douglas Elliman’s Dottie Herman, and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada/Arizona’s Mark Stark will candidly discuss how they’ve adapted and strategized over the years to create powerhouse real estate firms.
RISMedia President & CEO John Featherston will open the CEO Exchange—held at Manhattan’s prestigious Yale Club—on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 1:30 p.m., by delving into a detailed discussion with Detwiler, Herman and Stark during “Here Today, Ready for Tomorrow: Blueprints for Sustainable Success.” In this session, the trio will share how they embraced change in order to meet the needs of an evolving industry and consumer. Hear first-hand how these leaders broke the mold to build a future:
Jeff Detwiler is president and chief operating officer of Long & Foster Companies. He is responsible for guiding the strategic direction of the organization and overseeing its daily operations. Long & Foster Companies consists of six major business lines: General Brokerage, Property Management, Relocation, Mortgage, Settlement Services, and Insurance, as well as several smaller ventures in related business areas. Detwiler has almost 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, with much of that time devoted to various segments of banking, including mortgage, investment and commercial banking. His background also includes insurance and portfolio management. Detwiler graduated from Princeton University in 1983.
Dottie Herman is president and CEO of Douglas Elliman, New York’s largest residential brokerage, with more than 80 offices in New York City, Long Island, the Hamptons, Westchester/Putnam, South Florida, Connecticut, Aspen and Los Angeles; more than 5,700 real estate agents; and a network of international affiliates. The firm has formed a global alliance with London-based Knight Frank Residential LLP in 55 countries, allowing Elliman to reach international buyers from all over the world. Douglas Elliman ranked in the top four of all real estate companies in the nation in each of the seven years from 2007 to 2014. In addition, the company controls a portfolio of real estate services, including Manhattan’s largest residential property manager, Douglas Elliman Property Management, as well as DE Title. Herman has over 30 years’ experience in the real estate business, starting as a broker with Merrill Lynch’s Long Island real estate division. In 1989, she bought Prudential Real Estate’s Long Island division and expanded the company into the Hamptons. Four years later Herman and her business partner, Howard M. Lorber, purchased Douglas Elliman for nearly $72 million. Herman has been named among the 50 Most Powerful Women in New York by Crain’s New York Business, as well as one of The New York Observer’s Power 100. She is also host of am970’s popular Saturday morning radio show Eye On Real Estate.
Mark Stark is the CEO and owner/broker of the third largest Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchise in the world, Americana Holdings. His Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Arizona Properties are both among the very top producing real estate firms in their respective states. Stark’s experience spans from 1985, when he joined the company that would become Prudential Americana Group, REALTORS. He became its CEO in 1997 and acquired Prudential Real Estate’s largest Arizona franchise in 2011. In April of 2014, both companies were rebranded under their new affiliation with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Combined, the Arizona and Nevada firms have 21 offices and nearly 2,000 real estate agents. Last year the companies sold 10,425 homes and completed $2.7 billion in sales. The company’s future includes expansion into additional U.S. markets and increased market domination in both Nevada and Arizona.
The day-and-a-half-long Real Estate CEO Exchange, “Building Sustainable Success,” will take a realistic look at the current and future state of the real estate brokerage business, and reveal tactics for securing long-term viability. The event will run Sept. 16-17, 2015. To view the complete agenda and event sponsors click here. Early-bird pricing ends this Wednesday, July 15; contact Randi Vannucchi to see if you are eligible to attend.
RISMedia’s 2015 CEO Exchange will feature more than 30 expert speakers from the top real estate firms across the country, as well as keynote presentations from subject-matter experts on government regulations, safety, and leadership. This year’s Master level sponsors are:
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate
Century 21 Real Estate
ERA Real Estate
Homes.com
National Association of REALTORS®
realtor.com®
For a complete list of speakers and panelists, click here. RISMedia will once again close the event with the “Ultimate Power Broker Open House Experience,” sponsored by Halstead Property, a member of Luxury Portfolio International®, where attendees will receive a private tour of one of New York City’s most exclusive listings.
