Above, the 2023 Real Estate Newsmakers Hall of Fame inductees at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Standing from left: Art Carter, Charles Oppler, RISMedia Executive Vice President Maria Patterson, Leslie Rouda Smith, Howard ‘Hoddy’ Hanna, RISMedia Founder and CEO John Featherston, and Tim Milam. Seated: Mary Lee Blaylock. (Photo by AJ Canaria)
Thought leaders came together Wednesday evening to celebrate RISMedia’s 2023 Newsmakers and induct a select group of industry icons into the 2023 Newsmakers Hall of Fame at RISMedia’s annual Real Estate Newsmakers Reception & Dinner. The event was held at the historic Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., during RISMedia’s 35th Annual CEO & Leadership Exchange.
The annual Real Estate Newsmakers program honors the industry’s most dynamic individuals for their previous year’s accomplishments and contributions to their companies, colleagues and clients, and to the larger cause of expanding and protecting homeownership. Nominated by our readers and RISMedia editors, the more than 300 individuals in the 2023 class, along with this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, were announced this past February. RISMedia celebrates Newsmakers throughout the year in its ongoing coverage leading up to the in-person event, where honorees enjoy dinner and Hall of Fame inductees are presented with an award commemorating their accomplishments.
As hundreds of guests gathered for the celebratory evening, RISMedia and CEO & Leadership Exchange attendees cheered on honorees and applauded the new group of Hall of Famers. The 2023 Real Estate Newsmakers class included the following categories: Achievers, Crusaders, Futurists, Influencers, Luminaries and Trailblazers, as well as our 10 exemplary Hall of Fame inductees.
From the Newsmakers Reception & Dinner Wednesday evening, inductees shared their thoughts on being inducted into the 2023 class.
“I’m excited about it and the category of Crusaders is even more exciting for me because in my work in housing affordability, I was able to help 23 families into permanent affordable housing through the land trust I chair. I get to help folks with one of the three essentials for a trip around the sun, which is food, clothing and shelter.” –Keith Smith, Co-Owner, Yes Realty Partners, A Keller Williams Alliance Partner
“I’m honored–you never do things to be recognized but when you are it’s confirmation you’re on the right path and making the right decisions. Thinking about my background coming from Nigeria to this country–I came here with nothing and wanted to live the American Dream but at the same time, wanted to give back. And it’s taken a lot of fearlessness to kick down doors and not be afraid to speak up to become one of the most productive, black-owned brokerages in Houston. I really think that’s what being a Trailblazer is all about.” –Jemila Winsey, CEO & Principal Broker, ERA Legacy Living
“It means a lot to be inducted into the Luminaries category. The brokers here [at the CEO & Leadership Exchange] are the ones who are making the decisions every day–the fact that I’m a Luminary in this group of people is pretty important. There are a lot of awards given out, and I feel like some of them are kind of hollow. This feels real and it’s an honor to be a part of this.” –Brian Donnellan, President & CEO, Bright MLS
As the Hall of Fame Newsmakers took the stage to accept their honors, inductees shared their thoughts and insights about being in the 2023 class.
“I’m very much reminded of the high caliber of people that all of you are and that enjoy this incredible industry as much as I do. The cast of characters runs wide and deep, and I have always enjoyed being amongst the fine people who lead this incredible industry. Real estate, however, is not for the faint of heart. In fact, it is often a fight or flight situation. Over the course of my 30-year career, there have been so many situations where I had to make the decision to fight or flee. I have had the good fortune of often being in the right place at the right time with the right opportunity to catapult my career to a new level.” –Mary Lee Blaylock, Senior Vice President, HomeServices of America and Chairperson, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties
“Bess has helped grow her firm into one of the largest and most successful real estate companies in the United States, with the highest average sales price per agent in the country. According to Bess, this success is entirely due to the incredible team she is fortunate enough to work with. She is also a dedicated advocate for social change, spearheading many causes in support of diversity, equity and inclusion. As Bess says, ‘It is important to stand up for what is right. Always.’” –Tina Lapp, Head of Local Brands for Colibri Real Estate, accepting on behalf of Bess Freedman, CEO, Brown Harris Stevens
“Really serving brokers and a broker cooperative is something I truly feel in my heart is what I do. I’m a boy scout at heart, and I view things very simplistically in terms of what I do. Making everyone happy is an impossibility, but you can do the right thing—not just for brokers and agents, but for the consumers they serve as well…if I ascribe to anything, it is a love of people.” –Art Carter, CEO, CRMLS
“It has been a tremendous ride, and I hope that we have been a part of that—and that we will continue to be in order to bring this industry to be No. 1 in the world. My wife has been the dominant person in our family, and I am honored—and I want to thank RISMedia and all these other wonderful people who are leaders in this industry. I am proud to be part of this class, and I look forward to working together to be the best in the industry moving forward.” –Howard ‘Hoddy’ Hanna, Chairman, Hanna Holdings, Inc.
“I tell people all the time, we work for agents, they do not work for us, and I take that very seriously. I consider myself a servant leader. Our pyramid goes like this…I’m at the very bottom, and I love to work for our agents. I love them dearly. I tell people all the time, they are the best of the best, and that doesn’t mean anyone else is not good. But without them, none of us in this room would be here.” –Tim Milam, CEO, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
“I stand here humbled looking around this room at the honorees—and to be part of tonight’s class is an honor. I would like to thank the REALTORS® around the country, because we all do this together, and we are better together. Thank you to my wife, Geri, for all the support you have given me all these years. I feel very fortunate that many of you have been my teammates for 40 years. Thanks for having me here tonight, and thank you again for the honor, John [Featherston, founder and CEO, RISMedia].” –Charles Oppler, CEO, Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty
“Bill set out to change the real estate game with one simple belief: Our agents are our customers. At Raveis, we consider our agents our primary customers, as members of our extended family. Our agents know that they are the most important customers because it is something that we put into action every day.” –Katie Totten, Region Strategic Growth & Sales Manager, accepting on behalf of William Raveis, CEO, William Raveis Real Estate
“I want to say thank you to each and every one of you—and congratulations to the other Hall of Fame recipients. What a huge honor. Having grown up in this business, I see opportunities for women to be as successful as they want to be. There are other folks I want to thank—one is my rock—the guy that I went from Ohio to Texas for. He’s my everything, and I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for him. Thank you all very much! –Leslie Rouda Smith, REALTOR® Broker Associate, Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate
The deadline to nominate a 2024 Newsmaker recently was extended to Sept. 15. For more information or to nominate a 2024 Newsmaker, click here.
Stay tuned for more coverage from RISMedia’s CEO & Leadership Exchange in the coming days. Follow us on social media @rismediaupdates to keep up with our action-packed agenda, real-time updates and exclusive content!
