WHY DO YOU WANT TO SERVE AS A DIRECTOR?

I would like to serve as a Director for the future of our membership and of our organization.

We are at a pivotal time and the choices we make over the next few years will impact present policy but also everyone’s future in the industry as well as the perception and experience of our clients and our community.

The focus of the board, the membership and of local stakeholders has never been as imperative as in this moment. I believe that my experiences in business, change management and service would provide invaluable perspective to our ongoing conversations and policies as they are developed.

It would be an honor to be part of the team that charts the next course.

Number of Years Licensed

10.5

Type of License Held

Broker

Position held in your company

President & Principal Broker

NOR INVOLVEMENT

  • 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025 Legislative & Government Affairs Committee
  • 2023, 2024 & 2025 NOR RPAC Captains
  • 2025 Special Business Advisory Committee
  • 2023 State Political Coordinator District 41
  • 2024 State Political Coordinator District 41
  • 2024-2025 State Political Coordinator District 41 & 43

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

  • I’ve been a member of the Elks for nearly 20 years starting off in Sandusky and now Sylvania.
  • Served on the House Committee and various other functions (mainly cooking and event planning) hosting fundraisers for Special Olympics, Athletic Boosters, community events, fishing tournaments, and Veteran functions.
  • Worked with The University Church & Food for Thought through the Woodforest Charitable Foundation and Woodforest National Bank to grow their community garden. Held financial literacy classes for parents at Reynolds Elementary School teaching the FDIC Money Smart curriculum.
  • Organized backpack distribution for elementary school students for summertime and weekend food supplementation in coordination with NW Ohio Foodbank.
  • Work with Leading Families Home and Family House to place clients into stable long-term housing.
  • Hosted and sponsored Christmas for all the resident children at the Family House shelter for two seasons.
  • Work with various organizations, TASK, GLAP, Toledo Homelessness Board, Lutheran Social Services, to assist residents in transition and placement into stabilized housing.
  • Board Member of WCR 2023 – May 2025 raising funds for the Ronald McDonald House – 2023 Membership Director 2024-2025 Education Director
  • Presenting Sponsor of the Springfield Township Summer Series of events benefiting Springfield Township Fire Department Mental Health Initiatives.
  • Served as Chair of the Holland-Springfield Chamber of Commerce Business Council until 10/2025

FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT EXPERIENCE

From my earlier role in restaurant management to catering, event planning & resorts then banking, I have had various capacities of financial oversight which I have served.

As a business owner, sustainable growth and longevity of a business is based in transparent and measurable financials both on the operations side as well as on the client side. As I have grown business, those needs change based on volume and depth.

From a banking perspective, I was responsible for the cash in my vault (many times exceeding 1 million dollars) as well as client accounts and internal GL accounts. As I have built a business for myself, the same applies. From development of a chart of accounts from scratch using GAAP to daily operations including payroll, benefits, insurances, and trust accounts holding client funds from 5-10 million and weekly expenses of $150k, and direct staff supervision of 3 to 225.

On the WCR Ohio State audit committee, we completed an audit of all state financial records and the reporting function of the five active chapters. This report was certified and delivered to National in compliance with our governing board house rules and bi-laws.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS EXPERIENCE

  • I enjoy working with Ohio REALTORS® as an SPC and serving on the Legislative Committee locally.
  • Our time interviewing and discussing candidates for local office is a highlight.
  • Meeting with my Representatives, discussing policy and building relationships with their staff has been rewarding. I participate in the Call for Action campaigns, am an advocate for RPAC and NORRPAC, contribute as a Golden R and have participated in Presidents Circle and attended several conferences promoting REALTOR® Champions.
  • Working with the Village of Holland and Springfield Township to promote economic growth and highlight the many organizations and businesses in our community has been rewarding.

COMMUNICATIONS EXPERIENCE

  • In high school I participated in choirs of all kinds, musicals, and speech & debate. I was the first in our school’s history to make it to the state championship for oratorical interpretation.
  • Writing is a passion and over the years I have written numerous blogs and articles on topics such as leadership, business, and mental health. In 2025, I wrote and published 2 books:

1. The Upgrade Code – a self-help manual that reprograms mindset.

2. The Islands & The Storm: a Palm Tree Story – a richly illustrated story about life, relationships and salvation.

  • Speaking publicly about business related topics, leadership and social issues has also been a component of my career as I was a trainer in the hospitality field, branch manager in banking and instructor in other capacities.
  • As an adjunct business coach with EA Lewis & Associates, I speak on topics of leadership and Artificial intelligence.

STRATEGIC PLANNING EXPERIENCE

  • Planning is a critical component of any successful organization. From financial and budgetary to monitoring market trends and navigating change, we are only as strong as the plans we create and how we apply grace to implement them.
  • Collaboration with a leadership team to create structure, contingencies, and measurement metrics to lead implementation is paramount to success.
  • In every position and business, I have held or operated, reaching out to advisors and following a process for strategic planning for operations has been key.
  • I have a personal business coach, accounting and tax consultants, legal council and mentors that make up a personal advisory board.

TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE

  • Technology is a component of everything in some form. It comes with opportunity as well as challenge.
  • On the opportunity side; we can implement tools that allow us to be more productive, reach new audiences, and communicate in ways that enhance operational and client experience.
  • On the challenge side; we have selection of the correct tools and then training and implementation. This can be the most difficult component of technology if the rate of adoption is low due to educational barriers and bias.
  • In business I have used graphical user interfaces (GUI’s) as a bridge between software and older DOS menu-based products. With my IT advisor, migrated operating processes from hardware based to cloud based then from G-Suite to Microsoft Teams and to single sign on capacity at any workstation.
  • We use AI in our business now to assist with accounting functions, read, and sort email traffic, manage/create customer facing content and so much more.

REAL ESTATE TRENDS EXPERIENCE

  • I attend National as well as state conferences and trainings, read news from multiple sources to gain knowledge of trends. I work in the field, talk with prospects and clients as well as fellow REALTORS® and brokers to gain insight.
  • From the NAR published news updates as well as the OR videos from legal counsel and attending broker round table meeting at our board, I stay current.
  • Reading market updates and economic opinions from multiple sources helps to formulate forward-thinking plans to better serve our clients & community.

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

Over the past 20 years I have spent my career as a manager of staff, director of operations or, for the past 10 years, as a self-employed business owner. I have sought out service and leadership training through books, conferences, personal coaching, community activities as well as in business groups.

I have had teams large and small in my charge. Restaurants, Hotels, Resorts, Banking, Real Estate and Development. What I have learned most about being a leader comes through serving, listening, and at times, giving grace.

Some thoughts I recently wrote on the topic:

To Sit at the Table

I have often found myself outside of rooms, looking in with a quiet hunger to understand what happens around certain tables. I have sought out those who have achieved more than I have, studied them, and learned to emulate what makes them effective. Over time I have come to see that success is not born from knowing everything but from knowing how to bring together people whose strengths fill the spaces where yours do not. That awareness, and the humility to act upon it, has been the foundation of every meaningful achievement in my life.

Yet once you are invited to sit at those tables, among leaders, boards, and organizations, you come to realize something profound. Every one of them carries imperfection. Not because of structure or policy, but because they are made up of people. And people bring with them their histories, their emotions, their insecurities, and their hopes. The culture of any organization is a mirror of its leadership. It reflects not only their knowledge but their hearts, their patience, and their willingness to listen.

Leadership is not the loudest voice in the room. It is the calm one that asks questions, that listens before speaking, that acts with clarity rather than impulse. The best leaders understand that emotional intelligence is not a soft skill but a vital strength. It allows them to sense the temperature of the room, to guide conflict into collaboration, and to turn fear into focus.

Those who lead from a place of service elevate the people around them. They seek understanding before judgment and contribution before credit. Leadership rooted in service builds trust, and trust is the soil where growth begins.

Change and growth are not born in moments of ease. They require courage, patience, and a steady heart. They ask us to show up even when the path forward is uncertain. Leadership is not simply about having a seat at the table. It is about having the will to rise, to speak for what is right, and to serve with both strength and humility.

True leadership is the quiet work of guiding people toward a shared purpose. It is the willingness to lead not for power, but for progress. When that spirit fills the room, the table becomes more than a place of decision. It becomes a place of transformation.