At some point in the fall of 2019, Cara Harmon and I were discussing themes for the 2020 business conferences, and it didn't take us long to discover that as a result of the new strategic plan that had been developed during the summer, we had three core values of Missouri REALTORS® that could be assigned to each business conference. Little did we know how important that would be in the year to come.
If you are like me and have a little trouble visualizing our live and in-person January Business Conference because it seems like a lifetime ago, remember that the theme of that Business Conference was "ENGAGE!" None of us realized at the time how vital the concept of engaging with our fellow REALTORS®, consumers, and our communities would be in 2020. After all, it is the energy we as REALTORS® generate through engagement that powers everything else we do, and despite the challenges we've done an incredible amount of work.
In April, in what we may always refer to as the "quarantine," our theme was "ADVOCATE!" Now under normal circumstances, this would have been so simple and appropriate that it didn't surprise anyone that this was the theme for the Business Conference during which we would normally have our annual Capitol Conference and focus on legislation. Of course, at the time the Business Conference occurred, the General Assembly had vacated the Capitol and gone home for their own quarantine. Nevertheless, we met virtually, still managed to have fun while getting a lot of work done, and after each local association, sometimes with the help of Missouri REALTORS®, kept real estate essential (if I never hear that word again in my life, that will be fine) and open, we ended up passing and having the Governor sign our number one legislative priority - remote online notary! Missouri REALTORS® Staff - the best in the business - made our virtual business conference the envy of the country, and in my opinion, far surpassed that of even the National Association!
Now it's that time of year again, and we're busy preparing for our third (and second virtual) business conference of the year. And it's time to celebrate all of our accomplishments with the theme of "LEAD!" How great is it that this theme comes up in our third Business Conference to recognize that which REALTORS® in Missouri have been doing all year!
But we all know that getting to this point isn't enough - our collective leadership in our state and communities must continue at full throttle to keep working and achieving new and higher levels of our 2020 Vision. To LEAD is the highest calling of REALTORS®, and not only will we have that celebration in September, but we'll look to the future that is calling to us - all of us - to live out the aspirations of our REALTOR® Spirit.
Be sure to check out the full schedule and REGISTER for the Virtual September Business Conference.
I can't wait to "see" you there!
Jeff Kester
President, Missouri REALTORS®