What makes Missouri REALTORS® so great are the members that we have. Not only do we care about real estate, but we care about each other as well. We know that by investing in our fellow REALTORS® we are making our community, and the industry as a whole, stronger. That’s why we created Missouri REALTORS® Leadership Academy, a program that trains emerging leaders so that they may exert a positive influence on the future of the real estate industry.
Our new Leadership Academy Alumni Member Spotlight series highlights the graduates of the program. We want to introduce some of our wonderful REALTOR® leaders and showcase how Leadership Academy helped them grow. This month we are shining our spotlight on Will Klein.
Will Klein, member of the St. Charles County Association of REALTORS®, had a career in corporate management for 18 years before diving into the real estate business. The transition into real estate was seamless for Klein, who found that applying his business skills from his previous career helped him excel as a REALTOR®.
After being accepted into Leadership Academy, Klein was diagnosed with acute renal failure and spent 10 days in the hospital. But, against his doctor’s wishes, Klein was at Leadership Academy two days after being discharged. He was so excited for the program that he could not bring himself to miss it. Klein was sick the entire year he was in Leadership Academy, but he always looked forward to going to the retreats.
“My Leadership Academy team became family and they lift my spirits just seeing them,” he said. “They complement me often by saying I inspire them, but they do that for me.”
Since graduating Leadership Academy in 2015, Klein has pursued many leadership roles. He recently won the election for Treasurer of his board, and Missouri REALTORS® chose him to be the 2017 Vice Chair for Professional Development Output Group. He is currently a Board member and the Chair of Member Services at his local board.
In his free time, Klein works hard to give back to the community. He takes care of the gardens in a city park, works with the Kidney Foundation to educate and increase involvement in the association, volunteers as a youth football coach, although he does not have a kid on the team, and even travels back to his native Wisconsin each year to volunteer at the State Collegiate DECA conference.
Klein has one piece of advice for people interested in pursuing a leadership role, whether it be professional or volunteer based: “Know why you are doing it, and who you are ‘really’ doing it for.”
If you are interested in applying for Leadership Academy, applications open in February 2018 and will be due in June 2018. We would love to have you in the next class!