Over the years the idea of a real estate professionals hall of fame or the creation of an honour roll for real estate practitioners has been in these pages on more than one occasion. It’s time to make this a reality. In fact, it’s overdue.
The issue has come to mind again for me as I note the creation of the Canadian Mortgage Hall of Fame by the Canadian Institute of Mortgage Brokers and Lenders (CIMBL). How refreshing. What a tremendous move by the CIMBL Foundation to recognize men and women within their industry for leadership, ideas and inspiration to their peers.
The CIMBL Foundation’s initiative to acknowledge the deserving people in the mortgage field will not only provide a personal reward to those who often work without thanks as innovators, but also create a level of honour for others to aspire. I congratulate CIMBL for their bold and far-sighted plan.
There are many business professions that have halls of fames for their peers. It’s time the real estate industry honoured their own.
A real estate hall of fame should not be restricted to top-selling agents, but rather include them in many categories such as pioneers, innovators, mentors, creative people, unsung heroes and builders of an industry that impacts the life of just about every Canadian.
How many times have we all repeated the phrase that a home is the most important element in most people’s lives? The people who have had a major role in facilitating home ownership should be recognized on a list of honour or a hall of fame.
Here at REM, we could easily create a hall of fame. We could simply begin with a website featuring photos and biographies of men and women in our industry that are deserving of recognition in our opinion. But of course, that’s the problem with us creating it. Recognition of real
estate professionals on an honour role cannot be based on our opinion. If we did such a thing, the honour role would be filled with a lot of my friends. All of whom would be deserving, mind you, but the process would be corrupt.
A real estate hall of fame can only be administered by an objective group of professionals from across the country and across the lines of companies and associations. The key to it all is diversity and integrity, from the nomination process to the selection of categories and honoured members.
For many people, the mention of a hall of fame brings to mind sports organizations like the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto or the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. But when you stop to think about it, these folks have their pictures and stories in those places because they could
play a game better than anybody else. Nothing more.
The women and men in the real estate industry have all in some way had a significant, even profound effect on the lives of almost everyone. What they do and what they have done is no game. It is critical to people’s lives.
Within this group of professionals, there are some exceptional people. It is time that they were recognized and honoured in a permanent place of respect and dignity.
It is time for a real estate hall of fame.
Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email [email protected].
By: Heino Molls
[email protected]
