Your Future. Our Focus. Message from your 2023 GTR President Jay Quigley

A little over seven years ago, I joined this wonderful REALTOR® community as a freshly minted licensee. I immediately learned in orientation from one of the finest instructors in Florida, Ann Thompson, that the “R” word was not pronounced “Reel-ah-tore” or “Reel-lit-tore”…but “Realtore.”

Through the faith and trust of the members of Greater Tampa REALTORS®, I’m truly humbled to be your 2023 President.

How did this happen? Like many leaders before me, it began when I made a conscious decision to excel in the real estate profession and the desire to contribute to something larger than myself. I began serving here at GTR on various committees with my all-time favorites being professional development and technology.

It is on committees and task forces where the real work is done. It is where friendships begin. It is also where future leaders are often “found”.

Leaders watched & listened. Eventually, I was encouraged to run for a position on the Board of Directors. That brings us to today.

Maybe you’ve seen it already - Your Future. Our Focus.

This is not a mere public announcement or tagline. It will be a reminder of our purpose in not only 2023, but beyond. It reminds us that, as an Association, our priority is to serve our members well and in doing so, we help position them for success. This can only be done by listening to and partnering with our members…providing them the best possible tools, resources and support.

In conjunction with our national and state associations, we will continue to educate and promote the importance of advocacy, especially when leveraged with the strength of the REALTORS® Party Political Action Committee (RPAC), as well as professionalism.

We must listen and partner with our brokers to determine what GTR can do to help them succeed. We’ve established a Broker Engagement task force whose sole purpose is to hear first-hand how GTR can better serve our brokers…the small ones, the mid-sized ones and of course, our large brokers. So, you brokers out there - if you are asked to participate in an interview or focus group, I hope that you’ll accept the opportunity to provide your valuable input so we can focus on our future.

We must listen to our members, both new licensees and those who’ve successfully made this a profession/career that support themselves and their families.

With technological advances, location is no longer a limitation when it comes to collaboration, opportunity & growth. In just the past two years, we’ve seen extraordinary changes in our world. Virtual/hybrid meetings, on-demand education, and a workforce that can effectively work remotely are just some of the changes to which we must adapt.

As we navigate deeper into this post-pandemic world, some will reminisce about the “old days”- that period prior to COVID-19.

Today is our new normal and I believe there’s a lot for us to be excited about.

One of my favorite quotes from Irish Playwright, George Bernard Shaw is: “Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

Let us challenge our old thoughts and beliefs. We must eliminate obstacles and a long-standing systemic culture that is hesitant or resistant to change. One where individual agendas are more important than unity and where self interest and self preservation dominate.

Let us challenge the “norm” and think outside the box. Sometimes it’s not about fixing something that is broken but unifying our purpose and goals to create something even better.

Let us embrace change & explore opportunities that allow us to better serve our members and our community.

Let us continue working hard, with open minds, to bring unity as we move forward.

This year is all about focusing on the future of you, our members and this great profession.

JAY QUIGLEY 2023 President Greater Tampa REALTORS®