YPNDEN

YPNDEN Off to a Great Start

Hi Young Professionals of GTR!

Summer is in full swing! We loved kicking off with our Pirate Water Taxi Tour and networking mixer at Jackson’s Bistro in Downtown Tampa. We loved seeing so many new faces and Greater Tampa REALTOR® members come out to our sold out kickoff event!

Did you miss it?! Here’s what you missed out on:

• Networking aboard the Pirate Water Taxi as it made it’s way up the Hillsborough River

• Networking, hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and dancing at Jackson’s Bistro

• Fundraising raffle for Habitat for Humanity Tampa

You can view photos from these events on pages 24 - 25.

THANK YOU KICKOFF SPONSORS

Stay tuned to sign up and register for our upcoming

YPN Events:

Stellar MLS

Lori Nichols

• September's Blue Party at Westin on Rocky Point

• December’s Tacky Sweater networking event

Have ideas for YPN events? Reach out to me to share!

Ashley Christie (Flourish Real Estate) is a former GTR Board member and the 2022 YPN Ambassador.

Florida Building Inspection Group

Dustie Amatangelo

Utility Helpers Jonathan Brown

Find us on Facebook & Instagram @TampaYPN

Profile of : International Buyers in Florida

Highlights from Florida REALTORS® 2021 Profile of International Residential Transactions

Trends in foreign purchase

of Real Estate

For the first time in three years, activity from overseas real estate buyers has increased.

“Foreign buyers, however, are likely to step up purchases, as those making allcash offers will be immune from changes in interest rates. In addition, international flights have increased in recent months with the lifting of pandemic-related travel restrictions,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun notes. Global construction of new housing is expected to grow 3.1% per year through 2025 to 59.2 million units, rebounding from the steep declines of 2020 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For the second year in a row, restrictions and general caution tied to international travel during the pandemic slowed home buying by wealthier foreign buyers,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun

5% of foreign buyers bought a property in a resort area, down from 17% since 2012. At just over $1 million, Chinese buyers had the highest average purchase price, and nearly a third – 31% – purchased property in California.

Nearly 70% of Canadian buyers made allcash purchases

Affordability and inventory challenges were the top issues cited by international buyers. who decided not to purchase a home in the U.S. tamparealtors.org 13

meet the candidates

The election to determine the 2023 Directors will begin electronically on September 19, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. and conclude on September 23, 2022 at 11:59 p.m.

*Candidates are listed in alphabetical order by position.

Stay tuned for our Meet the Candidates event where you can mingle with all of the 2023 leadership candidates! ~ Please ensure that your most current email address is on file by logging in to your GTR Member Portal. You will receive an email the day before the election with details about the voting process. Election ballots will be emailed to members on September 18, 2022.

CANDIDATES FOR PAST PRESIDENT SEAT

ALMA JAMES ALEXANDER

Where to Begin! How many REALTORS® do you know who are still actively listing and selling Real Estate for 50 years? I'm one of them and proud to continue as a businesswoman in the Real Estate Profession! Can we talk? I'm often asked for advice or tips for making it in the business! Let me say education, education education is the key to excellence in any field of endeavor! What you know and how you use that knowledge will open the doors to your success! Think about it this way...would you choose a surgeon to operate on you if He/She had just graduated from High School? In the same way you may want to choose someone who has the knowledge, experience and expertise to be a leader at GTR 2023-2024! This REALTOR® organization which you have committed your future business life in Real Estate is very highly regarded and you can count on me being available, staying positive, working hard and keeping on keeping on!

Tom is an energetic, highly motivated, technically proficient and dedicated professional embarking on a new path of client service in our new electronic mobile economy. I have spent more than 40 plus years in the architectural design and construction industry as an architectural designer and a general contractor in addition, since 1967, as a Real Estate Professional, listing/selling and marketing homes in the Tampa Bay Tri-County Area with ideas and concepts through creative solutions for the benefit of meeting all my client's needs and goals.

• As the 2018 REALTOR® Associate of the year by the Florida REALTORS® Association • As the 2012 REALTOR® of the year by the Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS®

Tom puts that experience and knowledge to work for you.

Tom’s priority is and has always been to listen to my clients/customers wants, needs and goals; to ensure that the services path taken accomplishes your goals, not mine. My first and only job is to provide you with the services and knowledge to accomplish this.

Tom has consistently been recognized for cultivating relationships between clients/customers and cooperation with other agents resulting in customer satisfaction and repeat business.

Tom has served as the: • 2020/2021 Treasurer of the Greater Tampa REALTORS® • 2018 President of the REALTORS® Care Foundation, Inc. • 2006/2007 President of the My Florida Regional MLS (StellarMLS) •2000 President of the Greater Tampa REALTORS® •2001 District Vice President of the Florida REALTORS® •2000 Board Director of the National Association of REALTORS® •1973/1974 State President of the Florida Residential Designers Association

CANDIDATES FOR DIRECTOR

AVAYMARIA BROWN

Native New Yorker, Avaymaria Brown relocated to Tampa where she set and achieved her goal of becoming a Real Estate Agent and joining the Century 21 brand. Studying Public Health and Business Administration at the University of Phoenix coupled with her many years as a Quality Director of a physician IPA organization, Avaymaria is no stranger to making informed decisions for the greater good of a large organization.

As a proud member of the Century 21 brand, Avaymaria carries the values of hardwork, integrity, and outstanding client service into everything she does. When Avaymaria isn’t listing homes for her clients, she enjoys spending time gardening and instructing yoga and guided meditation classes.

ELENA CHINEA IVANI

Long before I was negotiating home sales and calling Florida home, I was a spunky 20-something living in bustling New York. After starting college, I left working at my family’s diner to cut my teeth on Wall Street. Later, I fine-tuned my service and sales skills in the casino industry as a Player Development Executive Host for over 13 years before entering Residential Real Estate in the Tampa Bay market. Over the course of my 26-year colorful career, I’ve gained high-end, VIP-level customer service skills that set the precedent for how I deliver client service in real estate. There are events that mark pivotal points on life’s path. Marrying my husband, moving our lives to Florida in 2004, and milestones with our boys are joyous moments. Other significant life moments, however, may be marked with emotions other than elation. But there is one place we all go to either celebrate life or find peace— home.

Whether we’re holiday baking as a family, pouring wine with friends, or seeking solace after a hard day, we embrace our beautiful life at home. I wish to give my clients the same level of dedication as I would to my family. Let’s find a house that always welcomes you home or sell your current home for a fresh start for what lies ahead.

CANDIDATES FOR DIRECTOR CONTINUED

ANGELIA DAVIS

Angelia Davis is a wife, a mother of 5 and a grandmother of 4. She has lived and worked in the Tampa Bay area from the time she was three years old. Angelia spent the last 15+ years as a Regional Customer Operations Manager. Creating and writing policies for the frontline employees, that supported and benefited the needs of the customers as well as the overall company. Angelia loves learning and has a passion to make things better for those around her. She plans to use her knowledge and expertise to better understand the needs of the organization's internal and external customers.

MARGOT DUPRE

Margot has been a supportive community leader in word and action. She has served in several communities as a police officer, foster parent, mother and wife. She is a horse lover and has worked with disabled children's therapeutic horseback riding. She is the person that will walk the elderly across the street to safety and bring the abandoned dog to the vet and sit and read a book for an individual stuck in a hospital bed. She needs no praise or recognition because her self-worth is seeing the week protected and making people's lives more bearable. If you want someone who has integrity when nobody is looking, you have found her. She will right a wrong and seek justice and see each issue as important as the last. No task is too small or too large for Margot as well as no person is more important than any other. Titles do not impress Margot, but a kind heart and gentle hand lent to a broken soul are who she reveres. As the Director, Margot will diligently hold herself to a higher standard of practice with all integrity of the expectations for the office. She will also avail herself of scheduled meetings and trainings that further protect the integrity of our real estate profession. Margot does not take the position as the Director lightly and she will treat it as the most important task ahead and she would be honored to serve her real estate community in this capacity.

RUTH EDWARDS

Ruth moved to Florida in 2011 to be closer to her family. She received her real estate license in 2014 and her broker's license in 2021. Ruth joined Coldwell Banker in 2019 and her career took off. Ruth is passionate about her profession and is active locally, statewide and nationally, earning 8 certifications and designations. Ruth feels professionalism has been forgotten in the topsy turvy market that we have been experiencing these past few years. She is eager to explore ways to bring morals and ethics back to real estate.

SHELLEY EWOLDT

Shelley Ewoldt was born and raised in Sioux Falls, SD. She spent many years in the corporate world while being a mother and wife. In 2014 she obtained her Real Estate license. She got herself involved with the Association and other Realtor committees. She first started as President of PRESA(Professional Real Estate Sales Association) and held other titles such as Ex-Official and Treasurer. In 2018 she joined the Grievance Committee. She has always had a passion for being involved, being an advocate, and standing up for consumer rights as homeowners.

BRUNO FERNANDEZ

Bruno Fernandez, the Founder/Broker of Imagine Realty, was born and raised in Lugo, Spain! Upon graduating from Law School, he moved to the United States in 1996 and has taken the world by storm ever since. His work experience ranges widely from teaching to becoming an assistant principal and dean, to banking, to creating non-profit organizations, to where he truly found his life work’s passion: real estate. Bruno formally earned his US Citizenship in 2008, and he created his first real estate investment company shortly after. It is here that he discovered his love for helping families purchase the homes that he had poured his blood, sweat, and tears into creating for them. He knew from then on that real estate was his passion and his calling. The name “Imagine” to Bruno represents all of the amazing possibilities and doors that were opened for him upon moving to the United States. He always imagined a life where anything was possible, regardless of one’s background, education, ethnicity, or social status- none of it matters here in the Land of Opportunity, and he will never stop carrying out his passion through the motivation he and his wife have ignited inside themselves together with their creation of Imagine Realty. By electing Bruno Fernandez, you are choosing a highlyeducated problem solver who is energetic, positive, and an out-of-the-box thinker who gets things done! Above all, you are choosing an honest person who will work hard to uphold the duties of your board's Director.

RICK FIFER

Originally from the Philadelphia suburbs where he earned his BA, Rick came to Tampa following a semester in Tuscaloosa at the University of Alabama in the fall of 1983. For the next 20 years he worked in social services with the elderly, mental ill, delinquency and child protection from case management to supervision to program and contract administration. Rick finally pursued his interest in real estate following a 2-year return to Pennsylvania due to the needs of aging parents. As someone who grew up with the challenges of foster care and family poverty, Rick understands the transformative power of the stability provided by private homeownership without forgetting where he came from and his own challenges. Rick obtained his real estate license in 2005 as the market was nearing its peak and while he was the newest agent in the small firm, he was the only one in the office to survive in Real Estate these past 17 years. He moved on to Florida Executive Realty where he stayed for 8 years growing and learning from a broker that he admired and respected. Then in 2017 Rick earned his Florida Real Estate broker’s license and opened a small boutique real estate company in Seminole Heights which has been such a part of his community involvement for 30 years. In fact, it was community concerns that spurred his interest and involvement in the government affairs committee. He has participated on GA committee since 2019. In 2021 he was Vice-Chair and in 2022 he has served as chair of the Committee. Rick’s commitment over these past 4 years has been to encourage greater participation and involvement. GTR has 17,000 members yet it seems the Association keeps fishing in a very small pond for the same volunteers. Yes, that is comfortable and easy and happens in every organization. However, Rick isn’t sure that really reflects a membership that has grown dramatically over the past 10 years and believes we can do better across the diverse demographics that constitute our 17,000 members.

BRANDON GREEN

Brandon Green is a real estate entrepreneur on a mission to provide the most exceptional service and lifestyle to all clients, agents, and communities he serves. As a Florida Native, and a seasoned real estate professional, he recognizes and values the trust his clients and agents place in him and strive every day to exceed their expectations. Prior to real estate, Brandon completed a B.A. from Florida State University and worked in the educational field. He was inspired to enter the world of real estate by his mother, a longtime broker who is now proudly one of his mentors. These experiences instilled in him the patience and discipline it takes to build a steadily growing real estate company. Outside of real estate, he takes pride in giving back to the community and ending homelessness by helping families living in poverty reconnect to society and become successful individuals.

CANDIDATES FOR DIRECTOR CONTINUED

OLLIE GREEN

Ollie Green is a New Orleans, LA native and Retired Army Veteran with over 22 years of Active Duty Service. Ollie previously was assigned to the MacDill AFB while on Active Duty and vowed this would be the place she would call her home after retirement. She is a staunch supporter of Veteran activities and home buying services in the Tampa Bay area. Her passion as a full-time Broker Associate is educating and training not only for herself but those new to the profession to achieve their goals with the knowledge she has gained in the profession.

JULIO GUZMAN

My diverse background in business, commercial and investmet real estate, property management and military service provide for a well rounded experience in working with diverse groups of professionals.

MAVIS JACKSON

Mavis Jackson is a dedicated Real Estate professional who is committed to providing exceptional service to both buyers and sellers as it relates to any Residential or Commercial Real Estate transaction. He has an extensive background in Project Management which enables him to provide dependable and reliable service throughout the entire process.

He's committed to every Real Estate transaction and will negotiate every deal, secure every offer, and meet every contractual obligation on his client's behalf for a successful real estate transaction.

PATRICK KEATING

Patrick Keating is the Broker / Owner of It’s YOUR Move Property Group Inc. a boutique brokerage located in Wesley Chapel. Having started his real estate career in 2005 in New Jersey, Patrick had always volunteered in the offices he worked at, from organizing the office open house scheduling, to new agent call nights, running the tech training program, and even planning office events and parties. Patrick based his business on referrals, connecting with other agents throughout the country, to build strong relationships with his many referral partners, and many have turned into lifelong friendships as well. As a single father, Patrick found a balance between work and raising his three children, while taking time to volunteer as their soccer coach for 6 years, from 2011 to 2016. In 2016, Patrick saw the opportunity that the real estate market in Florida had to offer, and when he had a chance to make the move, he jumped on it, and relocated to Florida, so that he could provide a better quality of life for his teenage children. When he obtained his Florida Broker’s License in 2017, he created a team and has grown his business each year since. Soon enough, it was time to expand the team, and Patrick realized that he would be able to help more people grow their real estate businesses by being their broker, rather than a team leader. That is how he came to open his own brokerage in 2021. Patrick takes great joy in helping others, and providing guidance for agents is what he is most passionate about. He wants to be able to give back to the association that helped launch his business in the Tampa Bay Area and help foster the direction of our board in the coming years, to help agents become more productive, especially in this changing market. He believes his passion for the business will transfer well into the GTR Director position, where he would be able to have a greater impact on the direction of our local association, as well as the careers of the many agents at Greater Tampa REALTORS®.

RAY HENDRICKS

Ray Hendricks is a Broker with HD Real Estate Company. He has served the Tampa Bay Area as a REALTOR® for 2 years before obtaining his Brokers license in 2019 and becoming a team lead to train other agents. In 2020, he decided it was time to strike out on his own and establish his own brand. That new company is called HD Real Estate Company. Ray has served on the board of directors for Habitat For Humanity and served as an ambassador for The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce.

LEA LAGUEUX

St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, is Lea's hometown. She has watched the Tampa Bay area grow from a couple of towns on the bay to the thriving metropolis that people see today. After graduating from Northeast High School in St Petersburg and the University of South Florida, Tampa, her working life has been in the construction and real estate industries, including new home construction and project management for projects like Raymond James Stadium, the Ice Palace and World Golf Hall of Fame. The work that Lea did with these corporations included managing large budgets for advertising and participating in board meetings, an experience that she brings to serve the members of GTR. Lea's goals as a director for GTR are focused on making GTR the best resource for members to grow and protect their businesses. To continue to offer and improve education and networking opportunities for members. And to improve GTR's visibility in the community by purposely connecting with other professional and governmental organizations in the cities and counties that our members serve. Instead of some 'online' resource, our organization and members should be the first place that local organizations think of when they want real estate-related information.

SHARONDA LAWRENCE

Sharonda Lawrence is a high-quality REALTOR® and business mastermind. Sharonda started her real estate career in 2007 on the cusp of an American financial crisis. It was a tough time in the real estate market but she dug in and learned how to work with short sales, foreclosures, and distressed properties. Because she came into the profession at this time it gave her an advantage over other realtors who were accustomed to easier transactions and who had no desire to move with the rapidly changing market. She used this advantage to learn the market and excel fairly quickly as a real estate agent. Sharonda holds a Master’s of Business Administration and has been a business owner for more than 25 years. Her education and business savvy set her apart in her industry. She is a great communicator and enjoys the art of negotiations. Sharonda specializes in marketing and listing properties and all things family.

Additional info: I do not have a lot of experience as a board member, however, I am very passionate about serving my community. I recently passed my Florida Broker's exam and I want to understand more about the real estate industry from the perspective of the board/ planning. As a 15-year sales associate and newly licensed broker associate, I'd like to bring awareness to how those in my position may benefit from board support. I believe that can benefit your organization by bringing a different perspective. Thank you for your consideration.

CANDIDATES FOR DIRECTOR CONTINUED

SONYA MADDEN

Sonya has always had a passion for real estate and admiration for the professionals that get to serve as REALTORS®. She has over 20 years of experience in customer service and is committed to helping her customers beyond expectations. Much of her professional background consists of 20 years in the Banking Industry where she was recognized with the Pinnacle Award for leading her team to be in the top 10% of the country. She spent the majority of her time managing and leading local branches in the Brandon area. Her background has taught Sonya to be service-driven, keeping customers' priorities and goals forefront. The leadership roles that she has held make her a mentor at heart; always looking to help uplift and coach those around her to be successful, educated and supported. Her knowledge of compliance, policy and code of ethics drives her to instill the importance of always doing business with integrity. Sonya received her real estate license in February 2021. Within her first year, she closed 17 transactions. However, the biggest reward was helping her customers fulfill their real estate goals and building fantastic relationships with her peers. Sonya was presented with an opportunity within her brokerage, Coldwell Banker, as a Sales Specialist to assist in recruiting and onboarding new agents while also maintaining her real estate business in March 2022. With her passion for mentoring, she knew this was a great chance to make a difference for individuals in the industry. Sonya’s goal is to make this her lifelong career. Along the way she wants to make a difference in her community by being involved in protecting her peers, her customers, and the industry, starting with the Great Tampa Bay REALTORS® Association. Sonya is a Florida native, born and raised in the beautiful Tampa area. She is a proud mom of a future University of South Florida graduate from the St. Pete campus and the wife of a small business owner in her current hometown of Lithia. In her free time, her passion is traveling and spending time with her family.

DECARLO MCKENZIE

Building relationships while fostering dreams” is the mantra of DeCarlo McKenzie, REALTOR®. Born and raised in Tampa, Florida DeCarlo has witnessed the tremendous growth and transformation of not only the Tampa Bay Area but especially the Brandon-Lithia-Riverview-Valrico areas. After obtaining her degree in Economics from the University of Florida, she returned to the area and later earned her Accounting degree, while building a successful career in finance working for local and national non-profit organizations.

DeCarlo’s passion for real estate and family, as well as her finance background and attention to detail, allows her to be your advocate. Her focus is actively listening to each clients goals and providing them with information to choose the best option to meet the needs and desires of their unique family. Building these type of relationships, gives you the confidence to hire DeCarlo as your REALTOR®.

DeCarlo enjoys volunteering at local schools, attending sporting events, and relaxing with family and friends.

LEYLA MOHEBBI

Born in Iran and immigrated to the USA at the age of 25, an accomplished real estate/property management professional is proud to serve the community in the field of Real Estate. Once she completed her undergraduate education and continued her path in receiving her Florida Real Estate License, Leyla went through extensive training to learn commercial real estate as well. This exposure made her more knowledgeable to advise in many aspects of the industry. Through her ability to listen to the needs of her clients; both Sellers and Buyers, Leyla’s natural desire to serve others is shown daily through her honesty, authenticity and passion for excellence. With almost 15 years of experience in residential and commercial real estate and Tenant/ Landlord representation in general real estate brokerage, Leyla has an inherent enthusiasm for the real estate industry.

CHARLENE OQUENDO

Charlene’s Motto: “Your Home…Your Needs…Your Lifestyle”

As a trusted REALTOR®, Charlene understands that selling and/or buying a home is complex and deeply personal. There is also a lot at stake financially and personally. This perspective on the process and the responsibility felt toward her clients drives her to be an expert at the job. Charlene understands the market, the players, and all the variables involved in a real estate transaction and she wants to make sure her clients feel supported and that they have a trusted advisor by their side. Charlene strives to demonstrate the highest level of integrity and commitment and to bring a little fun into every real estate transaction. Charlene is a Florida native and grew up in Orlando. Charlene found herself to be a strong leader and graduated college with honors with a bachelor of science in Crime Scene Technology. Charlene always had a passion for Real Estate but was never able to pursue the career because of having to work a normal 9-5 job. Now that she has the support of a loving husband, she is ready to take over the real estate industry.

Speaking of herself: “I have great communication skills and work well with others. I’m a great choice because I’m honest, loyal, trustworthy, and most importantly, I care! I believe I represent more than just myself and that my actions also affect those who believe in me. With that in mind, I take pride in everything I do, especially when it comes to representing someone else’s interests. I value my character more than anything. Thus, no one will ever be able to question it. My passion is helping people and real estate allows me to help them.”

ELAINE PUMAREJO

Elaine is a Florida Real Estate Broker and Instructor. She has received three Florida REALTORS® Honor Society Awards for her overall participation in REALTOR® organizations. Born in the Dominican Republic, Elaine migrated to the United States in 2000. Prior to Real Estate she studied Graphic Design and Visual Communications, after graduating she worked for a major publishing company in New York City for about 10 years. Elaine started her career in Real Estate after relocating to the Tampa Bay Area with her family in 2015. Since her early days in Real Estate, Elaine has devoted herself to her profession and her community. She has earned several National Association of Realtors (NAR) designations and certifications including GRI, CIPS, CRB, ABR, SRS and a few others. Elaine now volunteers in several committees and associations including Greater Tampa REALTORS®, Florida REALTORS® and The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals where she serves as 2022 President for the Tampa Bay Chapter. She also takes time to give back to the community by participating in several outreach programs. She is constantly pushing herself and others towards growth and adding value to the Real Estate industry and our community.

KERI RODRIGUEZ

With over 19 years of experience in real estate, Keri is extremely passionate about her career. The experience she has in Corporate Relocation truly sets her apart from most sales professionals. Keri herself has relocated to Tampa Bay from Westchester New York and she truly knows the ins and outs of real estate in both New York and Florida which gives her a unique insight into the relocation experience. She is a New Home Specialist and works on the Relocation agent team for Berkshire Hathaway. She is a former Relocation Director for another Brokerage and she was Relocation Manager in New York for Houlihan Lawrence. Keri has been involved in many committees and Real Estate groups in New York and since she has been licensed in Florida she has been on a very successful team earning the Chairman's Circle Platinum award which represents the top 1% of all Berkshire Hathaway agents nationwide. She brought one of her sons (Andrew) onto her team as well so that he can learn the family business from an experienced professional. She has been known to have a "velvet hammer" when negotiating and she wants to share her experience with the new agents that join the board in Tampa too! Keri lives in Wesley Chapel with her husband David and her adult children are building there too! Her oldest Matthew and youngest Jillian are RN's in Tampa and her son Andrew is on her Sales team at Berkshire Hathaway!

CANDIDATES FOR DIRECTOR CONTINUED

SAINT AUBIN SAINTILIEN

Saint Aubin is a former military. After serving 5 years in the US Army, he returned to his home state of Florida to continue his college education. After graduating college in 2008, Saint opened University Tax Services, an income tax preparation business to assist mainly the low-income community, with a focus on the immigrant community due to their lack of knowledge about income tax. In 2016, Saint Aubin realized he could better serve the community with a real estate sales license. Since then, Saint Aubin has been using his tax planning knowledge to help taxpayers prepare for the purchase of their first homes. Saint truly believes in community service. With a seat on the board of directors, Saint hopes to help further the mission of Greater Tampa REALTORS®.

MARCUS SCOTT

Marcus Scott is an award-winning, full-time International Broker/Broker Associate, REALTOR® and Real Estate Investor licensed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the United States. He owns and operates a commercial cleaning franchise and facility management company, Open Works, that services the central Florida area and continues to grow. He is also the founder of the John Larry Foundation, which provides scholarships to children seeking to be involved in little league sports, school of the arts, and college scholarships for juniors and seniors in high school. He is a minister at his church 34th Street Church of God, where Bishop Thomas Scott is the Sr Pastor. Marcus is also the United States Air Force Military Veteran who has served his country and his community.

Marcus believes that education is essential to success and has completed intensive training in several areas including international real estate, domestic real estate, business, finance, and entrepreneurship. He earned a Masters degree in Business and a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Saint Leo University, which provided the solid background on which his career is built. His work ethic didn’t start in the real estate industry but followed him from his past careers in the military and finance, working in companies at the highest levels such as Bank of America, HSBC, and Chase. He has been awarded several military medals and top performer awards.

Marcus is a member of the Greater Tampa, Florida, and National Associations of REALTORS® (GTR, FAR, NAR). Marcus feels that being a REALTOR® is about more than joining professional associations, he believes REALTORS® should be involved in their communities as well. Marcus is also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc and has served his community in many capacities since 1996.

VIDYASHREE SHARAN

As a GTR director, I see myself very competitive, confident and disciplined. I respect and obey all the code of ethics. Additionally, I have professionalism and respectfulness for various communities, and co-workers. My previous involvement in group activities, organizational skills and discipline will make me a good candidate for the position. I have multinational exposure since my student life towards volunteering activities to help society. I believe that a strong coordination & cooperation between people working together towards a common goal, is key for successful business or functionality of our society, mutual respect in co-workers and teamwork can get outstanding results. In my past work life, I was positioned to report directly to zonal head in INDIA, that job involved precision, coordination and teamwork of various reporting sub offices. I enjoyed learning from my superiors and juniors and together as team, we outperformed all other competitors.

ANTWAN SHIRLEY

Antwan Shirley is an emerging leader, self-published author and community advocate within the Tampa Bay ecosystem. The bedrock of Antwan's motivation is to live a "higher purpose than self" by dovetailing his professional goals with a mission to help others. From mentoring troubled youth to guiding clients through the important process of home ownership, empowering peers continues to be his north star.

CANDIDATES FOR AFFILIATE DIRECTOR

RICK BENNETT

Rick is a licensed Mortgage Loan Originator (Florida) with the Justin Kelly Division at VanDyk Mortgage. Licensed in 2018, Rick started working for a mortgage broker who is in-house at a boutique real estate brokerage in South Tampa. After a year of learning the ropes, he made the move to VanDyk and has not looked back. Since 2020, Rick has personal production of over $40m in closed loan volume, earning President’s Club in 2020, and Circle of Excellence in 2021. He has set himself apart with extreme attention to detail during all parts of the mortgage process from pre-approval to closing, all with a personal touch, and round-the-clock availability for his clients and agent partners. His clients range from first-time buyers utilizing down payment assistance, to high-net-worth business owners and investors with complex income scenarios, and everything in between. Prior to his mortgage career, Rick worked in software and app development for 12 years working his way up to Director of Development and spent time as an adjunct college professor in History and Religion. He is married to his wife Tiffany (17 years), has two children, Aidan (12), and Juliette (8), and has lived in the Tampa Bay area since 1980.

JONATHAN BROWN

Jonathan Brown was born and raised as an Army brat, so home was where the Army sent his father. Although he grew up mostly on the East Coast, his family’s hometown is Salem, OR. After seeing many regions of the country growing up, he moved to the Tampa Bay area and has resided here for 20 years, 16 of which were spent in Telecom sales.

Jonathan started up Utility Helpers LLC with Elijah when they realized they could save time by streamlining the daunting process of setting up utility services for newly purchased homes. They quickly realized that this single streamlined service would be beneficial in today’s fast-paced environment.

When Jonathan is not working, he is spending time with his wife and 3 kids. Jonathan has 2 rescued dogs, a Boston Terrier and Lab mix and his hobbies include living the true Florida lifestyle that he moved here for: boating, fishing, the beach and scuba diving.

CANDIDATES FOR AFFILIATE DIRECTOR CONTINUED

FRED ELFEIN

Fred is focused on giving his clients the service they deserve. He prides himself on helping his clients find the right loan at the best rate possible. He educates his clients, so they feel empowered to make their own decisions with confidence and ones that they are comfortable making. He communicates with his clients early, often, and honestly as this continues well after the loan closes.

Fred has helped many people realize the American dream of homeownership as well as continually services his clients on refinances and move-ups. He takes the time to friend his clients and learns their goals - current and future - and considers many as family. That is why most of his new business comes directly from referrals by his current clients.

Fred has been married for over 35 years to his beautiful wife Christi and is the father to 3 great sons. Previously, he has held various senior management positions in the finance and mortgage industries. He has built retail mortgage companies in the past and utilizes the techniques of team building and managing he has learned and mastered on his clients as they navigate the complex mortgage financing procedures of today.

GULIANNA MESROPYAN

Gulianna Mesropyan became GTR member in 2019, been an active sponsor with GTR supporting local REALTORS® for the past three years. Gulianna is a mortgage loan professional with more than 16 years of experience.

She has an engineering degree and additional training and certification in mortgage and real estate. Served Pasco County council committee with GTR in 2020.

JENNIE RESTREPO

Jennie Restrepo has been a REALTOR® in Tampa Bay since 2013. She graduated from the University of South Florida. Jennie has blended her professional experience of public speaking and brand design, social media management with her real estate. Now, Jennie is the marketing director for Insured Title Agency and Synergy Title Partners. A mother and local tourist, Jennie loves to give people their keys to their piece of Tampa Bay.