MESSAGE FROM YOUR CEO
One Step Ahead of the Curve
Navigating through the Pandemic Hello GTR Association Members.
The start of this quarter ushered in an unexpected turn of events for us all. The impact of the COVID-19, sadly enough, has claimed many lives, brought some businesses to a crawl and forced the temporary closures of several industries. The entire social-distancing experience has set forth new paradigms to conduct real estate transactions. Showing a home, meeting with prospects, obtaining signatures and even closings have required us all to adopt electronic methods of execution. Rest assured your Association is here for you. Staying abreast of all the latest developments, we quickly mobilized our entire operations to enable our members can meet the new normal. To keep you informed of the latest news, our staff added a COVID-19 page to the GTR website. In addition to the site including REALTOR® business changes from our state and national associations, staff sought information related to Safer-at-Home, economic assistance and resources from our county, state and national governments. With the contributions of the executive board, senior staff and personnel, a plan of action was created to navigate our transition to providing 100% virtual support. As REALTORS®, to productively operate your business in a safe manner, you also understand the importance of professional development. I congratulate those of you who have benefited by attending zoom classes, registering for the reduced and free training courses offered through Greater Tampa REALTORS®, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and Florida REALTORS® (FR) and completing various REALTOR® certifications through our partnership with the Pinellas REALTOR® Organization. Some of you have taken this time to participate in the Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) contest. Earning this designation ultimately builds your credibility as a professional REALTOR®. We are also excited to see many of you taking advantage of your free access the David Knox Real Estate Training Video Library. This online, on-demand video training provides access to videos, support materials and action plans specifically for real estate agents. It was good to see members watched and asked questions of our elected officials and the presidents of NAR and FR during sponsored Zoom forums. Also, the virtual classes have been very well attended. Our educators and Affiliates continue to play a major role in helping to make these important Zoom forums and classes available for you. We truly value our REALTOR® educators and Affiliate sponsors. Our committee leadership have also done a commendable job to continue assemblies through conference calls and video meetings. The scope of committee meetings explores and identifies ways to benefit as professionals, enhance the REALTOR® image in the community and protect your interests in the real estate industry. Our committee chairs are appreciated for their due diligence and thoughtful guidance through these turbulent times. As business, government and communities slowly return to some levels of normalcy, the board, and perhaps many of you, had a chance to review the Emergency Operational Procedures (EOP). The three-phase document that “contains Greater Tampa REALTORS® detailed plan for reopening and operating to meet its highest priority - the safety of members and employees. These procedures shall affect all REALTORS®, Affiliates and employees and are for the benefit of our entire association.” Please check out page 5 for an overview of the EOP. As we strive to stay one step ahead of the curve to provide the best service possible, we welcome your ideas and suggestions to help make Greater Tampa REALTORS® the best it can be. Most importantly, we wish you and DENNIS MACDONALD your family continued health and growth for your businesses. Chief Executive Offier
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