Liniger, Isakson Are Serious Contenders for the U.S. Senate

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Real estate leaders may help to lead the nation
RISMEDIA, March 31-Real estate is about building relationships with people and so is politics. It may not come as a surprise that two strong contenders for a spot in the U.S. Senate are both major players in the real estate business.

Dave Liniger is chairman of the board and co-founder of RE/MAX International, Inc. He is weighing a run for the Senate seat now held by Ben Nighthorse Campbell from Colorado, who is stepping down for health reasons.

And Johnny Isakson is running for the Senate seat now held by retiring Senator Zell Miller of Georgia. Isakson began his business career in 1967 when he opened the first Cobb County office of a family-owned real estate business, Northside Realty. In 1979, he became president of Northside and led the company to become what is reported to be the largest independent residential real estate brokerage company in the Southeast and one of the largest in America.

Who are these men?

Dave Liniger

Liniger is often credited with doing more than anyone in the real estate industry to improve the working environment and income potential of sales agents. He is also recognized as a leading prognosticator of industry trends.

Liniger attended the University of Indiana and became interested in real estate while stationed in Phoenix, Ariz. with the United States Air Force. After working for both a 100 percent commission company and a traditional brokerage, he co-founded RE/MAX in Denver, Colo. in 1973. Liniger has expertise in time management, sales training, recruiting and motivation.

A multi-engine, instrument rated commercial pilot, golfer and Arabian horse breeder, Liniger is a NASCAR driver and owner of Team RE/MAX Racing. He, and other Team RE/MAX drivers also compete in the Grand-Am Series Rolex 24-hour race at Daytona International Speedway. He was one of a three-pilot crew who attempted to launch the “Team RE/MAX” around-the-world stratospheric helium balloon expedition from Alice Springs, Australia in late 1998. He is co-owner of the often-honored Sanctuary Golf Course near Sedalia, Colorado. Numerous charity golf tournaments have raised millions of dollars at Sanctuary since its opening in 1997.

He is also co-founder of the Denver-area conservation center, The Wildlife Experience, an entirely new concept for appreciation and understanding of wildlife. The 14-acre, 100,000 square foot facility located south of Denver is designed as a venue for exceptional cultural exhibits, an educational center for all ages, and a gathering place for social, civic and business activities. The Wildlife Experience promotes wildlife, its conservation, the many forms of art which celebrate it and a variety of educational tools to learn more about it. A public foundation, formed by 10 RE/MAX affiliates who share a love of the outdoors and wildlife, also make up the Board of Trustees that operates the facility.

With its “RE/MAX Racing for Life” slogan, RE/MAX is a co-sponsor of the National Series Breast Cancer Survivor Recognition Program at Komen Race for the Cure events.

Johnny Isakson

Isakson is a businessman and veteran public servant.

An entrepreneur, he brought his real estate experience to the start-up of many small businesses in the fields of insurance, mortgage banking, community banking, development, property management and utilities.

In addition, he was a member of the Executive Committee of the National Association of Realtors, the Board of Directors for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors for Riverside Bank, the SunTrust Advisory Board, and president of the Realty Alliance.

He is serving his third term in the United States Congress. He was first elected to Congress in 1999, when he won a 6-candidate special election to replace former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 65 percent of the vote.

He is a member of the House Transportation Committee and House Education Committee, and now serves as a deputy majority whip to the House Republican Leadership.

Isakson entered Georgia Republican politics in 1974 and was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 1976. From 1983 to 1990 he served as the Republican leader in the state House. In 1989, he was one of 10 recipients of the “Best Legislator in America Award” given by the Republican National Committee and went on to become his party?s nominee for governor in 1990.

Among the honors received by Isakson are the Americans for Tax Reform “Hero of the Taxpayer Award”, the National Tax Limitation Committee’s “Tax Fighter Award”, the McCutcheon-Poole “Taxpayer Champion Award”, and the “Guardian of Small Business Award.”

Isakson received a B.B.A. from the University of Georgia in 1966 and served in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1966 to 1972.

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