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Renew Your Career?and Help Rebuild New Orleans?at NARdi Gras
Commentary and current events from the National Association of Realtors?

Renew Your Career?and Help Rebuild New Orleans?at NARdi Gras

REnew, REconnect and REenergize your business?and the Gulf Coast region?at NARdi Gras, the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS?? (NAR) 2006 REALTORS? Conference & Expo in New Orleans, November 10-13.

In a demonstration of NAR?s commitment to help rebuild the Gulf Region after the devastating hurricanes of 2005, NAR leaders decided last December to keep the convention in New Orleans. ?Realtors? care about communities,? says Tom Stevens, NAR president. ?Brokers and agents can set no better example to the nation than by holding our 2006 annual meeting there. We will have a wonderful conference as we celebrate the rebirth of this legendary American city.?

Distinguished Speakers and Celebrities

The Conference & Expo is expected to draw record numbers?as many as 30,000 brokers and agents, exhibitors and guests?and bring almost $34 million to the city. ?It?s a fantastic event?the NAR conference of the decade that no one should miss,? says New Orleans Ambassador member Mike Owen of Delray Beach, Florida. ?Realtors will have the opportunity to not only strengthen their business and relationships, but to strengthen New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region.?

NAR is honored to present two distinguished former U.S. Presidents?George H.W. Bush and William J. Clinton?who will be speaking about Katrina relief efforts and the importance of community service on Saturday, November 11. Then on Sunday, November 12, Grammy Award winner Harry Connick Jr. will perform for his hometown at the Realtors Celebrity Concert.

The Entrepreneurial Excellence Series will feature several world-class speakers to help brokers fulfill their personal and leadership potential:

? Marcus Buckingham, former senior consultant for Gallup and best-selling author

? David Oreck, founder of the vacuum cleaner business

? John Maxell, author of more than 30 business books on

leadership

? Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies

With more than 200 educational sessions and 600 exhibitors at the world?s largest real estate expo, the Conference & Expo provides an excellent opportunity to help brokers grow their business.

Topics of interest to brokers include:

? Leadership skills

? Managing growth

? New trends in creating and selling a real estate business

?The national conference is a great way to learn about everything that?s new and exciting in real estate,? says Bill Trask, New Orleans Ambassador member of Standish, Maine.

Grow the economy of New Orleans and help those in need Realtors are in the business of building communities, so it?s no surprise that the annual conference will also provide plenty of opportunities to help rebuild New Orleans.

One way is to enjoy the city?s many restaurants, stores, museums, nightlife, music and other attractions. The historic core of the city was spared by Katrina and remains intact, so there is much to do and enjoy.

Outlying residential areas, unfortunately, were battered by Katrina and are still in great need. Recently, Bill Trask and a group of other New Orleans Ambassador members toured the devastation. ?We had the chance to see what happened and participate in a Volunteer Build Day with Habitat for Humanity,? he says. ?It was one of the most rewarding things I?ve ever done.?

NAR is planning volunteer activities Tuesday, November 7 ? Tuesday, November 14, including building Habitat for Humanity homes, painting schools and refurbishing parks. Descriptions and signups for these activities will be available online (www.REALTOR.org/conference) beginning August 1.

?Everything about this conference is a positive because of all the things Realtors are going to bring with them, not only in terms of the financial impact on New Orleans, but goodwill,? says New Orleans Ambassador member Richard Tucker of Mandeville, Louisiana.

Re:sources

www.REALTOR.org/conference