Publisher’s Desk: The Dynamic Nature of Success

We recently had the pleasure of presenting Howard Brinton with RISMedia's First Annual "On the Shoulders of Giants" award. This honor, co-sponsored by RE/MAX Intl., was presented to Howard in front of an audience of more than 900 during RE/MAX's regional broker meeting in Mystic, Connecticut this past November.

The idea for this award originated during a discussion Dave Liniger and I had back in the spring of '06 about the many challenges this industry faces along with potential solutions. We reflected upon the individuals who have made a difference within this industry, the many real estate professionals who are out there every day creating wealth and security without a safety net. We decided that it was high time to collaborate and create an annual award that would honor those industry individuals who have made the biggest difference.

We chose Howard to be the first recipient for many reasons. First of all, Howard Brinton, founder and president of Star Power Systems, wore the hat of real estate professional for 17 years. In his peak year, he did 470 transactions-Howard is not just some corporate face. He's a person who has walked a mile in Realtors' shoes.

Upon accepting the award, Howard said, "I want to acknowledge the broker/owners-if they did not provide the playing field for all of us where we could grow and experience great rewards, none of us would be here."

Providing just such a playing field for its affiliates in the face of a changing real estate landscape is GMAC Real Estate-this month's cover story on page 98. GMAC is shoring up its training and development programs for brokers and agents, ensuring that they are all well prepared for real estate's new era.

As GMAC Home Services President and CEO John Bearden says, "For an industry that's been resistant to change, we need to realize that everything in our industry is changing, and we ignore it to our peril."

To find a great example of real estate professionals who are making tremendous strides to succeed in a changing market, be sure to see our first annual Power Teams to Watch report on page 105. We've identified 25 of the most innovative, forward-thinking teams in the nation. Hats off to these pros for evolving with the times.

Wishing all of you a successful and happy start to the New Year,

John E. Featherston
CEO & Publisher

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