Above, the 2024 Real Estate Newsmakers Hall of Fame inductees at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, Sept. 5. Standing in back from left: Chris Trapani, Kate Rossi, Cindy Ariosa and Ennis Antoine. Standing in front from left: Tami Bonnell and Diane Turton. (Photo by AJ Canaria).
Thought leaders came together Thursday evening to celebrate RISMedia’s 2024 Newsmakers and induct a select group of industry icons into the 2024 Newsmakers Hall of Fame at RISMedia’s annual Real Estate Newsmakers Reception & Dinner. The event was held at the historic Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., during RISMedia’s 36th Annual CEO & Leadership Exchange.
The annual Real Estate Newsmakers program honors the industry’s most dynamic individuals for their previous year’s accomplishments and contributions to their companies, colleagues and clients, and to the larger cause of expanding and protecting homeownership. Nominated by RISMedia’s readers and editors, the more than 300 individuals in the 2024 class, along with this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, were announced this past February. RISMedia celebrates Newsmakers throughout the year in its ongoing coverage leading up to the in-person event, where honorees are celebrated and Hall of Fame inductees are presented with an award commemorating their accomplishments.
“Each and every one of you should be proud of the work you’ve done to keep your businesses thriving and serve your clients and advance the larger cause of homeownership,” said RISMedia Founder and CEO John Featherston, in his opening remarks. “I commend all of you for all of your accomplishments and thank you for your contribution to our industry.”
Erik Carlson, CEO of RE/MAX Holdings, then offered welcome remarks.
“As we gather here tonight, it’s a time to reflect on what it means to be a real estate professional and what that represents. This industry is filled with professionals who help buyers and sellers help accomplish the biggest financial decision of their lives,” Carlson said. “The stakes are high and the responsibility is great and we as leaders take our responsibility very seriously and we deliver on that promise every day.
“I have a request: that we continue to elevate what this profession stands for and what it means to be a real estate agent,” he continues. “It’s important that we continue to stand up and deliver those standards so we can all continue to be Newsmakers in the future.”
As hundreds of guests gathered for the celebratory evening, RISMedia and CEO & Leadership Exchange attendees cheered on honorees in all the categories and applauded the new group of Hall of Famers. The 2024 Real Estate Newsmakers class included the following categories: Achievers, Crusaders, Futurists, Influencers, Luminaries and Trailblazers, as well as six exemplary Hall of Fame inductees.
From the Newsmakers Reception & Dinner Wednesday evening, Hall of Fame inductees shared their thoughts on being inducted into the 2024 class:
Ennis Antoine, Broker/Owner of EA Realty Georgia:
“What an incredible moment this is. I stand here filled with gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility as I accept this honor. I’m immensely proud to be recognized among so many leaders who have shaped and elevated our profession. A heartfelt thanks to my wife, Wanda, and my kids and grandkids—who push me to dream bigger and work harder. To my colleagues and mentors, thank you for your guidance and encouragement—and to my team—this honor wouldn’t be possible without your dedication and hard work. This recognition isn’t just a milestone; it’s a reminder that our work is never done. This recognition has renewed my commitment to remain a leader and mentor, and set a better example for all of us.”
Tami Bonnell, Co-Chair, Exit Realty Corp International:
“I am one of the most fortunate people on the planet. I have an amazing family and colleagues I work with who I get to call family. I couldn’t be more fortunate, and I even love what I do. This is the icing on the cake. It’s humbling to be inducted, and I honestly can’t thank you enough. I’m really honored.”
Chris Trapani, Founder and CEO, Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno:
I just want to say how blessed I am to have had the career I’ve had. I’ve had the opportunity to be an agent, a manager, a corporate executive and start our firm. I attribute my success to my faith, my wife and the remarkable people in our company, and my business partner, Ryan who I met when I was 10 years old. But as proud as I am of our firm’s production and professionalism, I’m inspired every day by our community and the programs we donate to, which has grown to over $6 million.”
Cindy Ariosa, VP of Strategic Development, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services:
I have three families–my MLS family, my real estate family and my family-family. To my MLS family, we at Bright MLS have the best team and I couldn’t be prouder of the team; to my real estate family, I’ve worked with two of the most powerful companies in the country. Now I get to work with the Hanna family and work with and collaborate with a giant in the real estate industry. To my family-family, I couldn’t be any prouder of my two children. I’m humbled to be honored among the best of the best in the industry.”
Kate Rossi, President, Agent Engagement and Sales Leadership Development, Anywhere Brands and Anywhere Advisors:
“This has never been just a job for me, it is a career. I have so many people I’d like to thank, but the best person I can thank is my daughter, who showed up here today, who has been with me from the beginning. Our agents are the core part of our business. Many may think that technology will replace us, but the agent is the core piece of our business…without them, we are nothing. I thank all the agents I have met along the way.”
Diane Turton, President and Founder, Diane Turton REALTORS®:
“First, I want to thank and congratulate all of the winners here tonight and everybody that’s in this room that is in real estate. My father and my grandfather were both in real estate and I said, ‘You know what? Someday I want my own real estate company with my name on that billboard with my signature, and I want everything blue and green because that was the color of the house that we had.’ So I thought, ‘Well, now I have to brand myself. I’m going to be like Coca-Cola.’ It’s just constantly being out there, networking. …In the end, the client’s always right.'”
The deadline to nominate a 2025 Newsmaker recently was extended to Sept. 16. For more information or to nominate a 2025 Newsmaker, click here.
Stay tuned for more coverage from RISMedia’s CEO & Leadership Exchange in the coming days. Follow us on social media @rismediaupdates to keep up with our action-packed agenda, real-time updates and exclusive content!
