From TouchCMA’s website.
“Moxi Present (formerly TouchCMA) will no longer be offering subscriptions to individual agents.”
No comment. ????
RIP Ken Duke
Ken Duke passed away in his sleep this past Friday, he was 6168. I knew Ken. He was as a straight a shooter as they come.
I’ve asked Michael Hayes to write something.
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Ken Duke – a quiet visionary of our real estate industry passed away Friday, April 7th. He had a heart attack. Ken was not afraid of change and great challenges. As a real estate professional, he saw how an MLS could better empower agents and left that part of the industry to take over his local MLS. He quickly recognized that by regionalizing a number of associations in the Palm Beach area, local REALTORS would have access to more data and more services in their fast growing market place. Ken was instrumental in putting together Regional MLS. In early days of the consolidation he used the revenue on services instead of a fancy office. The first office was in a low budget strip mall and very small. Serving the members took the highest priority. The successes of Regional MLS lead him to attempt to take the real estate industry to the next level. Consolidating real estate data for revenue beyond subscriber dues. He was the CFO for REBIG. This idea was before its time and failed. He then moved his family to run Maine Real Estate Information System. He spent the rest of his professional career as a commercial broker in Palm Beach.
I found Ken’s bucket list on his Facebook page and it made me smile. (See below)
His list missed a number of important items. To list a few:
Affect an industry for the better.
Teach someone to love the game of golf and business can truly happen on the links.
Teach a rookie in our industry how to sell to MLS CEO’s.
Change real estate software business from units to a site license for all members.
One of Ken’s lines during a round of golf that I like to repeat frequently; “I may not know how to play great golf but I do know how to drink.”
This Budweiser is to you Ken.
With a heavy heart,
Michael Hayes
Please consider adding your favorite Ken Duke story to the comment section.
Ken Duke’s Bucket List as of 2009
Things you have done during your lifetime:
(X) Gone on a blind date
(X) Skipped school
(X) Watched someone die
(X) Been to Canada
(X) Been to Mexico
(X) Been to Florida
(X) Been to Hawaii
(X) Been on a plane
(X) Been on a helicopter
(X) Been lost
(X) Gone to Washington, DC
(X) Swam in the ocean
(X) Cried yourself to sleep
(X) Played cops and robbers
(X) Recently colored with crayons
( ) Sang Karaoke
(X) Paid for a meal with coins only
( ) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t
(X) Made prank phone calls
( X) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans
(X ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose & elsewhere
(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
( ) Danced in the rain-naked
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(X ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(X ) Watched the sunrise with someone
(X) Blown bubbles
(X) Gone ice-skating
(X) Gone to the movies
(X ) Been deep sea fishing
(X) Driven across the United States
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
( ) Gone snowmobiling
( ) Lived in more than one country
(X) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars while listening to the crickets
(X) Seen a falling star and made a wish
( ) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
() Seen the Statue of Liberty
( ) Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle
(X) Been on a cruise
(X) Traveled by train
(X ) Traveled by motorcycle
(X) Been horse back riding
(X ) Ridden on a San Francisco CABLE CAR
(X) Been to Disneyland/ Disney World
(X) Truly believe in the power of prayer (well, I guess you could call it prayer)
( ) Been in a rain forest
( ) Seen whales in the ocean
( ) Been to Niagara Falls
() Ridden on an elephant
( ) Ridden on a Camel
(X ) Swam with dolphins
( ) Been to the Olympics
( ) Walked on the Great Wall of China
( ) Saw and heard a glacier calf
( ) Been spinnaker flying
(X) Been water-skiing
(X) Been snow-skiing
( ) Been to Westminster Abbey
( ) Been to the Louvre
( ) Swam in the Mediterranean
( ) Been to the Great Pyramid in Egypt
( X) Been to a Major League Baseball game
(X) Been to a National Football League game.
(X) Been SCUBA diving
RIP CoreLogic CEO, Anand Nallathambi
CoreLogic Announces the Passing of President and CEO Anand Nallathambi
“Anand was truly a very special and unique man. Anand led the transformation of CoreLogic into a leader in the global housing ecosystem,” stated Frank D. Martell, acting President and CEO. “He was one of those extraordinary people that everyone loved and wanted to be around. I will so miss him – his great warmth, grace, integrity and our close friendship.”
I only met him once. Sounds like it was sudden and unexpected. So sad. Much love to his family and friends.
Photo by Eugene Garcia, The Orange County Register
The Greatest
RIP Muhammad Ali
RIP Nate Ellis
He had been fighting an illness for several months. I remember Nate so well. He was such a generous person. So sad.
RIP Ebby Halliday
Cheryl Hall for the Dallas Morning News…
Ebby Halliday, Dallas real estate’s most beloved icon, has died at 104.
“Here’s what the company had to say about their beloved founder’s life: Her impact on the residential real estate industry was unmatched. Over the years, Ebby opened the doors to successful careers for thousands of people; in particular for women at a time when opportunities were limited.
Ebby began working at age 8 near Abilene, Kansas, riding her pony from wheat farm to wheat farm selling Cloverine salve, which she marketed as good for bug bites, cuts and bruises. She quickly learned the profit system, the value of repeat business and the importance of attention to customer service.”
Such a great story, you should really read the whole thing. One thing that I’ve always loved is the Ebby Halliday logo. Just a simple typeface, very mid-century, yet still very timeless. Rest in peace.
RIP Brian Wharton and Austin Drew of ARMLS.
“The ARMLS family is sad to announce that we recently lost two of our own. Brian Wharton (62), former Business Development Manager, passed away on April 4, 2015. Austin Drew (39), Director of MLS Operations, passed away on April 17, 2015. Our thoughts and deepest sympathy go out to the Wharton and Drew families.”
I worked with them both. Just brutal. Condolances go out to both their families.
#fuckcancer
The Lion rests…
My heart goes out to Niki and the rest of the Rapattoni family. Andy was a true legend in this industry. In my post “42” I talked about how long Andy and Niki have kept the company going (since 1975!). As an entrepreneur you can’t get any better inspiration than what Andy and Niki have created.
And his legacy will continue. I think Tom Beede in the recent press release said it best…
” In recent years I have worked closely with the new generation of leadership at Rapattoni, and it is evident they will carry on his proud tradition. His wife, Niki, says that she has lost her lion. I say that we have lost the industry’s Statue of Liberty and guiding light. No one can replace him; we can only hope to treat one another as kindly as Andy treated all of us.”
We’ve all lost a lion. RIP Andy.
RIP David Carr
David Carr, Times Critic and Champion of Media, Dies at 58
“In a statement, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr., The Times’s publisher and chairman, said: “David Carr was one of the most gifted journalists who has ever worked at The New York Times. “He combined formidable talent as a reporter with acute judgment to become an indispensable guide to modern media. But his friends at The Times and beyond will remember him as a unique human being — full of life and energy, funny, loyal and lovable. An irreplaceable talent, he will be missed by everyone who works for The Times and everyone who reads it.”
“irreplaceable talent” just about sums it up. I’m gonna miss reading him.
RIP Bob Hewes
“He then moved to Naples in 1989. Bob joined Downing-Frye Realty, Inc. on August 5, 1992. Over the years, he won numerous company awards. Since 2009, Bob has been one of the trainers for DowningFrye agents. His expertise was focused on technology. Since 1992 Bob was an active member of the Naples Area Board of Realtors (NABOR). He served on many committees at NABOR and was inducted into the Florida Association of Realtors Honor Society and NABOR Honor Society in 1992. His numerous accomplishments include NABOR Educator of the Year in 1995, Realtor of the Year in 1997, President’s Award Recipient in 1999 and REALTOR Committee Contribution Award in 1999 and 2011. He received the Member Spotlight Award in 1999 and 2002 and was awarded the Task Force Contribution Award in 2009 and 2013. He has been a Director at NABOR since 2010. He received the Committee Member Spotlight in 2010 and was inducted into the NABOR Hall of Fame in 2013.”
A couple of vendor friends have reached out to me about Bob’s passing. Any vendor over the last 10 to 15 years doing business in Florida had worked with Bob. For some reason I always thought he had been an actor previously. He kind had that old school “leading man” look. Just recently Katie and I worked with him on getting Cloud CMA available in the Naples area. Such a loss to the industry, he really cared and gave a lot. I’m sure everyone shares my heart felt condolences for his family. May he rest in peace.
