RPAC President’s Circle Conference 2021 Did Not Disappoint

The past 15 months have drained me. You’ve probably felt the same way, for your own set of reasons. After being “Zoomed out in a rectangle” since the pandemic began, I felt a strong need for people, discussion, ideas, solutions, hugs and love!!! All these came at me like a tidal wave at the recent RPAC President’s Circle Conference 2021.

The event featured a very well-balanced discussion of politics, real estate trends, economic forecasts, as well as great networking and food.

From left; Charlie Oppler, NAR 2021 President & Anthony Domathoti, HGAR President Elect

The program for the RPAC President’s Circle Conference 2021 held at Marco Island, FL from June 20- 23rd was intended to provide President’s Circle investors with the opportunity to learn and discuss policy concerns affecting the Realtor community. The RPAC President’s Circle Conference’s goal was to empower Realtors as they preserve, protect and advance the right to real property for all.
The speaker lineup was simply fantastic and the conference delivered on all fronts.

• The conference launched with an energetic and thought-provoking opening by Donna Brazile, a renowned political strategist and commentator and a former interim chair of the Democratic National Committee

Other speakers on Day 1 included:

• Doris Kearns Goodwin, world-renowned presidential historian, public speaker and Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times #1 Best Selling Author

• Joe Harris, NAR Vice President of Government Advocacy

• Young Kim, U.S. Representative (R-CA 39th District)

• Shannon McGahn, NAR Chief Advocacy Officer

• Charlie Oppler, NAR 2021 President

• Trish Regan, award-winning financial journalist, television host, opinion columnist and author

• Nate Silver, founder and editor-in-chief of FiveThirtyEight.com and special correspondent for ABC News

• Tom Suozzi, U.S. Representative (D-NY 3rd District)

• Lawrence Yun, NAR Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Research.

Day 2:

Our morning started off with another amazing, delicious breakfast followed by the Morning Kick-Off with Kevin Brown, REALTOR Party Director. A Data & Predictions seminar followed with Nate Silver, who was introduced by Maura Carey Neill, Public & Federal Issues Liaison.

Other highlights of the day included:

From left; Anthony Domathoti, HGAR President Elect & U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi

U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi (NY-3) in Conversation with VP of Government Advocacy Joe Harris, who were introduced by Asa Fleming, Community Engagement Liaison. We had a wonderful opportunity to share ideas and hear Rep. Suozzi share his vision and direction.

An RPAC Expert Panel was moderated by Tamara Suminski, RPAC Fundraising Liaison and featured panelists: Krista Clark, RPAC Major Investor Council Chair, Holli Woodward, RPAC Participation Council Chair, and Colin Mullane, RPAC Trustees Fundraising Committee Chair.

Another thought-provoking program included celebrated historian Doris Kearns Goodwin in Conversation with NAR President Charles Oppler, who were introduced by Colin Mullane, RPAC Trustees Fundraising Committee Chair. The discussion between NAR President Oppler and Doris Kearns Goodwin was indeed special. Our history is so important! The lessons learned in the past and today have the opportunity to change our future!

The multi-day event concluded with closing remarks by NAR President Oppler and President elect Leslie Rouda Smith…

The announcers and the speakers at the event gave us all time to reflect and be grateful for the opportunities here in the USA! I’m so very proud and honored to give back to a profession that has given me so much in the last 22 years. Tears of joy and happiness! A special thank you to National Association of Realtors CEO Bob Goldberg and staff who always go out of their way to keep us members “HAPPY” and thank you for taking the risk and allowing us to finally get-together in Marco Island, FL in 2021!

A welcome piece of good news was reported at the conference. The National Association of Realtors and the Food Recovery Network announced a partnership extension to combat hunger.

In closing, it was so great to be with Realtor family again in person! I was grateful for the opportunity to join the other 1,399 members of the President Circle at this year’s President Circle Conference in Marco Island! The perfect conference to recharge, reconnect and RE-enforce the important advocacy that we must remain vigilant about in real estate! Private property rights and home ownership must continuously be brought to the forefront with our legislators! The opportunity to rub shoulders and spend time with the “Army of Good” refueled me, re-energized me, as we all stand ready to fight and win for our industry and the consumers we represent.