We’re so pleased to introduce our Fusion PAIGEs. These esteemed professionals and Fusion Ambassadors come from all areas of the country and all aspects of our business. They’ll be walking around the event space, so stop them when you see them to say hello and snap a picture. Our PAIGEs are here to make sure you get the most out of Fusion, and they’d love to meet you.

Learn more about our exciting Fusion PAIGE Ambassadors below.

Sheila Baggett: FB: @psbaggett IG: @slbaggett TW: @sheilabhggo

Sheila Baggett is the qualifying broker for the Generations office in Spanish Fort, AL.  A Gulf Coast native, her enthusiasm for real Estate stems from the love she has for her community.  The southern charm, laid back aura of the area, and beautiful beaches are a natural draw for people here, she believes. Sheila has been in real estate for six years, and this is her third year as broker. She prides herself on the camaraderie in her office and their weekly “Coffee Talk,” where agents are invited to speak about anything and everything pertaining to their business, share ideas, and to gather or offer advice.

Sheila has been married for 14 years and has a beautiful 9-year-old daughter. She believes in staying grounded and enjoying life. Training for her second and third half ironman distance events this year, she’s also looking forward to coaching her daughter’s soccer team and traveling. Sheila couldn’t imagine anything more rewarding than this life and career.

The PAIGE value she believes that best describes her is Passion:

Passion motivates me to push boundaries and overcome any obstacles in order to accomplish my goals. Passion, along with my sincere desire to help others, is what ultimately drew me to real estate.

This is Sheila’s third Fusion conference, and she especially looks forward to reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. Her tips for new Fusion attendees are as follows:

Make sure you are all charged up. Bring your charger, cords and battery pack, and most importantly, get out there! Enjoy yourself while making as many new connections with our amazing BHGRE family as possible!

Danielle Riley: FB: @danielle.riley.9619 IN: @DanielleRiley3  TW: @DanielleRiley3

Danielle Riley is the CEO & President of Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate Prosperity in Rochester, NY. She is a second-generation REALTOR and went on her first “appointment” at age two. She has been a REALTOR for over nine years and sold her first houses at the age of 19. Danielle’s team has sold over 2,500 houses in 10 years. She is very passionate about real estate and fights hard for homeowners’ rights. She sits on her local board’s RPAC, Industry Advocacy, and Fair Housing Committees.

Danielle is also very involved on the state level. She sits on the New York State Association of Realtors YPN and Professional Standards Committees. While vigorously fighting for homeowners’ rights, she also understands the importance of her local community and spends much of her time advocating for local charities by sitting on the Board of Directors for the Realtors Charitable Foundation. Danielle is also extremely passionate about YPN and sits on her local network’s advisory board. In 2015, Danielle was named “30 under 30” by Realtor Magazine.

Here’s how Danielle describes her top PAIGE value:

Passion is actually the core value that made me decide to open my own brokerage and affiliate with BHGRE®. I’m a firm believer that if you are a passionate person, you can achieve anything you put your mind to.

She’d like to share the following Fusion advice:

STAY HYDRATED. Carry a water bottle with you at all times. Don’t miss ANY sessions. The content that will be provided will help you grow your business and progress to the next level in your career. Network like it’s your job. Bring a ton of business cards and try to meet as many new people as you can. The connections I’ve made at conferences have brought me lifelong friendships and also a referral for the biggest deal I’ve ever made in my career. Visit the vendor village. You never know what tool or system you might find that can help your business grow. Most importantly, HAVE FUN! Enjoy every moment because it will go by very quickly!

Christi Borden: FB: @christborden IG: @christiborden TW: @christiborden

Christi Borden has spent 14 years as a full time and top-producing REALTOR with BHGRE® Gary Greene in Houston TX. Married for 26 years to Danny Borden, Christi is the mother of twin sons, 25-year-old Aggies, and one terrific mutt, Lexie.

She is a past Realtor of the Year by Houston Association of Realtors and her industry involvement includes serving as Board of Director for both HAR and Texas Association of Realtors. She will be an RVP for Texas in 2018 and is a TREPAC (Texas version of RPAC) Trustee, a RPAC Major Investor Council Texas representative, and has chaired State and Local Technology committees among other volunteer positions.

Christi started her professional life as an Official Court Reporter and has lived and worked many years overseas prior to beginning her Real Estate career. Her busy residential practice focuses on the international relocating buyer/seller and the luxury market.

Christi loves to travel and has enjoying visiting over 55 countries so far. She’s heading back to Africa this summer for her fourth safari. She loves photography, writing, reading, painting, cooking, entertaining…and more, whenever she finds the time.

Here’s her Fusion advice:

Passion. For everything, family, business, pleasure. It is what drives me to do all that I can to have a positive impact on the world around me.

Advice for Fusion attendees:

This is the ultimate networking experience. You will be surrounded by hundreds of likeminded, amazing professional from around the country. Get to know them. Don’t just hang around with the people you know. You will see them when you get home. Make it a point to reach out and truly connect with new attendees. And then promise yourself you will stay in touch. Also… attend all the conference you can. Yes, Vegas is a distraction but you did not come all this way to play slots. You came to excel!

Christian Zarif: FB: @czarif IG: @cerealtor TW: @cerealtor

A dedicated REALTOR, Christian has been licensed in both Kansas and Missouri since 2007. Don’t let that date fool you: in just a few years, she has blazed quite a path in the real estate industry.

In 2008, Christian was named the REALTOR Newcomer of the Year in Kansas City. Just four years later, she was the youngest agent to ever receive the REALTOR of the Year Award for the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS. In 2014, Christian was honored by the state of Kansas as Salesperson of the Year.

In 2016, Christian broke the age barrier again taking the helm as President of the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS. With over 9,000 members, KCRAR is one of the largest trade organizations in Kansas City.  She led the association with grace and was able to implement some impressive programs to serve both the KCRAR members and the community.

Christian’s talent has been recognized at the national level within the real estate industry, earning her a prestigious appointment to serve as Chair of the Residential Economic Issues and Trends Forum.

Here’s what Christian says about her favorite PAIGE value:

I have always operated my life and business under one premise: if you have PASSION for what you do, you will achieve great things. I have a strong passion for not only serving my clients with great energy, but serving the real estate industry. 

Here’s her Fusion advice:

Connect! Break out of your comfort zone and connect with the great network of agents and brokers here at Fusion. It’s easy to “hang” with the people you already know, but making new connections and networking will be of great benefit beyond Vegas. Be bold and connect! 

Heather Bush: FB: @heatherlynnbush IG: @heatherlynnbush TW: @heatherlynnbus

As the Training Director at Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate Capital Area, Heather strives to keep herself up to date on ever-changing real estate and marketing trends. One of her favorite mottos is: never stop learning! This mindset assures she can assist her agents in being industry leaders in the Greater Harrisburg Area of Pennsylvania. 

Here’s how Heather describes her PAIGE strengths:
PASSION – My passion is working with each agent, and I take pride in their success. Whether new to the industry, or an experienced agent, I utilize innovative thinking along with industry expertise to customize coaching programs specific to our local markets, accelerate success, and empower productivity.
AUTHENTICITY – In addition to Real Estate training, I have been working with dotloop since its origination in 2009. I’ve been a client, an agent, a member of the suggestive development board, and now a nationally certified dotloop instructor.

INCLUSION – As an active volunteer and community member, involvement is important to me. People helping people is something I base my everyday life off of. I enjoy bringing people together to work together, despite race, ethnicity, or origin.
GROWTH – Learning from peers, embracing new opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities are just some things that come to mind when I think of growth. My love for training and coaching is inspired by this core value. Growth allows an agent or broker to be the most advanced in our industry. To be better, growth is a necessity that is often overlooked.

EXCELLENCE – My Passion, Authenticity, Inclusion, and Growth are all a part of my Excellence. These core values are not just guidelines to me, but how I live my life: Guided by Values. Apply Those Values. Be a Part of BHGRE. #BeBetter #BetterAgents #BetterHarrisburg #BetterBuzz #BHGRE

Heather’s advice for Fusion includes:

Take a deep breath. I get it. It seems nearly impossible to even think that you can do this. But here’s the thing, you have chosen to come to Fusion to have in-person interaction. Your phone (or tablet or laptop) can become a barrier to making those connections. Again, I get that you do not want to disconnect completely, but put your phone away when you’re waiting for a session to begin or when you’re at breakfast or lunch. Give yourself a chance to strike up conversations and build strong relationships that you can continue to confabulate with after the convention. Take notes. Remember what you have learned, and apply that in 2017! 

We are leaders in our industry, and to continue to be a leader, we must also set time aside to learn for ourselves. To be better. 

Thai Hung Nguyen: FB: @thaihung.nguyen IG: @thnhomeTW: @NguyenRealtor

Thai Hung Nguyen has been a REALTOR since 2003. He is a fully committed professional (full-time). Thai Hung is thankful to the education and training that he received early in his career, particularly by CRS (Council of Residential Specialist). Among his various achievements, he has also obtained CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), ABR (Accredited Buyer’s Representative), and CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) designations.

Thai Hung attributes his strong work ethic and dedication to his participation with the Asian Real Estate Association of America, Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, Virginia Association of Realtors, and National Association of Realtors. His dedication to success has consistently yielded in achieving Multi-Million Dollar and Top Producer Life Member production status, year after year.

A graduate of George Mason University, with a major in Business Administration, Thai Hung’s business belief is that every client is his family. That shows in every one of hundreds of real estate transactions he has personally achieved. He has gained the utmost trust and confidence from not only his clients and their families, but also from his fellow agents and their clients. His Strengths are in ethics, contracts, and negotiation. He always has three clients willing and ready to give testimonials at any initial interview.

Thai Hung’s care for his clients is inspired by his loving family, which consists of his wife, Zhen, and their two boys, Austin and Zachary. They form a happy family and are always true to themselves. Thai Hung enjoys his time with his family and pays utmost attention to family values.

Here’s how Thai Hung describes his top PAIGE value:

Authenticity stands out for me. My Dad always told me to stay true to myself. After being apart from him for 10 years and then getting to spend time with him, that stayed with me. My online friends, as well as my offline ones, can speak for this. I am who I say I am. I stay true to what I feel and how I care for clients. 

Here’s his Fusion advice:

This is my first time, so I definitely will make connections with many. Stay focus on the conference to learn from others but also expand your interactions with others outside of the conference time. In my experience, afterhours are when business relationships are established. Don’t get caught up in the attractions of Las Vegas unless you can interact with our new friends/peers.

Bri Sharkey-Smith: FB: @bhgallseasons IN: @conjunctiongumption

Bri Sharkey-Smith is the Vice President of Communications & Marketing at Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate All Seasons in Minneapolis. She joined the BHGRE® team in 2015, fresh off of two years managing content for a digital start-up and after three years in corporate communications at Target headquarters. She has also worked in academic publishing and has a Master’s degree in Writing. Bri loves to travel and has been to 31 countries (and counting).

Here’s how Bri explains her favorite PAIGE value:

Authenticity is important to me. Our whole industry is based on relationships (on building them and valuing them). So, if we aren’t true to who we are, if we say things we don’t mean or make promises we can’t or won’t keep to the people who trust us, we’ve failed before we’ve begun. Authenticity has to be the beating heart of everything we do.

Her advice for how to the make the most of Fusion is as follows:

Ask more questions than you answer. When we get together with our peers, it’s easy to jump in with stories about where you’ve seen success and what you’re good at. But you already know those things. Focus on asking questions of other people so you can learn something new.

Ennis Antoine

Ennis Antoine is the 2015 President of the Atlanta Board of REALTORS and an Associate Broker for Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate Metro Brokers.

Ennis is a leader and professional REALTOR who combines his passion for the real estate industry with his unrelenting commitment to continuing education and the REALTOR organization. Ennis started his career in 1985 in New Orleans, Louisiana, before transferring to Atlanta, Georgia as an associate broker with Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate Metro Brokers.

Today, Ennis is the Team Leader for his office of over 232 agents. He’s a certified real estate instructor, teaching the 75-hour sales pre-license courses and post-license courses to new agents across the state of Georgia. He has earned the prestigious Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation and is Quality Service Certified (QSC).

Ennis is currently serving as the 2015 President of the Atlanta Board of REALTORS, the largest REALTOR association in Georgia with over 6,000 members. Ennis has served in numerous leadership roles within the Georgia Association of REALTORS (GAR) and National Association of REALTORS (NAR). A graduate of the NAR Leadership Academy, he was recently inducted into the prestigious NAR REALTORS Political Action Committee Hall of Fame.

Ennis has received the President’s Award, 5 Star Circle Award, Captain of Industry Award and REALTOR of the Year Award from the Atlanta Board of REALTORS. A man of service, he has been a Deacon in his church for 18 years and is heavily involved with Habitat for Humanity, working on houses across the nation. Above all else, Ennis is a dedicated husband to his wife Wanda of 24 years, a father of three, and a grandfather of nine.

Blair Myers

Described as one of the largest and most prolific personalities in the real estate industry, Blair Myers is the star of the Nick Cannon-produced “Like A Boss” reality show on Oxygen. Ranked in the Top 100 Agents in the Nation by The Wall Street Journal and RealTrends (in closed transactions for seven years running), Blair has earned spots on two of Inman’s lists: Most Interesting People in Real Estate (2016) and Most Influential (2017).

He’s #1 in his market for seven consecutive years in both closed transactions and production, and those who know him in the business world will describe him as one of the sharpest minds in the industry. Blair’s diverse portfolio of business and unique branding brings in leads with no prospecting or paid advertising. His passion is influencing and inspiring others through leadership.

Transcending the real estate world, this sweet tea lover is an accomplished chef and baker, a certified fitness expert, and although actively involved in animal rescue, he is attempting to avoid adding another title to his resume: cat hoarder.

Here’s Blair’s favorite PAIGE value:

Inclusion. Innovation is an inherent aspect of our industry. However, many recognized brands are afraid of change and often are afraid to step outside of the box, fearing negative business impacts. I’ve experienced this myself at the first company I associated with as a licensed agent. By embracing diversity and making it a core value, BHGRE® shows all of us that an incredible, storied brand can take part in social progression and leave a lasting mark with their legacy. While more challenging to follow this journey, BHGRE has blazed a path that others will follow. If you’re not evolving in this industry, you will be left behind. I am proud to be associated with such a progressive company. Iconic brands can and do create lasting impacts that go far beyond their primary industry into cultural and social change. BHGRE has risen to the occasion and will continue to be at the forefront of the industry as an innovative, respected, and progressive lifestyle brand.

Blair’s Fusion advice includes:

Make the most of the opportunity to connect with others at Fusion by going to as many classes and events as you can. You’re a part of a brand that has some of the most successful brokers and agents in the nation, including some that been hand-selected to be a part of BHGRE. This business approach provides excellent networking potential because you can creating lasting connections. In the classes and events, you’ll have the unique opportunity to meet and mingle with industry leaders so that you can make the most out of the opportunities to connect. Meet as many people as you can, ask about their business model and market, share yours and work on building your business and referral network.

Tiffany Williamson: FB: @tiffany.clarkwilliamson IN: @tiffany_williamson_ TW: @GoTiffanyW

Tiffany Williamson is the Chief Operating Officer of Better Homes & Gardens® Go Realty. Tiffany
joined the Go Realty team in March 2014 as a new real estate agent and quickly realized
that Go Realty would benefit from her past experience as VP of Sales for a national cosmetic
brand.

Refusing to accept the industry failure rate stats on new agents, Tiffany designed Ready. Set. Go!, a new agent training program designed to get agents into production within their first 90 days in the business. This program has been wildly successful at Go, with over 90% of new agents achieving a sale in their first 90 days, and 50% getting more than one.

Tiffany believes in out-of-the box thinking. With events like the New Agent Networking Event (NANE), Lights. Camera. Sold!, ReCharge, and 90 Days to Success, Go Realty has
recruited over 45 new agents in the past 12 months.

Passionate about coaching others to be the best versions of themselves, Tiffany aims to help
her team stretch beyond what feels comfortable. Her goal is to create an environment where strong working relationships are fostered, collaboration is key, and the culture is fiercely protected. Tiffany believes strongly in personal growth and life-long learning and promotes this among the leadership team and agents at Go.

Tiffany lives in the beautiful state of North Carolina with her wonderful husband, Brandon, and
their dog, Mollie. She loves to relax at the beach with her family, sing Karaoke, and collect
random domain names.

Tiffany currently serves on the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors YPN Committee as its Chair, and she is a Co-chair on the state level.

Jon Starwalt: FB: @jmstarwalt IN: @jonstarwaltbhgre TW: @jonstarwalt

Jon Starwalt entered the real estate business in 2015 as a new agent with the newly minted BHGRE® Star Homes in the Chicago area market. As the company grew, Jon was identified as the ideal candidate to fill the necessary role of Director of Technology and Marketing. Utilizing his background in copywriting and digital marketing, Jon helps the company and its agents stay ahead of the competition in all things tech, while maximizing all of the great tools and advantages that the BHGRE brand has to offer.

Jon was honored with the 2015 National Technology Excellence Award and looks forward to using his recently purchased first house, as well as his office, as an Internet of Things testing ground in a quest to automate as much of his work and life as possible.

Here’s what Jon says about his top PAIGE value:

My favorite value is Growth. As a relatively new brokerage with plans of opening a second office in the very, very near future, our whole company is big on growth this year. As the person in our company whose job it is to keep up with all of the technology and tools we have available, all while helping our agents identify the best tools for their businesses and learn to use them effectively, my days are filled with one growth opportunity after another. I feel so incredibly fortunate to be part of a brand that offers us so many opportunities to learn, build, and create and constantly encourages us to do so.

His Fusion advice is as follows:

If you want to get the most out of Fusion 2017, just remember two things: take notes and make friends! You’ll never be able to remember everything you learn at an event like this, so whether you do it on a mobile device, a notebook or a pocketful of cocktail napkins, make notes for yourself about the tips you pick up and the people you meet so that you can remind yourself once you get home and have a day or two to decompress. Even more important is making friends. Every time I meet another member of the BHGRE® network from a different market, I gain an invaluable resource for learning and workshopping new ideas. That’s what keeps the benefits of the event going long after we all leave.

Tim Reeder: FB: @TimReeder

Tim Reeder is one of Omaha’s most well known REALTORS. Marketing to old and historic home-lovers for two decades, Tim has helped thousands of happy people buy and sell homes throughout the city. Yet Tim’s passion is midtown and historic homes.

Tim ran an extremely successful team, The Good Life Group, for eight years and eventually grew that into a large, multi-branch Better Homes and Gardens® real estate company. Operating throughout the Omaha/Council Bluffs Metro area, Tim and all the agents are there to serve with excellent service and a style of real estate that one has to experience to understand.

Tim explains his top PAIGE value:

Inclusion: when I was a new REALTOR, I was not allowed to run ads in gay business publications or websites. Now, not only is this allowed, but it is celebrated, and that’s now the same for many other minorities. Inclusion at BHGRE® is real and sincere. 

Here’s his Fusion advice:

I say, take everything in, pay attention and put your phone away. The next three days are so important. The phone calls, emails and texts can wait. Be present at this event, as much as you possibly can. 

Bret Calltharp: FB @itsbrett IN: @ jedirealestate TW: @ jedirealestate

Bret Calltharp is the Director of Consulting and Special Projects at Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate. He’s also the brand’s Galactic Guru of Growth.

Here’s what Bret says is his favorite PAIGE value:

I love all of them…it’s like choosing a favorite child! However, I think I would need to say Authenticity. In an industry where “fake it until you make it” is often the norm, it’s important to not fall into that trap and to stay true to you, your authentic self. Be who you say you are, online and offline. Deliver on the promises you make in that bio to diligently work to be better every day, delivering excellence to your clients.

His tips for Fusion include:

This is my first Fusion, but I have attend many conventions as part of my role here at BHGRE®. Go in prepared to learn, and have a plan before you get there! Download the Fusion app to decide your schedule for the week, in terms of sessions and speakers you’d like to see, affiliates you’d like to network with and the areas of your business that you feel most need the help. Take great notes and then turn those notes into action. 

Jaymes Song: FB: @JaymesSong IG: @JaymesSong TW: @JaymesSong

Jaymes Song is a top-producing agent with Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate Advantage Realty in Honolulu. Hawaii Business magazine named Jaymes as one of the Top 100 Realtors in the State of Hawaii in 2016 and 2015.

His accolades include being voted “Hawaii’s Best” Realtor in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s People’s Choice Awards in 2014 and 2013. He was also voted “Best in Real Estate” by Honolulu Magazine in 2016, 2015, and 2014. Jaymes is a 2016 Emerald Elite winner, awarded to the Top 2 percent of BHGRE® agents in the nation. He is widely quoted by several news organizations as Hawaii’s real estate expert. He also has a column called “Keeping It Real” in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

A native of Seattle, Jaymes enjoys spending time with his two children, coaching youth sports, volunteering with several community groups, and acting. He has appeared as an extra in several films and TV shows, including “Battleship,” “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-0.” A former journalist, Jaymes was at The Orange County Register and Honolulu Star-Bulletin, and he quickly rose through the ranks at The Associated Press to oversee news and operations for Hawaii and the Pacific.

The post Introducing our 2017 Fusion PAIGE Ambassadors! appeared first on Clean Slate.