An at-capacity crowd of over 500 brokers and industry leaders converged in Orlando on Nov. 4 to attend RISMedia’s 21^st Annual Power Broker Reception & Dinner, sponsored by Quicken Loans and Xome and held in conjunction with the National Association of REALTORS® Conference & Expo.

The evening recognized the accomplishments of those brokers who ranked in RISMedia’s 2016 Power Broker Report, an annual survey of the nation’s top brokerage firms. This year’s Power Broker Dinner also recognized three leaders for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the real estate industry:

RISMedia’s On the Shoulders of Giants Award, sponsored by RE/MAX
Presented by Mike Ryan, executive vice president of RE/MAX LLC, the ‘On the Shoulders of Giants’ Award was created to recognize those individuals whose efforts, works, deeds and character exemplify superior achievements in and for the real estate industry, yet whose efforts often go unnoticed. This year’s winner was Dale Stinton, chief executive officer of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).

“I am honored and humbled to win the ‘On the Shoulders of Giants’ award,” says Stinton. “Serving the members of the National Association of Realtors® and shaping the real estate industry has been both the motivation and cause of my professional career.  Throughout my entire tenure, I have been fortunate to work with some of the greatest NAR presidents and industry giants. Without their vision, NAR and its members would not be positioned for greater success in the 21st century.”

RISMedia’s Tech Titan Award, sponsored by Homes.com
Presented by David Mele, president of Homes.com, the Tech Titan Award is presented to brokerage leaders who have demonstrated an exceptional ability to adapt and integrate new and innovative tools and services within their organization to improve and enhance the overall consumer experience. This year’s winner was William “Bill” Watson, Jr., chairman of the board, Watson Realty Corp.

“We are humbled to win the Tech Titan award from RISMedia,” says Watson, Jr. “It is confirmation of Watson’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve when it comes to technology. Watson firmly believes that advancing our technology allows our associates to cover more ground and gain maximum exposure in their respective areas. We also feel our investment in technology has long range benefits to the success of Watson Realty Corp.”

RISMedia’s Leadership Award, sponsored by Buffini & Company
Presented by Dermot Buffini, CEO of Buffini & Company, the Real Estate Leadership Award is designed to honor an industry visionary who embraces innovation and exercises resilience to blaze new paths to success for real estate professionals and consumers alike. This year’s winner was Phil Soper, CEO of Royal LePage.

The Power Broker event was capped off with a riveting discussion of innovation and the evolution into digital media by keynote speaker Terry Jones, founder of Travelocity and Kayak and currently chairman of new start-up Wayblazer. Jones focused on the importance of embracing change, not being afraid to fail, and the power of culture.

Jones also noted the importance of utilizing products and services that help streamline business efficiency and specifically acknowledged RISMedia’s new automated social media platform, “ACE” (Automated Content Engagement) as one such tool to help brokers and agents generate more business by harnessing the power of social media. Officially launching during this year’s Power Broker events and NAR Convention, the RISMedia team was especially pleased to receive the support from Jones as one of the nation’s leading online business innovators. RISMedia’s ACE creates a unique opportunity for brokerage companies to harness social media for lead generation while simultaneously generating ancillary revenue streams for the company.

RISMedia’s ACE also was this year’s recipient of InternetCrusade’s annual “Best Tech Product” award during the NAR Convention, awarded each year by Saul Klein, CEO, and John Reilly, President, of InternetCrusade. In addition to the email hosting company, Klein and Reilly head up the RealTown real estate network and are the developers of NAR’s e-Pro certification.

“We look at all the tech products every year and when we saw your new product we thought that is exactly what is needed right now,” said Klein. “Realtors® need to get into using social media more efficiently and that’s exactly what this tool does. It builds consistent engagement and allows for a cadence in the use of social media. It’s a great idea, we love the look of the product, and it takes the requirement out of having to check your calendar every day for social media and allows you to build a publishing plan where you’re releasing information to your audience over a consistent timeframe for delivery. That’s a hard thing to add consistency to engagement. ACE does that for you and the benefits will help you truly differentiate yourself in your marketplace.”

To learn more about how RISMedia’s ACE can help you harness the power of social media, visit ace.rismedia.com.

Presented by RISMedia, publisher of Real Estate Magazine, and Platinum Sponsors Quicken Loans and Xome, the 21st Annual Power Broker Reception & Dinner is an annual gathering of real estate’s most powerful individuals. The dinner honors the nation’s leading brokers who ranked among the Top Residential Brokerage Leaders in RISMedia’s Annual Power Broker Report & Survey. The event’s Master Level Sponsors are: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices; Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate; Buffini & Company; CENTURY 21; Clareity; ERA Real Estate; Homes.com; National Association of REALTORS®; realtor.com; RE/MAX. Host Level Sponsors are: American Home Shield; HSA Home Warranty; Leading Real Estate Companies of the World; Pillar To Post Home Inspectors; Real Estate Webmasters; Realtors Property Resource; Wells Fargo Home Mortgage; Zillow Group. Event Level sponsors are: Buyside; David Knox Productions Inc.; Dell; Delta Media Group; HMS Home Warranty; Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies; MRE – Win Local; National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP); zipLogix.

For more in-depth coverage of RISMedia’s Power Broker Reception & Dinner, as well as RISMedia’s 21^st Annual Power Broker Forum held earlier on Nov. 4, please stay tuned to rismedia.com.