John Fridlington
Seeking site

Bay State Realtors are moving forward with plans for a regional convention to be held next year – a departure from the statewide annual conference that has been taking place for nearly eight decades.

John Fridlington, executive vice president of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors, confirmed last week that MAR and Realtor groups from Connecticut and Rhode Island have agreed to organize a regional conference that will take place in the fall of 2003. Realtors from all New England states will be invited to attend.

The convention date and location have not been determined yet, but according to Fridlington the groups have interviewed several event-planning companies and are in the second round of interviews. The companies will do all the research and present proposals about the cost and availability of various convention sites.

“We hope in the next couple of weeks to enter into a contract with one of them,” said Fridlington.

In past years, MAR has organized an annual convention and trade expo for Bay State Realtors and MAR members. The convention has typically featured workshops, guest speakers, exhibits and classes that Realtors can take for continuing education credits. A highlight of past conventions has been the annual Realtor of the Year banquet.

The event has been held in various parts of Massachusetts and in places like Puerto Rico, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. Last year’s convention, the 77th such event, took place at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut.

While past MAR conferences have been successful, Fridlington told Banker & Tradesman in February that the three-day, two-night convention model that MAR had been following was outdated and “needed another look.” Also, by combining resources, the New England Realtor groups are hoping to draw top-notch national speakers and put on a larger and enhanced convention.

According to Fridlington, the regional conference could draw as many as 3,000 attendees.

The Realtors groups are considering having the convention at the Mohegan Sun, a resort and casino in Uncasville, Conn., or some place in the Greater Boston area or Rhode Island. The groups are also leaning toward a two-day convention.

Practical Benefits

How much each group would have to contribute financially and the total costs of the convention have not been yet determined.

“We’re still working on that,” said Fridlington.

Association leaders hope that a regional approach will be a more cost-effective venture than individual state conventions.

Fridlington said the groups decided to have the convention in 2003 instead of this year because the event planning professionals they consulted said it would take about a year to plan a regional conference of this size and scope. MAR will not hold its traditional convention in 2002, although the association does plan to hold some events to fill that void.

MAR leaders have contacted local associations and asked them to spread the word about the regional conference, but some Realtors who were interviewed by Banker & Tradesman said many in the real estate community do not yet know about the regional plans.

Fridlington, however, said Bay State Realtors have been receptive to the idea of a regional conference and are looking forward to networking with colleagues from other states.

Realtors Nancy J. Hamel and Althea Bramhall think a regional convention will be very beneficial.

“I would definitely attend,” said Althea Bramhall, a Realtor with Foster-Healy Real Estate in Athol. “Anything we have on a regional basis is absolutely fabulous.”

Bramhall, who has participated in national and statewide conventions, said a regional convention would draw a diverse group and offer a tremendous amount of networking opportunities with Realtors from other states.

“It expands our view on what we do on a local basis,” she said.

Hamel, an agent with Realty World Sawicki in Amherst who attended last year’s convention, agreed with Bramhall.

“I will go. It’s one way to get our continuing education credits and it’s a wonderful way to network,” said Hamel.

A Realtor since 1995, Hamel stressed the importance of education. She said the education she gets while attending conventions like the annual MAR conference has helped propel her into a top-producing real estate agent.

“I think it would just enhance any conference if they [MAR] join forces with other Realtor groups in New England,” she said.

Nelson Zide, broker owner of ERA Key Realty Services in Framingham, also sees the practical side of having a regional convention.

Zide, who attends real estate conferences throughout the country, said a regional convention makes sense economically because the groups can split the cost for one big event, instead of organizing and paying for three smaller events.

Further, a regional conference provides attendees with more networking and referral opportunities, he said.

“I think you get a much broader perspective,” said Zide.

Regional conferences are not new in other parts of the country. The New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania Realtor associations have been doing a regional convention since 2000, drawing thousands of real estate practitioners to Atlantic City. This year’s conference, which will take place at the beginning of December, will feature more than 300 exhibitors in an 85,000-square-foot showroom.