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Stories Tagged - past presidents
News
Sept. 14, 2016 | Cailynn Klingbeil
55 years of Calgary Real Estate: 1974 CREB® president Clair J. Cote Jr.
Clair J. Cote Jr. follows in father's historic footsteps by leading CREB® through 1974
When Clair J. Cote Jr. became CREB®'s president in 1974, Calgary was partway through a decade marked by unprecedented growth, both in business and real estate development.
The year prior, the Arab oil embargo set off the first global energy crisis, leading to efforts in Alberta to lessen the dependence on foreign oil. Calgary, where oil companies were headquartered, prospered.
For Cote, the 1970s stand out as a time in which his brokerage, which started in 1964, grew.
When Clair J. Cote Jr. became CREB®'s president in 1974, Calgary was partway through a decade marked by unprecedented growth, both in business and real estate development.
The year prior, the Arab oil embargo set off the first global energy crisis, leading to efforts in Alberta to lessen the dependence on foreign oil. Calgary, where oil companies were headquartered, prospered.
For Cote, the 1970s stand out as a time in which his brokerage, which started in 1964, grew.
News
Sept. 14, 2016 | Cailynn Klingbeil
55 Years of Calgary Real Estate: 1998 CREB® president Alan Tennant
Former CREB® president Alan Tennant recalls 1998 as one with few challenges
Alan Tennant summarizes Calgary's resale residential housing market in 1998 in one word: stable.
"I recall doing monthly statistic releases throughout the year, and trying to find new ways to state 'stable,'" said Tennant, who was CREB®'s president that year. "I remember [the market] now more fondly than I did at the time. Back then, it seemed almost boring."
Alan Tennant summarizes Calgary's resale residential housing market in 1998 in one word: stable.
"I recall doing monthly statistic releases throughout the year, and trying to find new ways to state 'stable,'" said Tennant, who was CREB®'s president that year. "I remember [the market] now more fondly than I did at the time. Back then, it seemed almost boring."
News
Sept. 14, 2016 | Cailynn Klingbeil
55 Years of Calgary Real Estate: 2015 CREB® President Corinne Lyall
Former CREB® president Corinne Lyall focused on different drivers behind housing market in 2015
Corinne Lyall is all too familiar with many of the challenges currently facing homebuyers and sellers in Calgary. She served as CREB®'s president just last year when the economic downturn was arguably at its strongest, is currently past president on the board of directors for the real estate member organization and is broker at her own firm Royal Lepage Benchmark.
Yet her message today is the same as it was when she had the gavel in hand: real estate is personal.
Corinne Lyall is all too familiar with many of the challenges currently facing homebuyers and sellers in Calgary. She served as CREB®'s president just last year when the economic downturn was arguably at its strongest, is currently past president on the board of directors for the real estate member organization and is broker at her own firm Royal Lepage Benchmark.
Yet her message today is the same as it was when she had the gavel in hand: real estate is personal.
News
Aug. 23, 2016 | Cailynn Klingbeil
55 years of Calgary Real Estate: 1995 CREB® President Wayne McAlister
Despite a challenging year, 1995 CREB® president Wayne McAlister chose to focus on the silver linings
A self-described "eternal optimist," Wayne McAlister still couldn't be blamed for looking back at 1995 with some degree of pessimism.
After all, as CREB®'s president that year, he oversaw Calgary's housing industry at a time when employment uncertainty had waned for years, resulting in weak consumer confidence and a painfully slow market.
"There was a downturn in the early '90s, with oil down – dramatically low – and the whole economy was feeling the pinch," he said. "(By 1995), we were still experiencing an economic downturn. There was some good, some bad that year."
A self-described "eternal optimist," Wayne McAlister still couldn't be blamed for looking back at 1995 with some degree of pessimism.
After all, as CREB®'s president that year, he oversaw Calgary's housing industry at a time when employment uncertainty had waned for years, resulting in weak consumer confidence and a painfully slow market.
"There was a downturn in the early '90s, with oil down – dramatically low – and the whole economy was feeling the pinch," he said. "(By 1995), we were still experiencing an economic downturn. There was some good, some bad that year."
News
Aug. 22, 2016 | Cailynn Klingbeil
55 years of real estate: 2003 CREB® president Rosalee Krygier
President's tenure marked by arrival of MLXchange, rise in Internet usage
When Rosalee Krygier took on the president's role at CREB® in 2003, the industry had just finished a record-breaking year.
Though the 2003 market didn't quite reach the frenetic pace of the year before, it was still a strong year.
"It was really balanced," Krygier said. "It was good, steady, not a controversial market."
When Rosalee Krygier took on the president's role at CREB® in 2003, the industry had just finished a record-breaking year.
Though the 2003 market didn't quite reach the frenetic pace of the year before, it was still a strong year.
"It was really balanced," Krygier said. "It was good, steady, not a controversial market."
News
Aug. 08, 2016 | Cailynn Klingbeil
55 Years of Real Estate: 2005 CREB® president Marilyn Jones
Former CREB® president Marilyn Jones revelled in changing Calgary market
For much of her career, former CREB® president Marilyn Jones focused on helping clients from across Canada relocate to Calgary and find a house.
She liked the pressure – often times people had just a few days to look at houses in a new city, make a major decision and submit an offer – and was comfortable managing the many demands that needed to be juggled.
Those same skills came in handy when Jones became CREB® president in 2005.
For much of her career, former CREB® president Marilyn Jones focused on helping clients from across Canada relocate to Calgary and find a house.
She liked the pressure – often times people had just a few days to look at houses in a new city, make a major decision and submit an offer – and was comfortable managing the many demands that needed to be juggled.
Those same skills came in handy when Jones became CREB® president in 2005.
News
Aug. 08, 2016 | Cailynn Klingbeil
55 Years of Real Estate: 2014 CREB® president Bill Kirk
Signs of economic hardship started to reveal themselves by the end of 2014, recalled then-CREB® president Bill Kirk
While the true severity of the economic slump currently dominating headlines had yet to been felt in 2014, Bill Kirk said the writing was already on the wall by the end of his tenure as CREB® president.
Oil production in the Middle East had just started to ramp up, prices for a barrel had started to fall and jobs in Calgary were suddenly in question, he recalled.
"By the end of 2014, there was talk of an oil glut," said Kirk. "We knew there would be fallout ... (but) no one knew what would happen.
"We were all surprised at how slowly through 2015 the bad news hit."
While the true severity of the economic slump currently dominating headlines had yet to been felt in 2014, Bill Kirk said the writing was already on the wall by the end of his tenure as CREB® president.
Oil production in the Middle East had just started to ramp up, prices for a barrel had started to fall and jobs in Calgary were suddenly in question, he recalled.
"By the end of 2014, there was talk of an oil glut," said Kirk. "We knew there would be fallout ... (but) no one knew what would happen.
"We were all surprised at how slowly through 2015 the bad news hit."
News
Aug. 08, 2016 | Cailynn Klingbeil
55 years of real estate: 1990 CREB® president John Fraser
Former CREB® president John Fraser recalled new sense of hope in 1990 after decade of challenges
A fresh start: that's how many viewed 1990, recalled then-CREB® president John Fraser.
"We had just come out of an extremely difficult period," he said, referencing a decade defined by the National Energy Program, soaring interest rates and growing unemployment in the province.
"In about the mid '80s, things started to improve. And by about 1990, if you can believe it, almost 10 years later, we were almost back to where we were in 1981 in terms of house prices."
A fresh start: that's how many viewed 1990, recalled then-CREB® president John Fraser.
"We had just come out of an extremely difficult period," he said, referencing a decade defined by the National Energy Program, soaring interest rates and growing unemployment in the province.
"In about the mid '80s, things started to improve. And by about 1990, if you can believe it, almost 10 years later, we were almost back to where we were in 1981 in terms of house prices."
News
July 21, 2016 | Cailynn Klingbeil
55 Years of Real Estate: 2013 CREB® Past President Becky Walters
Former CREB® president Becky Walters remembers how communities rallied in following natural disaster in 2013
Becky Walters remembers 2013 like most Calgarians do – one equally fraught with harrowing tales of devastation and inspiring stories of community spirit following a historic flood that left many communities underwater.
In June 2013, Alberta experienced heavy rainfall that sparked 32 states of local emergency in communities throughout southern Alberta and resulted in billions of dollars in insurable damages.
"It was something that affected the whole city, of course," said Walters, who, six months earlier, had become president of CREB®.
Becky Walters remembers 2013 like most Calgarians do – one equally fraught with harrowing tales of devastation and inspiring stories of community spirit following a historic flood that left many communities underwater.
In June 2013, Alberta experienced heavy rainfall that sparked 32 states of local emergency in communities throughout southern Alberta and resulted in billions of dollars in insurable damages.
"It was something that affected the whole city, of course," said Walters, who, six months earlier, had become president of CREB®.
News
June 30, 2016 | Cailynn Klingbeil
55 Years of Real Estate: 1989 CREB® Past President Greg Houston
Former CREB® president Greg Houston remembers 1989 as the year it all started to turn around
The boom came back.
After a lengthy slump in the early 1980s, Calgary's real estate market began a resurgence in 1989 – and not a moment too soon, recalls Greg Houston, who was president of CREB® that year.
"1989 was a great year," he said. "Things were looking up. There was stability in the business, after years of foreclosures and people declaring bankruptcies. As far as I was concerned, things were finally turning around."
The boom came back.
After a lengthy slump in the early 1980s, Calgary's real estate market began a resurgence in 1989 – and not a moment too soon, recalls Greg Houston, who was president of CREB® that year.
"1989 was a great year," he said. "Things were looking up. There was stability in the business, after years of foreclosures and people declaring bankruptcies. As far as I was concerned, things were finally turning around."