When people ask me where I grew up. I often tell them, I didn't.
The truth is, I am the proud daughter of a disabled Vietnam Veteran. I grew up in the Army, because my dad was in the Army. We moved around every two years or so and I had to make new friends, parents of my new friends, and new teachers every few years which proved to be exhausting with a name like mine. People often ask if it was short for something or a nickname. Just 3 little letters, that's it, that's all I got. That's all they gave me. A-Y-N. For the record, all of my siblings have normal names, Daniel, Susan, Paul and David.
When I was in the eighth grade, I thought I wanted to be a librarian or a stewardess. (That's what they called them back then). Since I'd never had a lifelong friend, I could take my books anywhere and I loved to read, learn, and to be entertained. For people who know me now, the idea of me being the stereotypical librarian is kind of humorous.
I've always been quite talkative and always talked quite loud. Army kids didn't usually have much chance of being shy, or they would get lost in the shuffle. My love for travel came because we literally moved so much, and frankly, I wanted to go to all the places that my books took me. I still love to travel today.
You could say that I got into real estate by accident. It wasn’t on my radar at all. I had a career in social services for 16.5 years with a state agency. My husband was a general contractor building spec homes and he felt that none of the real estate agents were working very hard for him at the time. He said everyone just wanted to put a sign in the yard, go back to the office, put their feet up on the desk, and then wait for someone else to bring them a buyer and a contract. He kept trying to convince me that I could do a better job. But I already had a job. In 2004 I took a chance and left state service and took another job. I started my real estate schooling in 2005 and got my first real estate license in December of 2005. I went to work for the only real estate company in our area that was in the MLS. At that time, my husband was still building homes and he and I also owned some houses that we had purchased and fixed up as rentals.
After completing my agent license, and starting with my first brokerage, I had stayed in real estate school and went straight into broker classes while I was learning the business. During my first year in real estate, I felt I learned more about what NOT to do from my broker, and I decided I could do it better, and set out to open my own company.
In the fall of 2006, I attended the NAR conference in New Orleans and that is where the idea for All In One Real Estate Company was born. I had no specialized education in marketing or sales, (other than my licensure courses) but came up with a company name, the company colors, and a design for my logo and sign. At the time, every company in the county had some shade of blue on their sign, and the signs were all 18x24 rectangles. I selected a 24x24 turned on its edge as a diamond-shaped sign, and selected the colors of Mardi Gras, purple, green, and gold, as a tribute to the place where the idea for the company was born! Ironically, two of the four schools in our county used purple and gold, and another one was purple and white. The fourth school was red and white, but none of the logos we tried with the addition of red looked right. The name All in One Real Estate Company was selected, because that was what we were going to be. A one-stop shop where you could do everything real estate related.
Being the owner of a small boutique brokerage without the support of a larger franchise for education, training and guidance, made me quickly appreciate the value of my local real estate association. In 2009, 2 years into running my business, I started volunteering to serve on committees at the Egyptian Board of REALTORS. Two years later in 2011, I found myself on the board of directors. By 2013 I was elected Treasurer of EBOR. I have served 2 terms as Treasurer, President Elect, and President of the Egyptian Board of REALTORS.
I started volunteering on committees at Illinois REALTORS after my first term as EBOR President, while continuing to serve on the EBOR association committees. By 2018 I applied for and was appointed to the Illinois REALTORS board of directors, and will be installed to my third three-year term in September of 2023.
2018 was also the first year that I applied for and was appointed to serve on an NAR Committee while continuing to serve at both the state and local levels. In 2019, I was appointed to my first term as an NAR director where I have continued to serve.
During 2020, 2021 and 2022 I served simultaneously on both various committees and the Board of Directors of my Local, State, and National REALTOR Associations, all while maintaining my role of Designated Managing Broker, (who actively produced an average of 48 transaction sides per year since starting my company), expanding the firm to a 2nd location in 2019, as well as being a daughter, wife, mother, and Gigi to now 5 of the most amazing Grands!
I have maintained membership in the Women’s Council of REALTORS and served as District VP in 2021, belonged to the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, National Association of Hispanic REALTORS, Residential Real Estate Council, as well as a member of the Real Estate Business Institute.
Throughout the years I have earned multiple real estate designations and certifications to enhance my leadership skills, and increase my real estate knowledge and customer service skill set. I have completed the C2EX endorsement twice. In 2017 I became a graduate of the Illinois REALTOR Leadership Development program. I believe that learning is a life-long endeavor and have worked very hard to continue to perfect my craft.
I have put both my time and money where my mouth is, with regard to advocacy programs for the Local, State, and National REALTOR Associations. I have been a major investor since 2012, and I served as a State Legislative Contact for the 117th District until being appointed as a Federal Political Coordinator in the 12th District, where I continue to serve. In 2017 I pledged Presidents Circle for the first time and in 2020 I achieved RPAC Hall of Fame status.
As I have served my REALTOR family, I have maintained leadership roles in my community where I continue to serve on the Ferrell Hospital Board, Saline County Industrial Development Company Board, Saline County CEO BOARD, and nearing completion of multiple terms on the Hospice of Southern Illinois Board. True to my core values, I volunteer and donate money to local organizations and charities in my community.
Remember how I talked about my love of travel? I have had the opportunity to travel to parts of Illinois and other states that I had never been while serving my realtor family at Local, State and National conferences. I have expanded my network of REALTOR friends with whom I maintain relationships which are much deeper than mere referral partners. I have made it a habit to take advantage of the resources offered by all 3 associations to further develop my knowledge and skills and become a better REALTOR and leader.
When I first started my business I was determined to not let my newness to the industry be a barrier to my success. I often stated and deeply believed that it isn't the years of experience that matters, but the experience in your years. I believe I have truly packed a lot of experience into my nearly 18 year real estate career and I have demonstrated that I have the ability to successfully serve the Illinois REALTORS membership as their 2025 Treasurer.
