Celebrating 100 years . . .

By Dr. Robert Weiler, Sr.
CBR President, 1976

I'm honored that 2008 President Greg Hrabcak invited me to lead off down memory lane. As CBR president in 1976, I'd like to provide you with a look at what was going on back then...

It was the Bicentennial year when a former Michigan football player, Gerald Ford, was our President; replaced by a Georgia peanut farmer, Jimmy Carter, in the November election. President Ford signed a new VA law increasing the maximum home loan from $22,000 to $33,000.

Apple Computer Company was formed, Microsoft officially registered with the New Mexico Secretary of State, Nadia Comaneci earned seven perfect 10's in the Olympics, and the first commercial Concorde flight took off.

Ohio's Governor was James A. Rhodes. Columbus' Mayor was Thomas Moody. John Glenn and Robert Taft, Jr. were our state senators and the House representatives were Chalmers Wylie and Sam Devine.

Columbus Board of REALTORS® dinners (costing $7) were held at the Neil House Hotel which was razed in the 1970s as was the Deshler Hotel and the Union Station.

The downtown Lazarus store was the place to shop with lines curling around Town to Front Street waiting for the air curtain doors to open.

In downtown Columbus, the Lincoln Leveque was soon to be replaced as the tallest building by the Rhodes State Office Tower, which was under construction in 1976 and completed the following year.

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, the average REALTOR® earned $24,000. "Let's Green America" was NAR's theme.

The Columbus Board of REALTORS® was located at 200 East Town Street in a building given by past CBR and National President John Galbreath for us to share with the Ohio Association of REALTORS®.

The state convention was in Cincinnati where my roommate buddies were President-elect Dick Royer and President-to-be Gary Seckel. After a night to forget, both were outstanding panel leaders while disguising unbelievable hangovers. Also leading sessions were Sandra Falenski, Jim Hildebrand, Doug McCloud, John Creager, Felix Pedon and Phil Giessler.

John Creager was president of the Ohio Chapter of the Farm and Land Institute; Stan Ackley led the Institute of Real Estate Management; Jim Owens was OAR president and Margie Coyle (Holzer) was Chairperson-elect for REALTOR®-Associates 1977.

Ed Carr was the VP of District #3. I was thrilled that our Board secretary/treasurer, Myrna Kobre, was in the chairs to become our first woman president in 1979.

Missy Weiler, a person for whom I have the most respect and love, was the executive secretary of the Ohio MAI's.

Past President Ted Seckel was "REALTOR® of the Year" after receiving the Christopher Club's "Man of the Month". The presentation was made by 1975 REALTOR® of the Year, Harley Rouda, Sr. Associate of the Year was Gordon Christy. Twenty-Five Year REALTOR® members recognized included Past Presidents John Ranft, Bill McCorkle, Larry Horn, Tom Caito, Lee Wears, Emerson Wollam, Cecil Neff and my star salesman, Sherwood Walker.

Among outstanding 1976 programs organized by Education Chairman Joe MacKinnon was a real estate listing seminar with Betty McEnery, Ray Dailey and Ron Robins providing answers. Past President Tom Kohr moderated a monthly program in which Phil Giessler's subject was "Turning Your Time into Dollars" and 1993 President George Smith's subject was "Contacts = Contracts".

A definite highlight of the year was the presentation to Woody Hayes as Columbus Board of REALTORS® Citizen of the Year by a previous recipient named John Galbreath.

A capacity crowd of 600 in the Neil House ballroom included past honorees former Senator John Bricker and Robert K. Levy, president of Union Department Store.

At the head table were speakers C. William O'Neill, Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court; Dr. Robert Murphy, OSU team physician; Ed Weaver, athletic director; and OSU All-American and Baltimore all pro tackle Jim Parker. Dick Royer and I brought our kids (see photo). Thanks went to Tom Kohr and Jim Petropolous for lining up an awesome cast of celebrities.

New REALTORS® in 1976 included Board VP Dick Ward, David Hartsook, Beverly Woodford, Ken Wears, Steve Kahan and future president Bill McMenamy.

Speaking of future presidents, I had business cards made for my younger son, Jim, age 11 with "Future REALTOR®" inscribed. He accompanied me as I visited every broker's office to hand out "Who is Uncle Sam?" books. Little did I foresee Jim as a professor living in Africa while his older brother would be board president in 2004.

In 1975, President Larry Horn initiated a wonderful project. The Board underwrote an artist whose paintings remain on the walls of the burn unit of Children's Hospital.

For 1976, we initiated the Bicentennial Home Construction Project in cooperation with Columbus Board of Education's Southeast Career Center. On Alum Creek Drive, the students had been constructing rooms inside their building only to be dismantled at year end. Thanks to C.V. Perry, the Board was given a nearby vacant lot on which the students, with faculty supervision, built a new home for sale. Proud parents, family members and friends joined REALTORS® at the open house before the home sold. Happily, a foundation has been formed created from proceeds from new homes successfully built throughout the years.

Making my year a 365 day ego trip was Board EO, Ken Sampson. Ken was one of the most likeable people you'll ever know and he had countless real estate friends not only in Columbus, but throughout the country. Ken was short in stature but big of heart. He was a sucker for novelties and he bought promotional items from pens to mirrors to engraved ice cream scoopers (thank you very much).

Brad Johnson was Ken's assistant EO. Ken and Brad were referred to by my business partner of 40 years, Past President Don Kelley, as Mutt and Jeff. The National Convention was in Houston where Brad made arrangements for us at every fancy restaurant which must have made a big dent in the Board treasury.

Some statistics...

Under Pat Mollica's chairmanship, MLS received 20,996 listings (44,806 through October 2007); 10,599 closings (21,291); Average sale price $38,872 ($173,122).

Our CBR staff in 1976 included George Van Fossen, Mike Gautier and Stan Collins. Speaking of loyalty! How blessed we are to have Larry Metzger pick up where Ken left off. After returning from numerous state and national conventions, I always felt reassured that our Board was the best in the country.

On a personal note, I joined the Board in its 49th year being 1957. It was the best business decision I've ever made. Over the past 50 years, I've met some of the most generous, friendliest, smartest, and honest people I've ever known. In fact, most of my best friends are members of the Board.