Business Resources

Carrie Danko 0:00
Hello, I’m Carrie Danko, the 2021 FAAR President and I am here today to welcome and introduce Page Browning our new now not so new far CEO. So she’s here with us today. And we’re just going to take some time to kind of reflect on the last year of me being president, and then kind of what she sees moving forward and just kind of have a little discussion today. So welcome, Page, thank you so much for joining me. So let’s just get right to it. Sound good?

Page Browning 0:32
Sounds great. I’m ready.

Carrie Danko 0:34
Hey, can you give us a little bit of your background? How long have you worked in association management and with realtors?

Page Browning 0:42
Sure. So I’ve been in association management, I started at the National Association of homebuilders with their student chapters program. Over 20 years ago, I worked there for quite a while. And then I moved on to the coastal Association of Realtors six years ago, on the eastern shore of Maryland. And, and now I’m here for the last month and a half or so,

Carrie Danko 1:07
a great, hopefully, it’ll be here for a lot of months in the future. So we’re very happy to have you and for you do have just a great experience to bring here too far. And it’s membership. So you’ve had a little more than a month, like you just said, to get to know us. What are you most looking forward to for 2022?

Page Browning 1:28
Well, a lot of my time, the last few weeks has been spent getting to know my colleagues here at the association and getting to know the board members and committees. And I’m really looking forward to working on implementing the things that the strategic plan wants us, you know, that you guys worked on last year. It’s a great strategic plan, with education and inclusion and working with broker. So I really want to dive in to all of that and really bring value to our members. If there’s a bit of a learning curve, and I’m getting through that, but I think by the end of 2022, we will be off to a great start.

Carrie Danko 2:08
Absolutely, I think with your focus to value to the members there there’s no way we can go wrong. So so that’s great. So do you have any questions for me? Yeah, I

Page Browning 2:18
do. So you’ve seen a lot of changes that are over the last several years? And how long have you served on the

Carrie Danko 2:26
board. So I’ve been on the board since 2017. And as a director, and then I quickly went into leadership as treasurer. And then of course now the president. And so I want to tell kind of quick, funny story about how I got to be on the board. I knew that I was going to be interviewed or I was told that I was going to be interviewed, but I had never received an invitation for the interview. And so this is back in 2016. And I’m at a home inspection. And fortunately, fortunately, I was at a home inspection out of the gym. And towards the end of it, I received a phone call from Pat brain, that former CEO and she said Hey, are you coming to your interview? And I went, I didn’t know that I had an interview. She says yeah, it was 15 minutes ago, and I said, I do not have anything about an interview on my calendar and my phone, whatever. And so I said I can get there like in the next 15 minutes if there’s a way for me to kind of to get in there now. And she was like, Yeah, well, we’ll wait. And so of course I you know, was like just frantic, trying to get too far to get in this interview that I had not prepared for even a little bit because I didn’t know what was happening. And it turns out when I got there that they had sent the invitation to the wrong email address. So fortunately, it was not an error on my part that I had to kind of start off on a on that on that foot. But um, so anyway, I so even even the beginning for me, there was challenges. And certainly challenges have continued. Yeah, throughout the years, but we we’ve we’ve definitely overcome them so well. And

I think that’s the sign of a good leader is you can think on your feet and adjust. And I think the key word the last couple years has been pivot. We all we’re all sick of hearing that word, but with COVID. So sorry, your job was the interview.

I don’t know that I was running against too many people. I think that year it might have been two slots for two positions. But anyway, doesn’t matter. It was still very stressful. So

Page Browning 4:25
yeah. Oh, well. Good. Well, we’re glad that you, you join the board for sure. We just mentioned that 2021 and 2020. Really, really challenging with COVID. And then you guys had the changeover with the CEO. How do you feel the team, the board staff, the committee members the membership in general How did everyone handle it?

Carrie Danko 4:48
So it’s funny you just mentioned the word pivot and certainly it is an overused word that that that has been used the last a year and a half, almost two years now I guess here and a half but true It is just the the ability to pivot It was truly a I gotta tell you when the 2020 you drew is starting his second year as president and I knew that I was coming in the next year, and we kind of had all these plans for, you know, really kind of getting together and figuring out how to make that transition and, and then COVID hit and you know, so I was definitely on a in a personal way I was I was worried about kind of what I was going to do and what he was going to do, you know, to get us to 2021. But then very quickly, by just watching the way that far went into action to just make the necessary changes on just everyone just kind of did their part to make sure that there was an eye muted as kind of a flawless seamless transition from your in person meetings to to zoom meetings to making sure that the members needs were still met. I mean, you know, and then and then for me to know that, yeah, of course, I was hopeful going in, I think we all were going into 2021 that we would no longer have to be pivoting or adjusting or you know, whatever word you want to use. But it that’s that’s just not what we were dealt. And so once we kind of were on a roll boy, we were on a roll, and I think it’s just been phenomenal to see the way that membership leadership, and the staff just kind of came together to make it all work.

Page Browning 6:22
Yeah, I mean, I can see coming in here knew that it went really well. I it doesn’t seem like they stopped really. So what would you say you learn the moat is an organization that we learned the most through this, you

Carrie Danko 6:35
know, I think that we’ve learned what really the world has learned is that we don’t have to be in person to do things effectively all the time. And there’s certainly a place for it. But we you know, the the hybrid element that I think has come out of, you know, COVID and and now still COVID. But you know, we’re getting to do in person things in person events. I don’t think we’re going to ever lose that. That hybrid that the the ability to be sitting in your home with dressed from the waist up and nice clothes and pajamas and your waist down. I’m not going to tell you whether that’s what I looked like right now or not. But yeah, I think we’re ever going to lose that. And so I think that’s one of the biggest things is that we learn that we change things thinking, Okay, this is just going to be temporary, hoping that it was going to be temporary. And now we’re hoping that we don’t just revert back to the way things were because we’re no longer we’re never going to be there again, if everything’s changed. And I think we just really have to figure out going into 2022. how best to to, to, to do things. And I think we will,

Page Browning 7:44
yeah, and I think that’s great, too, with committee meetings, especially you can if you have folks that can’t drive over here, or they have a busy day that you really want them to participate for an hour during the day, then then what you just said is perfect, you know, we can accommodate that. And that’s worked really well.

Carrie Danko 8:04
I feel like hybrid was very scary. To us as an association, I think it still is to some respect, because it is it is difficult. You want to make sure that everyone’s getting the most out of every event and every, you know, training or meeting. But we’ve learned a lot since the beginning. And we’re going to continue to learn a lot as to how to do it better and make sure that we’re meeting the needs. Good. All right. So how about we do just a few rapid fire questions? Sure. Alright, so we got to think on our feet here. All right. So here’s a good what, three words, just three page. Would you describe your first six weeks? That’s

Page Browning 8:52
our question, I would say busy. Welcoming. I think everyone’s been so welcoming to me. And exciting. So those are three. Yeah,

Carrie Danko 9:08
those are good three words. As we recruit new leaders and fresh faces for far as you talked about, we really want to look at our strategic plan and implement it to the best of our ability, fresh faces for FAR committees and the board. What characteristics would you say are most important for the leaders of far

Page Browning 9:31
that they need to be enthusiastic and ready to get to work, committed to our strategic plan and what we’re trying to do for our membership as a whole and our community and we truly believe this can I do for

Carrie Danko 9:49
you can do as I did not limit you on the words. You can talk all day if you want to. I’m not sure people are going to continue to listen.

Page Browning 9:57
Well, I’ll keep it short. I think We want knowledgeable people, but people, even if they don’t, aren’t an expert on a topic, people that are willing to learn. So if they want to be on a committee and learn something, we are open to that. And then we want we want people within that are ethical, that will do the right things for our members. So those are that’s what I would say.

Carrie Danko 10:24
Okay, so let’s see, let me think, non work related. Here’s, if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be? And why?

Page Browning 10:39
anywhere in the world? Well, my husband’s from Ireland, you actually were able to meet him. And so we do try to visit Ireland every couple of years. So I would say I head back to Ireland and visit with John’s family.

Carrie Danko 10:55
Very nice. Okay,

Page Browning 10:57
good question. I do the same with you. All right. So actually, I want to ask him the same question that you asked me, as we recruit new leaders and fresh faces to be involved, what what would you say are the most important qualities they would have?

Carrie Danko 11:18
So I mean, I really do feel like it takes passion, and I think we all should have it. And so I think we have to find it, if we don’t, if we don’t have it, you know, we’re in this industry, and we’re, you know, everything we do is really to for our clients. And so we’re all realtors are we’re all in the in the industry. And, you know, to have a passion to be able to add to the things that we’re doing as an association to better ourselves and each other, I think it’s really important. So yeah, and I would say the most of the leaders that we have here are passionate about far and about, about their, their jobs. So I think empathy is is a big one, I think the ability to I know for me, and I kind of pride myself, and I certainly hope that other people see it in me, I something I want to exhibit is the just the ability to really be able to look at everyone’s perspective, and whether you agree with it or not to respect that other people have opinions that are going to differ from yours. But then to have the knowledge and just the strength to be able to then to take all that into consideration and make and make decisions. So you have to be able to get to make those those hard decisions. And not all decisions are hard, but but certainly you don’t want to make decisions on your own. So you just you do need to have that ability to, to accept other people’s perspectives. And then I guess, integrity. I mean, you said it, too, I think, I think if you’re in a leadership role, and integrity is huge. And we’re all under a code of ethics that is extremely important. And certainly I integrity should be first and foremost on our mind when we’re trying to lead the people in the association.

Page Browning 13:10
Yeah, yeah, I agree. I agree. Good. Well, a little bit of fun, what was your favorite event either virtually or in person that that we had in 2021.

Carrie Danko 13:23
Okay, so we’re just starting to get into being able to do in person events, which I’m which I’m really excited about the show early on in the year. So, you know, as I started being president, you know, I tried to attend, like, as many meetings I’m still trying to, and all being on zoom for so long was was easier than maybe some other presidents have had in the past. But I also tried to attend, like, a couple of the groups would do like a little happy hour, or kind of get together in the evening on zoom. And I tried to attend those, and those were great. One in particular, YPN actually held a pizza making party with orofino. And I thought that was a ton of fun, actually. My husband was even able to kind of join in and our pizzas were horrible. I mean, it wasn’t orofino thought it was completely just us trying to do something that we’re just clearly not equipped to do. But it was fun, because everyone was kind of in the same boat. Some people did a really great job, but so kudos to YPN for putting that on and on. And then it wasn’t necessarily a far event, but it was a far of that, but a pet brims going away party I mean, I think that was the first time that I you know, that we all really did get to get together in person and interact and and I thought that it was a really special night you were there. I thought it was a really special night that it especially after so much time not being together. But yeah, even if we hadn’t, you know, even though we hadn’t been together, it still would have been special. So I think those two things probably stick out in my mind at this point

Page Browning 15:04
yeah that was a wonderful evening that was that really allowed me to see the big shoes I have to go

there was a great great evening so what are what would you say my my next to last question what are two words to describe how the committees and board work together for the membership?

Carrie Danko 15:26
Um, oh well I tirelessly

and I don’t know

enthusiastically sometimes I you know it the way that the committee’s we are all volunteers you know and so I and we are always trying to grow the people who are involved I think we all should be involved another plug for involvement. But really, there are groups of people who are doing nothing but trying to figure out how we give value to the membership and and it’s I just love to see the the again I guess passion is that is that word that I used for leadership qualities and I think that you I think there should be no more synergy moving forward between different committees You know, there’s nothing wrong with the education committee working with YPN on something or you know, just that kind of thing but I think everything of we do have some some folks here who care a great deal about this membership.

Page Browning 16:35
It’s definitely evidence for what I’ve seen. Okay, a fun one. This might be easy for you What’s your favorite sports team?

Carrie Danko 16:45
So Page, you and I know each other but I think you don’t know I am a huge sports fan. I love I love it all. I’m a huge football, basketball, baseball, hockey Bob and I even watch bowling and I know that some of you are going to watch but we do crazy we know a lot of the bowlers names and we look forward to the to the broadcast but on my favorite team I growing up all throughout my life I’ve been a while not all toppling Washington football team, they used to be called something else. So I was a different fan years ago, but and of course they have stunk for a long, long time. So it’s been very difficult to be a Washington football team fan. But then I met Bob and he’s at Green Bay Packer fan. So suddenly, I had something to to get behind a root for. I’m still a Washington football team fan. But I think I’m equally a Green Bay Packer fan, which is going to be interesting because we go to Green Bay on Friday to watch the packers and the Washington football team compete. So we’ll see I don’t know what I’m wearing just yet. I it’s my mind’s all jumbled as to I guess a Green Bay Packer t shirt. And maybe I wear a Washington football team jacket. I don’t know, I’ll figure it out. But um, I love it. I love Love, love, love, love sports.

Page Browning 18:04
Good. Have fun. Yeah. I actually love sports too. But I tend to watch golf. So maybe not as exciting.

Carrie Danko 18:15
As bowling. We’re really cool women, Page. All right. I think this is pretty much the time that we have together today. And so I just want to thank you so much for joining us, not only today but as far as we’re so happy to have you. And I just add members. If you haven’t come out and met Page yet. Please do so. And we’ll see you guys around.

Page Browning 18:42
Thank you. Bye bye.