As we step into a new calendar year we would like to reflect on the service of two retiring members of the RESA National Board of Directors, Bobbie McGrath and Richard Kline.
As Gina Vierra, RESA VP of Operations pointed out, “RESA weathered a lot of change during Bobbie and Richard’s time on the board and their contributions were integral to the association’s resilience and achievements.”
They served RESA’s membership during their term with strong leadership despite many challenges, with clarity through debate and decision making, and a sustained vision of excellence for our trade association and its membership.
RESA’s board is made up of seven volunteer positions, each contributing their own strengths to the board and elected by the membership. These different contributions and perspectives make for a strong well-rounded board of directors.
When elected to the national board, volunteers commit to serving the association by meeting monthly for their term, reviewing policy, creating strategic plans, and providing general oversight and governance over the corporation. On average the board members spend a minimum of five hours each month moving forward the RESA mission through the help of the full-time staff.
When we asked Tori Toth, Secretary of the RESA National Board of Directors, what members should know about the two outgoing board members. Tori shared, “RESA Members should be impressed with their commitment and dedication to the issues at hand during their tenure. Both Bobbie and Richard volunteer their time to analyze the details of the topics presented to the board, making sure to understand all sides of an issue with in-depth conversations before voting.”
Bobbie McGrath of Raleigh, NC has been working in the real estate staging industry since 2004 and holds the following certifications: RESA-Pro, OCS Creator, RESA Approved Instructor and the ASP designation. Bobbie was very passionate about the RESA Home Staging Industry Awards as well and served as the board liaison by communicating closely with the RESA Awards Committee. Bobbie has had a strong focus on legitimizing our industry through educating both real estate agents as well as stagers. Her work was recognized in 2020 when she was named the RESA Approved Instructor of the year.
As RESA CEO Shell Brodnax noted, “Bobbie has been instrumental in educating real estate agents in her home state of North Carolina. Her primary focus when teaching for RESA has been to educate agents on the difference between professional staging and hobby staging. Her stance on this subject was written into RESA’s CE Program for agents and is now being taught as part of the curriculum.”
Minol Shamreen, who currently serves on the board shared, “What I love about Bobbie is her innate ability to articulate matters of importance and/or concern in the clearest and balanced manner … Which is such an essential part of serving on any team or organization.” This sentiment was not missed by anyone who served along with Bobbie, including Courtney Schomburg, the RESA National Chair in 2021. Courtney describes outgoing board member Bobbie McGrath as “great at listening to everyones opinion, digesting information, and helping to create a clear level headed response.”
Richard Kline, of Marietta, GA was elected to the RESA National board in 2020, and has been in the industry for over twelve years. He holds the following designations: RESA-PRO and ASP Master. Creating standards and legitimacy for our industry has been a driving force behind Richard’s time on the RESA Board of Directors. Richard was also passionate about transparency, fairness and diversity. Richard served on RESA’s Executive Council Committee prior to joining the national board and also served as the RESA Leadership and Professional Development Committee liaison. Richard has given valuable feedback that Shell Brodnax noted “helped create a future Continuing Education model for RESA.”
Jacqueline Franklin describes working with Richard Kline as “An incredible opportunity! Richard’s passion for the staging industry, extensive experience, and commitment to social justice made him an integral voice on the Board of Directors. His perspective and voice were a vital contribution to our Board. In addition to his vast professional wisdom, Richard’s willingness to stand up when others retreat was an inspiration.”
We asked Minol how she was inspired by Richard Kline during their time on the board together. “To be pragmatic and forthright is what I strive to learn from Richard. The confidence and the camaraderie that he exudes especially when serving on the board are truly inspiring.”
Tori Toth said it best when she stated, “Bobbie and Richards opinions, advice and advocacy on the board will be surely missed. They are outstanding leaders and are a true asset to our community, thank you both for all that you do.”
Felicia has a background in production design and studied at Academy Of Art University where she had a focus in Motion Pictures And Television. In her free time you can find her reading about the latest marketing trends or hanging out with her husband in Disneyland.
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