Keefe’s new VP of Broker Operations joins a collaborative leadership group
As Keefe Real Estate’s new Vice President of Broker Operations, veteran industry expert Jacqueline Lechner says her role within a well-oiled management team is all about people.
“My role is to make sure I can give agents what they need and when they need it,” explains Jacqueline, who joined Keefe Real Estate in December and brings to the brokerage 22 years of industry experience.
Jacqueline explains, “My years as a real estate broker—working in the field, boots on the ground—have opened my eyes to what an agent’s needs really are and what a consumer’s needs really are.”
As Jacqueline settles into her new position at a new firm, she is determined to continue feeding her unrelenting passion toward a profession that literally changes peoples’ lives.
“I love everything about real estate. It is the coolest industry,” she says. “It is ever changing, always evolving. People put their whole lives in your hands. You have this awesome ability to put keys in theirs.”
Jacqueline is part of a four-person local management team within Keefe Real Estate. She works alongside Tracy Sallee, who oversees the Delavan and Elkhorn offices; Natalie Torres, managing broker of the Woodstock office; and Patti Zurla, managing broker and trainer of all offices.
In their respective local leadership positions, Jacqueline, Natalie, Patti, and Tracy help bring resources to the 82-person team of agents who, in turn, play the pivotal role in making sure homebuyers’ dreams come true.
“I like to look at what we can do to make our business better,” Patti says. “I look at our agents, and I think of them as the customer. They are my clients. I have to make sure they’re happy
Each member of Keefe Real Estate’s management team brings to the table a unique skill set, based on prior professional backgrounds and individual training.
Natalie, for example, is well versed in farm real estate and land acquisition, while Patti has studied the disparities of real estate contract laws in Illinois and Wisconsin. This year, Tracy is serving as president of LARA, the Lakes Area Realtor Association. Steve Beers, who serves as Keefe Real Estate’s Chairman of the Board, says the brokerage’s management team is designed to give agents the necessary skills to be successful. The leaders’ wide-ranging skills, he explains, mirror the agents’ varied backgrounds and experiences.
“We provide the tools necessary for a wide range of people that are working for us,” Steve says.
Because real estate is a constantly changing profession, Patti says she and her management counterparts are dedicated to providing all Keefe Real Estate agents with the necessary tools for long-term success.
“Training is really important to us,” shares Patti, who has been on the management team since 2018. “That’s what makes this business fabulous.”
While real estate is a highly competitive profession, Patti asserts that cooperation and collaboration are key attributes for success.
“Put people first, really care, treat them the way you want to be treated,” Patti says. “You’ve got to play nice in the sandbox. I’m in a business where it’s not just based on one transaction. Let’s all get along. We’re going to do business again.”
Jacqueline offers similar sentiments. “This is an industry where we are all in a competitive market,” she confides. “We have to collaborate in order to get our clients to the closing table. There is this spirit of cooperation unlike anything else.”
When the prospect of joining Keefe Real Estate presented itself this past fall, Jacqueline says the company’s reputation prompted her to join the team.
“The goal of Keefe Real Estate is to enhance future lives,” she explains. “This is a family oriented company. It’s been around 78 years now. You mention Keefe Real Estate, and people know what you’re talking about right away. It’s not a numbers game here. It’s about how we can truly help our communities.”
Steve offers similar sentiments, saying the brokerage’s supportive management structure has furthered the company’s longstanding mission statement.
“A big part of our culture is being caring, helpful, and empathetic,” Steve says. “We’re very supportive of one another. You do better when you have people working together. That’s very important in our business.”
By Dave Fidlin
