Big honors for two of Long Realty Company’s finest

Recently honored at Long Realty Company’s annual recognition event were two longtime company stalwarts, who won kudos—and prestigious awards—for outstanding community service and professional achievement. The awards were announced March 15.

The Samuel H. Woods Community Service Award for 2023 went to Cindie Wolfe, a sales agent with the company’s Oro Valley office. Receiving the Barrington L. Long Lifetime Achievement Award for 2023 was Rosey Koberlein, Long Realty’s acclaimed just-retired senior executive.

Cindie Wolfe – Samuel H. Woods Community Service Award recipient.

The Samuel H. Woods Community Service Award: Cindie Wolfe

The award recognizes a sales associate or employee who best exemplifies a commitment to community involvement and “service above self” while inspiring others to do the same. It is named for Samuel H. Woods, a Long Realty member noted for his dedication to helping others.

Wolfe was selected for the award to acknowledge her contributions of time, service, and funds to a host of community organizations. Just a few of her many activities:

  • six years’ membership on the board of Ben’s Bells Project, a nonprofit organization promoting kindness throughout Tucson and neighboring cities
  • support for the Bald Beauties Project, as a major funder and member of the board. The group was founded to help children and youth who have lost their hair owing to chemotherapy
  • three years’ sponsorship of More Than A Bed, supporting children in foster, kinship and adoptive families, including congregate-care settings.

In announcing the award, Long Realty president KC Woods noted that Wolfe’s selflessness also operates “on a smaller scale, within the walls of her office and of this company. She is giving of her time, knowledge, and expertise to all in need.”

Licensed since 2002, Wolfe holds four professional credentials: Certified Residential Specialist (CRS); Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR); Graduate, REALTOR® Institute member (GRI); and e-PRO (expertise in online and digital marketing). She is a member of the 1926 Circle of Excellence (Gold level) for 2023—a Long Realty honor reserved for the company’s highest-performing sales associates.

Rosey Koberlein – Barrington L. Long Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

The Barrington L. Long Lifetime Achievement Award: Rosey Koberlein

Named after Barrington L. Long, president and owner of Long Realty from 1952 to 1980 and son of company founder Roy H. Long, the award is presented to a Long Realty associate whose life and character have made a significant and lasting impact on the field of real estate, earned the respect and admiration of professional peers and repeatedly inspired others to excel.

After a career spanning more than three decades, Koberlein’s leadership footprints are widespread in the local community and throughout the real estate industry, as a speaker and thought leader. Joining Long Realty in 1991, she moved through a series of branch and senior-management positions. In 1998 she was named general manager and rose to president and CEO of Long Companies in 2004.

In her final position—chairperson of Long Companies—Koberlein focused on strategic planning for the company’s direction and growth.

Over the course of her career Koberlein has won too many kudos to list. Among recent accolades:

  • Included in the Swanepoel Power 200 (SP200) Most Powerful People in Real Estate list (2014 through 2020)
  • AZ Big Media listed her among 50 Most Influential Women in Arizona (2015)
  • Named Woman of the Year by Greater Tucson Leadership (2015)
  • Named an “Iconic Leader” by RISMedia Real Estate (2018)
  • Named to the 2021 RISMedia Real Estate Newsmakers Hall of Fame.

She is a key instructor for MAESTRO, a leadership training program offered by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. LeadingRE is a global consortium of some 550 independent residential brokerages.

“Each in their own way, Rosey and Cindie are magnificent examples of our core values,” said Reneé Gonzales, CEO of Long Companies. “Their leadership and generosity in supporting the community, as well as their determination to help their peers, represents the best we can be. We couldn’t have made better choices for these awards.” 

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Long Realty’s Lisa Bayless continues her community support

Lisa Bayless

Never one to rest on her laurels, Lisa Bayless, Long Realty’s legendary serial philanthropist (and #1 sales agent with the company’s Oro Valley office) adds to her largesse with a pair of new donations, one to feed the mind and one to feed the body.

The two gifts will augment STEM education in elementary schools by expanding a pilot program that launched an in-class, hands-on robotics curriculum in six area schools; provide more than 100 ready-to-cook Thanksgiving meals to families; and offer nutritional support to food-insecure area seniors.

Bayless announced the gifts October 27 at the Oro Valley State of the Town meeting, held at Hilton’s El Conquistador Tucson resort.

Part of Bayless’ “Community First” program, which returns to community causes at least $500 from each commission she earns, the two donations—$35,000 for the robotics program and another $20,000 for nutritional assistance—raise her 2022 giving total past the $100,000 mark.

If her name sounds familiar, there’s a good reason. Bayless made news in 2019 when she donated K-9 Diesel, a Belgian Malinois patrol dog, to the Oro Valley Police Department. In 2020 K-9 Risu, another Belgian Malinois, joined the force—again, as a donation from Bayless.

And in 2021 her $25,000-plus grant to the STEMAZing/SARSEF Elementary Edison Robotics Pilot helped kickstart the innovative robots-in-school program. The pilot project brought more than 500 Edison educational robots, plus supporting materials and two days of training for participating teachers, to three area school districts.

STEMAZing is a Pima County Schools initiative to improve STEM education in Southern Arizona; SARSEF is perhaps best known, at least to the public, for hosting the local science fair.

The new donation extends that funding. This years’ recipients include three schools in the Amphitheater district (Innovation Academy, Wilson K-8 and Copper Creek Elementary—for the second time) plus Immaculate Heart School, a private Catholic school in Oro Valley. Decisions are pending on two additional schools.

The nutritional donation goes to IMPACT of Southern Arizona, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit—and Arizona tax-credit qualified—community-service organization. IMPACT’s programs and services, from food and clothing banks to community education and workshops, span the region. The meals will be assembled by the Catalina Mountain Elks Lodge and distributed by the Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke.

A native Tucsonan, Oro Valley resident and head of the Lisa Bayless Team, Bayless ranks among the top one percent of all U.S. REALTORs®. She is active with numerous nonprofits and is a past president of the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson. Even the United States Air Force has taken notice of Lisa’s community involvement and philanthropy appointing her as an Honorary Commander of the 68 Rescue Squadron Wing at the Davis Monthan Air Force Base Tucson

“Talk about giving back to the community!” said Reneé Gonzales, Long Companies CEO. “Lisa is so generous, with both her time and her financial support. She shows what active, practical leadership looks like, and sets an example that is a challenge to us all.”

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Leadership changes at Long Realty Co.

Laura Kelly Mance

Big changes are afoot at Long Realty Co., Southern Arizona’s leading residential real-estate brokerage and Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, as a number of top leadership positions are redefined or reassigned following the upcoming retirement of brokerage president Laura Mance.

KC Woods

Taking over as president of Long Realty Company is KC Woods, formerly the regional sales leader and branch manager at the company’s Dove Mountain and Oro Valley offices.

As president, Mance’s focus has been to develop strategic initiatives to push forward Long Realty’s tradition of excellence—a mission Woods intends to continue.

First licensed in 1987, Woods began as a salesperson with another brokerage before joining Long Realty in 2000. From 2004 onward he’s served in a variety of management roles at the two offices, including sales manager, branch manager and regional manager.

As regional sales leader, he’s worked to support other branch managers as a coach and mentor. In 2007, Woods was the founding manager at Dove Mountain—now a powerhouse office in an ultra-luxe market niche.

Rachel Bradley

Woods served on the Tucson Association of REALTORS® board of directors from 2002 to 2005 and on the association’s risk-reduction committee, as both member and chair. He’s a Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) member, as well as a Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB).

Rachel Bradley, sales manager and an associate broker at Oro Valley, moves up to branch manager for the office. Bradley began her real estate career in 2012 at Long Realty, with a background in sales, marketing and branch management, upgrading to a broker’s license in 2020.

Kevin Kaplan

Kevin Kaplan, most recently vice president of marketing and business development, also gets a new hat: chief operating officer. As COO, Kaplan will focus on business growth for both agents and the company, through marketing, lead generation, technology, relocation, and corporate business-development opportunities. His goal: “To provide best-in-class services for agent success and advance Long Companies.”

Ann Sullivan

Ann Sullivan, vice president of franchise sales and support, rises to senior vice president of franchise and business growth, an expanded role focusing on the company’s growth and opportunities with both franchises and acquisitions. An industry veteran, Ann started in the real estate industry in 1998 and has been in her current position since 2016, growing the Long Realty brand across Arizona.

“These are not just talented and experienced professionals moving up in their careers,” said Reneé Gonzales, Long Companies CEO. “They are essential players in our long-range plan to grow the company brand, both as a path to success for our agents and as a corporation. We always welcome new opportunities to further expand our services and into new communities where we can make a positive impact.” 

Company president since Sept. 2018, Mance joined the Long organization after a lengthy leadership career with other brokerages. Her résumé includes branch manager of the company’s Foothills office (for nine years) and a strong record of service to the industry and the community. Gonzales continues as CEO of Long Companies (comprising Prosperity Home Mortgage, Agave Title Agency, Long Insurance Group—and, of course, Long Realty Company).

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Long Realty agent closes record breaking luxury sale

Long Realty Co. agent closes the highest-price sale ever for a Tucson-area single-family home, according to information from the Multiple Listing Service of Southern Arizona.

The $6.9 million property, within The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, closed on May 10. Maria Anemone, an associate broker with Long’s Dove Mountain office, was the listing agent. The property was on the market “since right before Thanksgiving,” Anemone said, but sold at the listing price.

Featuring architectural design by Tucson’s own Ron Robinette and interior design by Baker+Hesseldenz (also Tucson-based), “The Point” offers four bedrooms, five baths and a host of amenities and ultra-luxe design features, starting with a 15-foot-tall walnut pivot door at the main entrance.

The home was built in 2020 and sits on a 3.13-acre lot, at 6355 W. Rockpoint Ridge Place in Marana—one of the highest-elevation sites in Dove Mountain, commanding both mountain and city views.

Maria Anemone

Anemone launched her real estate career in Tucson in 1993 and stepped up to a broker’s license in 2006. Among her specialties: relocations and vacation, retirement, golf and mega-luxury listings, with a focus on Dove Mountain, Oro Valley and the Catalina Foothills.

A consistent top performer and ranking among the top 1 percent of U.S. real-estate brokers, Anemone is a member of Long’s 1926 Circle of Excellence, Platinum level, for 2022—an honor reserved for the company’s highest-selling agents—and a vice president member of the company’s advisory Executive Council.

“People said I was crazy to take this on,” Anemone said, “but my goal was to set a record and make history. I built an amazing marketing plan with Long Realty and worked hard to make it happen.”

“It’s no surprise that it was Maria who brought this transaction home,” said Reneé Gonzales, CEO of Long Companies. “The luxury market at this level requires the very best in representation and marketing. With her lengthy record of seven-figure sales, Maria’s met that standard many times over. We’re so proud and happy she’s part of the Long Realty family.” Long Realty is the luxury real estate leader in Tucson and southern Arizona, with over $580 million in luxury sales in 2021, four times more than the nearest competitor.

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Top-producing agent Jim Storey joins Long Realty

Already fielding a galaxy of high-performing sales professionals, Long Realty’s Foothills office adds a new star with the arrival of Jim Storey, a 13-year realty veteran who brings an extraordinary track record of big-ticket sales. Storey’s first day at the office was April 18.

Jim Storey

Storey made news in March when he closed an all-cash, no-contingency sale on a Sabino Canyon-area estate for $1 million above the $2 million asking price. Storey represented the seller in the transaction. But that’s not even his top sale—in 2021 he represented the buyer in the record-setting $4.08 million sale of a 20-acre property nestled in the foothills of the Rincon Mountains.

And that’s only part of the picture. Storey’s sold listings span greater Tucson, from Red Rock to Rio Rico, and include both single- and multi-family homes, modest to ultra-luxury, vintage and recent construction. He’s sold several historic midtown barrio dwellings as well.

For 2021, Storey’s sales total was north of $45 million; he’s on pace to beat that number this year. His total sales over the past three years exceeds $115 million.

A native Tucsonan and self-described “serial entrepreneur,” Storey’s résumé is seemingly tailored for real-estate success. Jim Storey Productions LLC manages and operates several Internet ventures, ranging from news and media to design and development. He’s also a personal investor with a number of properties to his name.

With just a transaction coordinator to handle the paperwork, Storey works solo—no sales team, showing agents or other staffers. He’s 100 percent involved in every listing.  

Well-known among local philanthropists, Storey in 2015 founded the Empower Coalition, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The group’s 38 members have raised some $2 million by hosting their two events, the Tucson Beefsteak and the Great Tricycle Race to support Arizona veterans and military families.

“Jim is truly a superstar,” said Laura Mance, president of Long Realty Co. “He’s a terrific negotiator. His business skills are topnotch, he connects with buyers and sellers at every price point, and he has the imagination and energy to close the sale. But don’t take my word for it—his record speaks for itself.”

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Long Realty expands into Sun Corridor’s hot-growth market

Long Realty Florence office – 750 E. Gila Rd.

Long Realty Co., Southern Arizona’s leading residential real-estate brokerage, is expanding into the booming Sun Corridor market—the developing region between greater Phoenix and greater Tucson—with the acquisition of Florence, Ariz.-based Briggs Realty LLC.

The new office is located at 750 E. Gila Blvd. and will operate as Long Realty Florence.

“Our long-term strategy is to provide the best real estate experience in every market in Arizona,” said Reneé Gonzales, CEO of Long Companies. “This new office expands our footprint into a growing area.”

Reneé Gonzales
CEO, Long Companies

Corporate culture was an important consideration in the decision to acquire Briggs, Gonzales said. “This brings together two like-minded companies. Briggs is very connected to the community which makes it a good fit for Long Realty, since supporting and giving back to the community has always been a bedrock principle for us.”

Both companies are built on a “high-service model,” she added. For Long Realty, that model includes the company’s “all things real estate” concept, offering a full suite of realty services—mortgages (Prosperity Home Mortgage), title services (Agave Title Agency), and insurance (Long Insurance Group)—under one roof.

Looking ahead, “We’ll continue to grow in Florence and the surrounding area by helping our agents be successful,” Gonzales said. “And we’ll be looking for other service-minded agents to join us.”

Briggs’ agents gain access to Long Realty’s robust array of technology, resources, and support—such as education, marketing and referrals—plus Long’s name recognition. “The Long Realty name opens a lot of doors,” Gonzales said.

The full cadre of Briggs agents will continue with the brokerage. Sara Briggs, the previous designated broker, and owner, will serve as brand ambassador, smoothing the transition and maintaining the company’s ties to the community.

“I see this as a total win-win,” Briggs said. “Working with Long Realty is an opportunity for my agents to work with a world-class brokerage. The community will benefit from Long Realty’s incredible culture of support and caring and Long enters a market with vast potential, with Briggs’ area expertise and legacy of superior service already in place.”

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Two Long Realty agents honored for community service

Two Long Realty agents have been honored by the Tucson Association of REALTORS® for upholding a bedrock principle of their company: giving back to the community. The honors were presented March 23 during the association’s annual awards ceremony.

Taking home the Roy P. Drachman Community Achievement Award was Peter DeLuca, an associate broker and perennial top performer at Long Realty’s River/Campbell office. The Outstanding Service Award went to Lisa Sullivan, an associate broker with the company’s Oro Valley office.

Named after visionary Tucson real estate executive and philanthropist Roy P. Drachman, DeLuca’s award honors an individual REALTOR® for outstanding “active and broad” community service that enhances the real estate profession. Sullivan’s award recognizes individuals who are active at the local level for the current year.

Philanthropy and housing insecurity are front and center for DeLuca. He’s served on the board of Long Realty Cares Foundation—the company’s unit established to support hundreds of local nonprofits—for three years, and is currently the foundation’s secretary. He’s also served on the board of Our Family Services—a Tucson-based homeless-services provider—and joins in the group’s annual in-person census of unhoused persons.

Somehow DeLuca also finds time to sell real estate—lots of it. A realty professional since 1987, he’s a member of Long Realty’s 1926 Circle of Excellence (Platinum level) for 2022, the highest tier of the company’s recognition categories for sales performance.

Sullivan’s résumé reveals a lengthy history of volunteering and service to her profession. She currently holds two positions with the Multiple Listing Service of Southern Arizona (vice president of the board and chair of the standards committee) and two positions with the Tucson Association of REALTORS® (chair of the forms—as in paperwork—committee and vice chair of the risk committee). At the state level, she’s a member of the Arizona Association of REALTORS® professional standards committee.

To top it all off, Sullivan’s strong sales record seats her at Long Realty’s Chairman’s Club for 2022. She was first licensed in 1996.

“If you wonder what community service looks like, just watch Peter and Lisa,” said Laura Mance, Long Realty Co. president. “They give so freely of their time and resources. They lead by example, and they never ask for anything more than ‘What else can I do?’ They amply deserve this public recognition, but for Lisa and Peter, the real reward is an important job well done.”  

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Long Realty hosting grand opening of new midtown office.

It’s time to cut the ribbon at Long Realty’s newest office. In operation since a mid-November soft opening, the company’s Central At Broadway Village office will host a grand opening on Wednesday, March 23.

The festivities will run from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. On the agenda: office tours, drawings for goods and services provided by neighboring Broadway Village businesses, and a 3 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The address is 3052 E. Broadway Blvd., at the southwest corner of Broadway Blvd. and Country Club Road in the landmark historic Broadway Village. As a drop-in office, the facility is used by sales agents and associate brokers from the company’s other offices on an as-needed basis, to make meetings easier for midtown clients.

Another accommodation: Loan officers from Prosperity Home Mortgage, Long Companies’ mortgage-lending arm, are on-site to provide retail mortgage services.

“This new location helps us better serve our community in central Tucson, building on our ‘everything real estate, wherever you are’ philosophy,” said Reneé Gonzales, Long Companies CEO. “It lets us offer a full and complete real estate experience to our clients in the heart of the city.” Client convenience—an accessible, easy-to-find address with abundant free parking—played a major role in selecting the location, Gonzales said.

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Happy Birthday: Long Realty’s philanthropic arm turns 20

Break out the party hats! Long Realty, Southern Arizona’s leading residential real-estate brokerage, is celebrating the twentieth anniversary of its philanthropic arm.

Long Realty Cares Foundation was launched in 2002 to support local groups focused on education, health, community services, the arts and the environment. Mission: Long Realty Cares Foundation offers the promise of hope to those who need shelter, sustenance and comfort, and the commitment to serve the needs of the communities in which we work and live. Funded largely by contributions from Long Realty agents and employees, as well as from the Long Companies organization itself, LRCF has raised—and distributed—more than $3.5 million.

Along the way, the foundation has garnered a host of awards for outstanding community service from organizations throughout the region.

An astounding array of local and regional nonprofits—200-plus and counting—have received LRCF funding. The groups span a spectrum of community needs and services ranging from Esperanza En Escalante (homeless and at-rick veterans), Tucson Medical Center “Heal the Healers” patio, Southern Arizona’s Food Bank to Camp Not-A-Wheeze (safe camping experiences and asthma-management training for children with moderate to severe asthma). The full roster of recipients is at the LRCF website (https://longrealtycares.com).

“There are so many wonderful nonprofits in Southern Arizona changing lives and saving lives,” said Thom Melendez, Long Realty Cares Foundation president. “Thanks to the generous gifts of our donors, we get to be part of that. We look forward to many more years with these organizations, and others.”

Melendez is the latest of eight presidents—all Long Realty sales agents or brokers—to hold the position.

“Supporting the community is built into everything we do, from our earliest days,” said Reneé Gonzales, CEO of Long Companies. “Giving back is not what we say but who we are. We’re driven to effect positive change wherever we can. The foundation is a big part of doing just that.”

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Long Realty honors two for service and achievement

Going above and beyond wins two Long Realty sales professionals major company honors to acknowledge their community service and professional achievement. The awards were announcedat the company’s annual meeting, held Jan. 26 as a Zoom call.

The Samuel H. Woods Community Service Award for 2022 went to Jennifer Anderson, an associate broker with Long’s Houghton/Southeast/Vail office. Winning the Barrington L. Long Lifetime Achievement Award for 2022 was Sue Brooks, a sales agent with the company’s Foothills office.

The Samuel H. Woods Community Service Award: Jennifer Anderson

The award recognizes a sales associate or employee who best exemplifies a commitment to community involvement and “service above self” while inspiring others to do the same. It is named for Samuel H. Woods, a Long Realty member noted for his dedication to helping others.

Anderson’s efforts have touched practically the entire community of Vail. Her résumé includes sitting on the boards of a number of local organizations, from the Greater Vail Community Resources program (assisting people facing food insecurity) to the Desert Crown Theater Company. Her service extends to new-school planning and site-council membership, as well as leading the women’s ministry for her church. She’s also on the board of the Cienega High School choir boosters.

A native Tucsonan, Anderson earned her real estate sales license in 2004 and stepped up to a broker’s license in 2018. The head of the Jen Anderson Team, she’s a 2022 member of Long Realty’s 1926 Circle of Excellence, Platinum level, as well as a vice-president member of the company’s Executive Council.

The award includes a donation to the Samuel H. Woods Memorial Scholarship Fund in the name of the recipient. Administered by the University of Arizona Foundation, the fund supports a scholarship for a student studying regional land development at the university’s School of Geography and Development.

The Barrington L. Long Lifetime Achievement Award: Sue Brooks

Named after Barrington L. Long, president and owner of Long Realty from 1952 to 1980 and son of company founder Roy H. Long, the award is presented to a Long Realty associate whose life and character have made a significant and lasting impact on the field of real estate, earned the respect and admiration of professional peers and repeatedly inspired others to excel.

Renowned for the help she gives other agents—rookies and seasoned professionals alike—Brooks founded and actively monitors Tucson REALTOR® Resource, a Facebook group exclusively for licensed Tucson REALTORS®. According to the group’s intro page, its purpose is to “discuss buyer needs, share vendor information and ‘for the good of the profession’ information.”

 It’s “a place for active real estate agents to network and promote best practices creating a strong Realtor community,” Brooks said. Group membership has grown to 2,700 agents.

Brooks earned her real estate salesperson’s license in 2008 after a career in sports marketing and management (think PGA, LPGA, Formula 1 . . .) and fundraising for nonprofits.  Sue is a 2022 member of Long Realty’s 1926 Circle of Excellence, Gold level, and a vice-president member of the company’s Executive Council.

“What a joy it is to see Jen and Sue win these honors,” said Laura Mance, president of Long Realty. “It’s hard to say who should get which award. They both give back to their community and profession wholeheartedly, they’re both dynamic leaders, and they both deserve the best because they are the best.”

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