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.

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.

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.” 

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.”

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.”