As we move into 2026, I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve as President of Bonita Springs-Estero REALTORS® as we celebrate 60 years of growth. Thank you for trusting me to represent this great organization at the local, state, and national levels. More importantly, thank you for trusting me to lead both our REALTOR® and Affiliate members into taking the next steps to achieving the goals of our strategic plan that we have established as an organization. It is an honor to serve in this capacity and I am excited for us to give back and grow forward in 2026 and another 60 years.
I am especially grateful for the leaders who have come before me and shown me through their actions and their words of encouragement what great leadership looks like. I want to thank Adam Ruud, our 2025 President, for his dedication, care, and motivational impact throughout the year. Adam’s positive demeanor, statistical insights, strategic thinking, and inspiring words have helped to raise the bar for not only BER, but for our profession in general, and I look forward to building on that groundwork in 2026.
Additionally, I am extremely honored to work alongside our incredibly talented and passionate Board of Directors and the BER staff. The theme for 2026 is Give Back, Grow Forward and we recently spent some quality time together strategizing the goals for the year, establishing the milestones, learning about each other and how we can work together to achieve those goals with the help of our members, and then how we will celebrate the wins. We are very excited to showcase our dedication to our members, our community, and our profession in the coming year and beyond.
That said, we need your help to achieve the goals. As an organization, we will Give Back by elevating our educational programs, engaging with the community through civic associations and community events, exciting members through new communication platforms while fostering member engagement and feedback, relaunching the affiliate member brand ambassador program, and evolving the organization by completing our rebranding project, improving our websites, and promoting professionalism. In doing these things, we will Grow Forward in our educational offerings of skills-based classes/designations/certifications, community presence, understanding and engagement in our profession, an increase in agent/affiliate relationships, increased member engagement in committees, volunteer opportunities, community events and BER events, as well as increased member count by evolving our brand to remove geographical limitations and promoting our friendly and innovative culture.
Your REALTOR® organization is the core of your business and as your incoming President, I am thrilled to lead the effort in our Give Back, Grow Forward initiative. We are one team, one organization, one voice and we all should do our part to help achieve these goals. So, I ask you to find your niche within the organization, engage in the outward communications, participate in Advisory Council, a committee, and/or a workgroup, micro-volunteer when a call to action is announced, take some classes, teach some classes, attend community events with us, and talk to your Board of Directors about what would support you and your business better. This is your organization and we are here to serve you.
Together, let’s Give Back, Grow Forward in 2026!
Joyfully Serving You,
- Jeanne Drath, 2026 President, Bonita Springs-Estero REALTORS®
