Making a Difference Through Involvement and Education

by Lisa Dahlseid; photography by Bright Star Versatile Images, Inc.

If there is one message Rich Hansen hopes to convey to his professional peers, it is this: You can make a difference. Through his years of involvement in local, state and national industry associations, Rich has learned unequivocally the rewards from active membership go both ways, and for anybody interested, they are there for the give-and-taking.

Rich began his career in land development, earning his real estate license in 1968, after graduation from Hamline University in St. Paul. While his broker's and securities licenses soon followed, he took up residential business, knowing it to be more stable, in the mid-'70s. Having begun this portion of his career with erstwhile Bermel-Smaby, Rich has worked with the same group of associates since 1980, known today as Prudential Premier REALTORS®, and has consistently been one of the company's top producers.

He has, in fact, placed in the top 1 to 3 percent of Prudential's system for the last several years, and this year he was awarded the prestigious International Chairman's Circle based on his sales volume of nearly $10 million. "It's really not competition," he insists, "but simply the volume of business I've been very fortunate to be able to achieve."

Much of that business comes from Rich's well-established relocation service. He attributes his success in this area to a long track record in dealing with relocation companies and to having earned the respect of many area corporate leaders who comprise his referral base. "Prudential has created a huge relocation service, and I deal with some of that, but most of it is my own.

"I'm from this area and I've come to know the entire Twin Cities, so I enjoy the challenge of knowing and appreciating a lot of different areas," he continues. "However, I live in Burnsville and most of my listings are south of the river."

Success by Association
While Rich's list of association credentials is extensive, including the position of 1998 President of the Southern Twin Cities Association of REALTORS®, he is perhaps most proud to have been selected as REALTOR® of the Year by the Dakota County Association of REALTORS® in 1985 and 1988, years he also served as President of that organization. He was bestowed the same honor in 1996 by the Southern Twin Cities Association of REALTORS®, and that same year he was chosen to be one of 10 candidates for REALTOR® of the Year for the state of Minnesota.

"I didn't come into volunteering for the accolades," he contends. "I came into it because I felt that involvement was important, and because I felt like I had some ideas to share. I've always strived to bring the standards of the industry to a more professional level, and that type of contribution becomes rewarding."

Rich, ever the advocate for education, has also found association involvement to be a great learning experience, as well as a great outlet for self-expression. "I've been trying to get other people to become involved because so many have so much to share," he says. And he has been successful in his recruiting efforts. "It takes some talking sometimes to convince some folks, but once they're there, they can see that they can make a difference."

The networking opportunities, he adds, are a huge advantage to volunteering. While Rich's tenure as President of the Minnesota CRS chapter broadened his reach to state and national affiliates, he maintains that even local level networking can be largely beneficial. "The knowledge base and the education I've received from that has been just outstanding."

Rich applies all that he has learned, and continues to learn, to servicing his clients, emphasizing his commitment to professional quality service. "I don't do anything halfway," he asserts. "When I'm working with a client, I want to do everything I can for them and I want to be the best." Another reason, he says, that he is drawn to association membership and leadership: "I made a commitment to the industry to be well informed and educated by being involved in the local, state and national associations."

Rich holds CRS and GRI titles and recently obtained his Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) designation.

Family Priorities
Even amidst Rich's heavy association involvement, his family has always remained his first priority. He has been married to Kay, a French teacher at Hopkins schools, for 31 years. Their son, Derek, a practicing loan officer with Brier Mortgage who also holds a license in real estate, has been an invaluable asset to Rich over the last several years. Their daughter, Alisa, recently graduated from college with a degree in chemical engineering and will soon be working as a research scientist for the international division of Kimberly-Clarke.

Wendy Drexler, Rich's full-time assistant, is also seen as something of a family member, having served as his right-hand office manager for the past eight years.

From the start, athletics has been a big priority in the lives of all Hansen family members, and Rich takes special pride in their collective water skiing prowess. He also coached hockey for 18 years and continues to play today, kept in shape by his three-times-weekly aerobics routine.

Rich and his family have been active members of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church for nearly 25 years and enjoy seasonal getaways to their lake home in northern Minnesota.

A Tradition of Value
With technology raging forward, Rich foresees a shift in the real estate industry, affording new processes and new ways of doing business for the real estate professional. Because obviously, he says, this industry is just as involved in the technological revolution as any other. "We must continually educate our clients and the real estate industry on how to show our value in this changing economy and changing world. As our clients' perception of our value changes, we must find new ways to show our value; we have to be educated one step ahead."

Which leads back to Rich's original message, stressing again the importance of people becoming professionally involved, if only for a short period of time. "You don't have to dive in head first," he assures. "You can test the waters and stop if you wish, but do remember that you can make a difference. I did find that out, and sharing that has been very rewarding."