Commander in chief lauds hard-working historian/agent
No one gets into the hard work of historic preservation for glory and recognition, but Lis Harper of Bernstein Realty, recently made a last-minute trip to Washington D.C., to meet President Barack Obama for well-deserved kudos.
After studying history in college, Harper worked her way up to a “dream job,” which she attacked with passion and pride, managing public outreach and programming for an historical home in Washington, D.C., that houses the collection of the National Woman’s Party, an organization that fought for suffrage and women’s rights.
Harper continues to consult with the museum on digital strategy and outreach after moving to Houston, so she was called to town when Obama proclaimed the site the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument last week.
“I was thrilled to be able to quickly plan a trip and be in D.C. to hear the president speak at the home, but even more grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to work with this amazing team as we strive to ensure that women’s history is included in our broader national memory. Women’s suffrage was not easily won,” Harper said, “Too often we forget about the courage and hard work of the brave women who’ve come before us.” Harper puts in the extra effort to balance a busy real estate practice while staying active in supporting the preservation of historic sites and stories.
••• Everything looks positive for the 2016 Nancy Owens Memorial Golf Tournament — great times, great people and a great cause. Sponsorships and teams are still available for the May 2 event at Sweetwater Country Club benefitting the cause that shows how much the community cares through its ongoing effort to honor beloved colleague Nancy Owens by raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research through this event and the annual fall luncheon. For details go to www.nancyowens.org or contact Debbie Fontenot at dfontenot@fairfieldnodal.com.
••• Globetrotter Ursula Muenzel of Beth Wolff Realtors recently returned from a two-week trip to the Middle East.
It started in Israel, where she visited the former Israeli Consul General to Houston, Meir Shlomo and his wife, Bracha. Later, Muenzel and her husband toured Jordan, where they enjoyed interacting with local students. Muenzel said she was very impressed with the beauty of Jordan and the friendliness of its people.
••• The Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty team was there with (cow) bells on at the grand opening of the River Oaks Park.
The renovation of the neighborhood treasure was cause for celebration including the clanging cowbell giveaways that have become the companies’ community signature. The agents also offered spinning wheel for children, where every space won candy.
Agent Walter Ber- ing said he’s happy the park will continue to offer young families new memories.
“I can remember taking my daughter to ‘Pumpkin Park’ to ride the swings and jump around on the (pumpkin) carriage. It’s like a neighborhood Disneyland for kids,” he said. “It’s a beautiful setting and a lot less expensive than Disneyland.”
••• John Daugherty, Realtors offered agents a graduate course in real estate success at a recent sales meeting lead by a top producer panel.
It was standing room only as Laura Sweeney, Lisa Kornhauser, Richard Ray, Brian Speck and Dianne Mc Donough shared their secrets for how to get and keep a listing and closing the sale. Together the five represent 187 years in the business.
Judi Griggs is a writer who lives in Houston in the winter and Buffalo in the summer — because the reverse would be ridiculous. Contact her at realnewshouston@gmail.com or through judigriggs.com.