Director Spotlight: Mike Purcell

AHWD, C2EX, CNHS, RCC 2023 President-Elect, Greater Chattanooga REALTORS®

Continuing with our monthly Director spotlight, this year I have the privilege of serving alongside Secretary-Treasurer Mike Purcell. Mike’s dedication and passion for the association and our members are shown through the same actions he puts in place for his clients always having their best interests at heart. You’ll see what I mean in his answers below.

What did you do before transitioning into this profession?

I spent 37 years with TVA, initially as a Mechanical Engineer. Then, I held various leadership roles in nuclear and fossil power production, including engineering, business, and training. In 2015, I retired from Sequoyah Nuclear Plant and after working with a consulting firm and traveling the northeast, I decided to settle down and began my real estate career in 2016 working with my wife Brenda, who has been a broker for 23 years. Interesting note, as a young married couple, Brenda and I always loved real estate and going to open houses. So very early in our marriage, we both took real estate classes at UTC. Al Cannon was our instructor. I didn’t get my license then, but Brenda did and put hers in retirement until a number of years later

You’re currently serving a second two-year term on the Board and this year we’re elected as Secretary-Treasurer. Why did you choose to serve in a leadership capacity?

Since I was young, I’ve always leaned towards opportunities to lead. Some of it comes from a desire to be in a position where others trust your abilities and your decision-making, and sometimes it’s just being in a position to say “yes.” As I’ve gained more experience, it has become more about service and a desire to give back to things I’m passionate about, like Greater Chattanooga Realtors. I want to serve my fellow Realtors, and be part of the decision regarding what program and services we offer as member benefits.

What would you like your fellow Realtor/members to know that our Association offers to its members?

Through committee work and now in an Officer position, I see firsthand how much our Staff, Officers, and Directors are looking out for our members and are such great advocates for our membership and the community. We work to ensure a seat at the table to help guide the conversation through education and information to keep community leaders involved and up to date with our ever-evolving market and industry.

What is your favorite part of being a Realtor?

My clients. Although by nature I am an introvert, I really enjoy being accessible and helping my clients. I think k it’s the engineer in me - I enjoy solving problems and connecting them with my network of friends, business partners and other service providers to achieve their goals. I’m also a bit of a process nerd, so I’m always striving for excellence in my business approach, which results in increased satisfaction by me and my clients.

What is something your fellow Realtors do in the community that you love and want others to know about?

They give back of their time, talents, and resources. Some notable examples include Snack Packs, where teams of Realtors work with other volunteers to provide weekly snack bags for children who are food insecure. Also, Realtors support Habitat for Humanity through various fundraisers and participating in builds and neighborhood revitalization projects. Another is our Placemaking Committee that identifies and recommends partnerships to improve an existing space in our community. In the last few years, Realtors have provided shade structures for the City’s pickleball courts, created a community flower garden, and cleaned up a hiking trailhead in St. Elmo.

Have you read any recent books you want to share with others?

Good to Great, by Jim Collins. While not a new book, this is a fantastic read and it delves into one of the biggest challenges we all get bogged down with - complacency. Collins explains how Good is the enemy of Great and how being good can keep us from achieving our full potential of greatness.

With each of these monthly spotlights, my goal is to inspire other Realtors to take up the torch as Mike has and become more involved in the inner workings of the Association. Mike has shown amazing attributes that sets him apart as a leader and as a Realtor. That’s Who We R®.

Founded in 1912, Greater Chattanooga REALTORS® is the voice for real estate in Greater Chattanooga. A regional organization with more than 2,700 members, Greater Chattanooga REALTORS® serves Hamilton and Sequatchie counties in southeast Tennessee and Catoosa, Dade, and Walker counties in northwest Georgia. The Association is one of approximately 1,100 local associations/board of REALTORS® nationwide that comprise the National Association of REALTORS®. Greater Chattanooga REALTORS® owns and operates a Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is one of approximately 600 MLSs in the country and services more than 3,000 MLS users. Local Association membership is comprised of REALTORS® servicing the Greater Chattanooga area and specializing in a variety of disciplines – appraisal, commercial, industrial, land, multi-family, property management and residential. Working alongside REALTORS® are our Affiliate members, who represent related industries in sympathy with the objectives of the Association. Our Affiliate members include mortgage lenders, home inspectors, title and closing services, pest inspection and control and insurance.