Broad marketing background

Aformer marketing director who realized he did not like retirement, Larry Wine came out of retirement to enter the world of real estate.

Wine, who was the director of marketing for more than 20 years for Abbott Laboratories and Stamford-based Purdue Frederick (now Purdue Pharma), said he realized soon after retiring that he didn’t like sitting around the house and doing nothing.

“I got a brochure from Norwalk Community College about taking a course in real estate,” said Wine, who vows to work until he is 97 years old. “I thought it would be something I could enjoy doing. My father owned a construction company and I’ve lived in many different homes and my wife and I are both interested in architecture.”

Wine, a Chicago area native who has lived in Connecticut since 1985, said he loves the idea of helping people. Wise also said his marketing background gives him an edge over other Realtors.

“My marketing background is particularly helpful when I have a listing and I am representing the seller,” said Wine, who has worked the past three years for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties. “I can put together a program for marketing their property. I use my marketing skills more on the selling side.”

At first, Wine said, he thought he’d be entering a field with many aggressive people who were out for themselves. It’s been anything but at Berkshire, he said.

“I thought it would be a nasty competitive business,” Wine said. “It’s not that at all. I

love the people I work with and everyone in the office is very cooperative and everyone helps. There are people in the office with much more experience than me and they have helped me understand the market.”

Wine covers primarily lower Fairfield County with an emphasis on Norwalk, where about 70 percent of his business is from.

“Norwalk is a very diverse community,” he said. “It’s got many things to do, from the beaches to the great restaurants and theatre. There is South Norwalk and many educational activities.”

Wine loves to cook and travel.