Winnipeg – WinnipegREALTORS® is proud to announce David MacKenzie as its 2015 president. He succeeds outgoing president David Powell. MacKenzie becomes WinnipegREALTORS 112 th president and will lead over 1800 members active in the local real estate market.
In only a few other occasions in WinnipegREALTORS® 112-year history has a father-son combination presided over the longest running real estate association in the country.
In Gordon MacKenzie’s case, he was instrumental in getting WinnipegREALTORS® own piece of real estate, its office building located at 1240 Portage Avenue, built in 1975. It has proven to be a terrific legacy and still very much a hive of activity with the boardroom constantly booked for board of director, standing committee and task force meetings.
David MacKenzie started his real estate career in September 1981 and has been involved in organized real estate ever since. Did he have any choice in the matter? Let him answer that one himself.
“There is no question my father strongly influenced me to get involved in organized real estate once I made the commitment to be a REALTOR®,” said MacKenzie. “As a successful real estate broker/owner in his own right, he was able to impart first- hand to me the importance of getting involved and contributing to the well-being of your profession.”
Will one of his two sons follow suit?
“Like my dad, I will let them decide on their own if they want to pursue real estate as a career,” said MacKenzie. “I know I have no regrets and look forward to my 34 th year in the business.”
David MacKenzie together with Derrick Sigmar are broker/owners of Sigmar MacKenize Real Estate Services Ltd. Sigmar MacKenzie offers both real estate and appraisal services. It was established in 2002 and is located in Old St. Vital at 575 St. Mary’s Road. Sigmar’s father Murray Sigmar also headed up WinnipegREALTORS® in 1982.
David MacKenzie has been chair of many standing committees and served as a director of WinnipegREALTORS® for at least three different terms. Prior to coming back to join the executive of WinnipegREALTORS® in 2014, MacKenzie was president of the Manitoba Real Estate Association in 2008. He has also served as a Manitoba regional director on the Canadian Real Estate Association’s board of directors.
Currently MacKenzie chairs the industry’s Real Estate Insurance Alliance which looks after errors and omission insurance claims made by the public in Manitoba and the Atlantic Provinces.
“The public is protected when working with a REALTOR® in case they feel they need to make a claim for an error or omission,” said MacKenzie. “Much of our effort on the Alliance besides dealing with some claims is on making sure REALTORS® are keeping up on changes in legislation, regulations and business practices so claims can be significantly reduced.”
As like most of his fellow REALTORS®, MacKenzie volunteers in various capacities and has been active coaching both flag football and hockey in the St. Vital community.
What is on MacKenzie’s to do list for members?
“First, I will say we have a strong board of directors and a solid support staff so it is very much a team effort in delivering services our members expect and deserve in order to serve the public well,” said MacKenzie. “During my year we will sharpen our tools and make a commitment to enhance what we can deliver wherever possible.”
A new Condominium Act is coming into effect on February 1st, a new version of our MLS® system is out this year with plans to revamp our Commercial Property information Exchange, and WinnipegREALTORS® is partnering with the Manitoba Real Estate Association as the presenting sponsor of the 2015 Home Expressions Show at the end of March, so you can appreciate there is lots to get going on as this new year unfolds.
Speaking of a new year, the real estate market has shifted to more of a buyers’ market than it was at this time last year. This comes with its own set of challenges. Without elaborating here, the first event of 2015 will be WinnipegREALTORS® annual forecast breakfast scheduled on January 21st. It is open to the public and will not only provide a good review of 2014 but look ahead to what is in store this year. Helping us understand what is happening more globally will be one of the foremost economists in the country, Benjamin Tal, deputy-chief economist of CIBC World Markets Inc. The title for his speech is “It’s complicated”.
MacKenzie is complemented by 11 other directors.
The 2015 WinnipegREALTORS® Board of Directors are as follows:
David MacKenzie, President Sigmar MacKenzie Real Estate Services
Stewart Elston, President-Elect Realty Executives Premiere
Blair Sonnichsen, Treasurer Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate
David Powell, Past President Powell Property Group
Steve Hunt-Lesage, SDEC Chair RE/MAX professionals
Stephen Sherlock, Commercial Division Chair DTZ Barnicke Winnipeg Ltd.
Ken Clark Realty Executives Premiere
Kourosh Doustshenas Expert Real Estate Services
Chris Dudeck Coldwell Banker Preferred Real Estate
Michael Froese Royal LePage Prime Real Estate
Josh Nekrep Century21Carrie.com
Catherine Schellenberg RE/MAX professionals
Established in 1903, WinnipegREALTORS® is a professional association representing over 1,800 real estate brokers, salespeople, appraisers, and financial members active in the Greater Winnipeg Area real estate market. Its REALTOR® members adhere to a strict code of ethics and share a state-of-the-art Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) designed exclusively for REALTORS®. WinnipegREALTORS® serves its members by promoting the benefits of an organized real estate profession. REALTOR®, MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® are trademarks owned and controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association and are used under licence.
For further information, contact Peter Squire at 786-8854.