Earlier this month, National Land Realty Land Professionals and Brokers flocked from across the country to the 2023 National Land Summit in Charlotte, North Carolina for two days of conferences and networking opportunities! The 2023 National Land Summit was hosted at the Omni Hotel in downtown Charlotte and featured presentations from various National Land Realty leadership and industry expert speakers.

The event started with a welcome speech from President of National Land Realty Jason Burbage, wherein he also gave a short overview of the past year’s accomplishments and a roadmap of where the company is headed in 2023. Following Jason’s opening remarks, there were four breakout sessions on a variety of topics pertaining to the agents’ business including marketing, negotiation tips, and customer communication. After the two breakout sessions, the group reconvened in the main hall for a presentation from CMO Mac Christian regarding the company’s new CRM, FollowUp Boss, which concluded the first day of presentations.

That night, a welcome event was hosted at the NASCAR Hall of Fame for all attending National Land Realty personnel. Our Land Professionals and Brokers enjoyed dinner before strapping in for a spin at the NASCAR racing simulator. The group then congregated back at the hotel bar for drinks and conversation to round out the first night of the National Land Summit.

Day 2 of the 2023 National Land Summit began with breakfast roundtable discussions hosted by heads of various National Land Realty departments like marketing, support services, and technology. Following breakfast, our Land Professionals and Brokers were treated to a presentation from professional sales coach Colleen Stanley, which detailed the approaches the best sales teams take during economic uncertainty. After Colleen’s presentation, economist Scott L. Baier took the stage to give his presentation, “The State of the Economy in 2023.” Scott illustrated the economic challenges facing real estate agents and brokers in 2023 and spoke about the opportunities that may exist in the coming months.

Following a short break, CMO Mac Christian gave a presentation detailing the Marketing Team’s accomplishments over the past year and a brief overview of the various services they offer to our Land Professionals and Brokers. The group was then dismissed for a lunch provided by the Omni Hotel before reconvening for a panel discussion featuring some of the top-producing brokers in the company, where they shared their stories of success and spoke on how they continue to perform at an exceptional level.

After a short presentation from CTO Tyler Van Meeteren and Jeff Phelps on the technology team’s current projects and initiatives, Dr. Grant Woods of GrowingDeer.TV took to the stage to discuss how he’s created equity on his property through wildlife management and the various benefits he’s found through property management. The group then disbanded for a short break before dinner and the awards banquet. This year’s awards banquet was held in the main ballroom at the Omni Hotel and hosted by Partner and Broker Ronnie Richardson along with Business Development & Relationship Manager Kail Page. Congratulations to all of our wonderful award winners! 

5-Year Landiversaries:

• Jeff Phelps | Omaha, NE
• Archie England | Jackson, MS
• Rusty Marks | Natchez, MS
• Tim Johnson | Kosciusko, MS
• Johnathan Stevens | Kosciusko, MS
• Shane Bell | Kosciusko, MS
• Franklin Wheeler | Northern MO Office
• Mark Vellinga | Sioux Falls, SD
• Pat Snyder | Western NC Office
• John Weeden | Jacksonville, FL
• Jim Hanna | Huntsville, TX
• Dustin Weems | Mabank, TX
• Brad Smith | Baton Rouge, LA
• Warren Peters | Baton Rouge, LA
• Joe Baya | Gulf Coast Office
• Peter Mazeine | Central NC Office
• Tom Hill | Phillipsburg, KS
• Jennifer Lyons | Baton Rouge, LA
• Jim Fleissner | Omaha, NE
• Terri Jensen | Minneapolis, MN
• Casey Reynolds | Richmond, VA
• Travis Grimes | Kinston, NC
• Clifton Holloman | Kinston, NC
• Richard Lemoine | Northeast LA Office
• Kraig Moore | Bowling Green, KY
• Tom Leatherbury, Jr. | Gulf Coast Office
• Richard Beck | Montgomery, AL
• Luke Biscan | Bowling Green, KY
• Daniel McVay | Oklahoma City, OK
• Jeff Danker | Oklahoma City, OK
• Colden Hillyer | Omaha, NE
• Trey Moss | Northeast LA Office
• Bernard Johnson | San Diego, CA
• Chris Padgett | Birmingham, AL
• Tom Maxwell | Birmingham, AL
• Tom Monaghan | Houston, MS
• Ron Wall | Charleston, SC
• David Kelley | Montgomery, AL
• Kenneth Lancaster | Jackson, MS
• Allen Seymour | Kinston, NC
• Mark Driver | Knoxville, TN
• Doug Bruggeman | Western NC Office
• Mark Wright | Hill Country Office

10-Year Landiversaries:

• Tom Culclasure | Columbia, SC
• Ron Charity | Pittsburg, KS
• Malinda Llewellyn | Greenville, SC

Brand Champion: Ryan Harris | Little Rock, AR

The Brand Champion is an agent or broker who had the most reach and proactivity in producing articles and blogs for the company.

Social Media Partner: Jacob Jenkins | Indiana Office

The Social Media Partner is an agent or broker that gives the most support on National Land Realty’s social media pages – likes, shares, follows, and comments.

Best Land Tour 360®: Jeremy Oehlert | Pittsburg, KS

The Best Land Tour 360® goes to an agent or broker that utilizes the many features made available to them under our proprietary software and includes great images, points of interest, videos, and descriptions within their Land Tour 360®.

Most Land Tour 360s®: Billy Hackworth | Knoxville, TN

This award is presented to the agent or broker that most often utilizes the Land Tour 360s® technology throughout the year.

Best Photography: Jason Miller | Jackson, MS

Voted for by their fellow land professionals, this award is presented to the agent or broker with the best photos for a variety of listings.

Idea of the Year: Ryan Schroeter | Omaha, NE

We get better every day! This award is voted on anonymously and recognizes the best idea submitted during the year that was enacted! This year’s award goes to Ryan Schroeter for his ideas on how to further utilize our Land Tour 360® technology.

When asked about how Land Tour 360 has improved his business, Ryan stated, “I think Land Tour 360® is what sets National Land Realty apart from the competition, there’s really nothing else like it in the industry right now. Having such an incredible tool at our disposal makes it easy to show off our listings in 3D and has certainly sealed a few deals of mine in the past. We can tell a property’s entire story with a Land Tour 360®, so it’s the closest thing to getting your boots dirty without stepping foot onsite. Once you start viewing properties with Land Tour 360®, it makes it hard to look at a traditional listing. It’s really just that good.”

Sales Data Leader: Nick Ardis | Columbia, SC

The Sales Data Leader is the agent or broker that submits the most comps throughout the year, helping their fellow land professionals and consumers looking for sales comparables.

Top Blogger: Angeliina Lawson | Pittsburg, KS

The Top Blogger is the agent or broker that submits to, or works with, the National Land Realty Marketing Team on the most blogs throughout the year.

Group Engagement Award: Ryan Harris | Little Rock, AR

The Group Engagement Award is given to the agent or broker that shows the most support for their fellow teammates, on the internal Facebook group for the company, by attending webinars for training, and is overall a go-getter in group settings.

Stuck in the Mud Award: Billy Maxfield | Ohio Office

This award is voted on by internal support staff and awarded to the agent or broker who had the “best” picture of being stuck in the mud out on a property.

Smallest Commission of the Year: Caleb Risinger | Jacksonville, FL

At National Land Realty, no accomplishment is too small! The smallest commission of the year is given to the agent or broker who made the lowest commission sale of the year. This year’s winner was Caleb Risinger with a $10 commission on a single sale.

Support Crew Appreciation Award: Malinda Llewellyn | Greenville, SC

This award is nominated and voted on by the agents and brokers of the company. The Support Crew award goes to the internal support member who is helpful, gets information back in a reasonable amount of time, is pleasant to work with, and goes the extra mile to help when possible.

Field Team Appreciation Award: Justus Koester | Fort Myers, FL

This award is nominated and voted on by the internal support staff. The Field Team award goes to the agent or broker who is helpful, gets information back in a reasonable amount of time, is pleasant to work with, and goes the extra mile to help when possible.

Referral of the Year: Joe Baya | Gulf Coast Office

Showcasing those that work together to make the team better, this award is given to the best referral given in-house.

Deal of the Year: “The Proving Grounds” Jeremy Oehlert | Pittsburg, KS

The Deal of the Year isn’t necessarily the biggest one. Voted on by our agents, brokers, and support staff, this award is given to the agent or broker with the most unique property sale of the year.

The Top 50:

50. Ryan Schroeter | Omaha, NE

49. Joe Baya | Gulf Coast Office

48. Theodore DeVos | Tuscaloosa, AL

47. Bobby Spivey | Central NC Office

46. Billy Maxfield | Ohio Office

45. Edward Weathers | Greenville, SC

44. Ron Wall | Charleston, SC

43. Louis Holbrook | Knoxville, TN

42. Terri Jensen, ALC | Minneapolis, MN

41. Paul Goins | Central NC Office

40. Taylor Baumgarner | Greenville, SC

39. Ronnie Richardson | Jackson, MS

38. Phil Dodd | McAlester, OK

37. Allen Seymour | Kinston, NC

36. Valorie Vietti | Chanute, KS

35. Jacob Lyle | Kinston, NC

34. Monroe Payne | Tuscaloosa, AL

33. Cory Bowes | Raleigh, NC

32. Ashley McCraney | Southeast Alabama Office

31. Jack Gabriel | Jackson, MS

30. Justus Koester | Fort Myers, FL

29. Alec Wardenburg | Eastern MO Office

28. Austin Hill | Middle GA Office

27. Will Snider | Southeast Alabama Office

26. Tom Leatherbury Jr. | Gulf Coast Office

The Top 25:

25. Travis Chaffin | LaGrange, GA

24. Lee Skinner | Tuscaloosa, AL

23. Allan Hixon | Tuscaloosa, AL

22. Nicholas Ardis | Columbia, SC

21. Jay Cassels, ALC | McAlester, OK

20. Robert Waddell | Charleston, SC

19. Brandon Wilkins | Baton Rouge, LA

18. Robert Dudley | Tuscaloosa, AL

17. Matthew Carr | Knoxville, TN

16. Forrest During | Southeast Alabama Office

15. Mitchell Jones | Gulf Coast Office

14. Chase Blalock | Piedmont, NC 

13. Bruce Lanier | Tuscaloosa, AL

12. Pete Mazeine, ALC, CCIM | Central NC Office

11. Cailein Campbell | Wilmington, NC

The Top 10:

10. Will Hairston | Gulf Coast Office

9. Aaron Sutton | Kinston, NC

8. Gregory Greer | Charleston, SC

7. Tommy Stroud Jr., ALC | St. Simons Island, GA

6. Glenn Dudley | Mabank, TX

5. Dustin Weems | Mabank, TX

4. Greg Clearman | Jackson, MS

3. Jeremy Oehlert | Pittsburg, KS

2. Bob Jamison | Tuscaloosa, AL

1. Clint Flowers, ALC | Gulf Coast Office

Top Producer (Volume): Clint Flowers | Gulf Coast Office

The Top Producer in Volume is the agent or broker who sold the most in total dollars of sales volume for the year.

Top Producer (Acreage): Clint Flowers | Gulf Coast Office

The Top Producer in Acreage is the agent or broker who sold the most acreage in the previous year.

Top Producer (Listings): Travis Chaffin | LaGrange, GA

The Top Producer in Listings is the agent or broker who obtained the most listings during the year including sole and co-listings.

Office of the Year: Kinston, North Carolina

The Office of the Year is based on sales, the increase in new agents, education, community outreach, listings, who lead in sales, and year-over-year growth.

Trailblazer Award: Edward Weathers | Greenville, SC

The Trailblazer Award is presented to the broker who best serves to influence and impact the lives of his/her team so that they can achieve the highest levels of success in both business and life.

Impact Award: Alec Wardenburg | Eastern MO Office

The Impact Award is given to the agent or broker who represents the core values of National Land Realty, the mission of NLR, and focuses on building relationships and making impacts in his/her community.

Rising Star Award: Jacob Lemons | Oklahoma City, OK

The Rising Star Award is presented to someone who is new to the company (hired within the last 5 years) and on a path to success which is defined by sales, education, support, and embodying the core values of National Land Realty.

Top Gun Award: Clint Flowers | Gulf Coast Office

The Top Gun Award is given to the agent or broker with the total highest allocated gross commissions in the year.

The President’s Award: Greg Clearman | Jackson, MS

The President’s Award is given to the agent or broker with the most sales growth from the previous year as well as someone with a “Buffalo Mentality” meaning they go head first into a storm. To be considered for the President’s Award, an agent or broker must have earned a minimum of $200,000 in Gross Commission Income over the last year.

We would like to thank everyone who was able to attend this year’s National Land Summit. Congratulations on all of your accomplishments and hard work over the past year, and we’ll see you all again for the 2024 National Land Summit in San Antonio, TX! 

And a very special thank you to all of our 2023 National Land Summit sponsors for their contributions!