SEATTLE – (August 18, 2011) – We are honored to announce that the Fall 2011 Luxury Real Estate Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is Robbie Briggs of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty.
This prestigious award is given twice annually to the Luxury Real Estate member who has set an example for the real estate industry, displayed excellence throughout their career and is truly a legend.
Robbie Briggs translated a master's degree in architecture from Tulane University into the natural venue of real estate. His understanding of design, structure and spatial potential combined with integrity and business acumen has served him well in sales since 1980. Now President and CEO of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty, he is the second generation to give the Briggs name to one of the leading brokerage firms in Dallas for quality residential property.
Robbie, his wife Nancy and their two youngest daughters returned some months ago from Beijing, China, where they lived for almost three years. China offered opportunities for growth for the entire Briggs family, both personally and professionally. He continued as a chief executive overseas, whose dedication to Dallas remained uninterrupted through his continued service to his firm as well as to various educational and non-profit boards.
He is a strong believer in supporting the community and has become well-known in the public and private sectors. Over the years he has been chairman of the Presbyterian Hospital Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, and The Cambridge School of Dallas Board. He also has served on the boards of the Hockaday School, the Park Cities YMCA, the Chemical Awareness Council and on the Tartan board for the Scottish Rite Hospital.
Briggs served as HPISD Dad's Club President and on fundraising committees for his alma mater, St. Mark's School of Texas. He is active at Park Cities Presbyterian Church, having taught several age groups Sunday school as well as being involved with the ministry to the men of the congregation.
Briggs Freeman's website in 2008 was ranked #3 in the nation and #1 in Texas by REAL Trends, Inc., and 1000WATT Consulting after the two firms studied the websites of the top 500 brokerage firms in the country. That ranking is uncontested today. Currently, Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty has 130 agents.
Briggs’ long-time colleague and friend, Charles Pace Freeman, Jr. – 1939 – 2011, will also be honored with this award posthumously. Freeman graduated from Greenhill School where he was affectionately known as "Choo-Choo." He attended the University of Oklahoma, then served in the Texas Air National Guard. He worked for and later purchased Claire Gillon Realtors creating Charles Freeman Realtors, which served the Park Cities and near-North Dallas areas. In 1993, he merged with Ben R. Briggs Real Estate forming Briggs Freeman Real Estate Brokerage, where he was president. In 2010, Freeman became president emeritus of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty. Throughout his 46-year career he was known for his integrity and detailed knowledge of the business. He was awarded the Rose Award for Service in 2008. The associates in his firm admired and revered him, both for his constant concern and support as well as his wry sense of humor. In addition to fulfilling his executive duties, he loved helping others work deals, photographing listings and running his free shuttle service to DFW.
Charles Freeman was well known for being a man of great principle and character. He was honored professionally by being elected to serve for three years as director of the Greater Dallas Association of Realtors Board. He also served as chairman of the Multiple Listing Service. He served on numerous other professional real estate organizations, including the MLS Standards of Practice Committee and Rainmakers.
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Known in the industry for the last quarter-century as the Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate network, a global collection of the finest luxury real estate brokers in the world, this group of more than 70,000 professionals in more than 85 countries collectively sells in excess of $190 billion of real estate annually, with an average sale price of $2,450,000. Members sell homes for record prices and handle transactions of incredible complexity and magnitude with complete discretion. Every member is carefully selected by Chairman/Publisher John Brian Losh, one of REALTOR Magazine’s 25 Most Influential People in Real Estate and broker of fine properties and estates through his Seattle-based brokerage firm, Ewing & Clark, Inc.