Glenn "Chip" Gardner, Vice President of Operations and Special Initiatives at GARDNER, REALTORS®, shares how he got his start in real estate, the favorite parts of his job and the amazing work his company is doing for the New Orleans community. GARDNER, REALTORS® was the recipient of the Best Digital Marketing award at the 18th Annual Luxury Real Estate Fall Conference and serves on the Luxury Real Estate Board of Regents, which this year celebrates their 10 year anniversary.
How did you get your start in real estate? I was born into our family’s business… real estate is part of my DNA! From handing out our bags at home shows at four years old, to straightening out our yard signs with my Dad all over town, to attending the full spectrum of company and industry events; I am blessed to have grown up in the real estate business. My great grandmother, Gertrude Gardner, was the Crescent City’s first woman to build her own real estate company in 1943. As the fourth generation in the business, I received my nickname “Chip” on our first family visit - proud parents with newborn baby - to our Uptown office; one of our beloved REALTORS stated that I was just a “Chip off the old block”... I have gone by “Chip Gardner” ever since.
What path has your career taken? My first full time job - the beginning of my adult real estate career - was outside of our family’s business as a Senior Associate based in Houston with the Real Estate Services Group of Duff & Phelps (formerly Standard & Poors Corporate Value Consulting), a leading provider of global financial advisory and investment banking services. Over my five year tenure, I gained extensive experience in real estate valuation and consulting services for a wide range of clients including Fortune 500 companies, REITS, pension funds, and private investors. I worked on - and sometimes led - engagements all over the country and world spanning the full spectrum of residential and commercial property types.
Three years ago, I moved back home to New Orleans to rejoin my GARDNER Real Estate Family. I am now responsible for the identification, prioritization, and execution of our key projects and day-to-day operations, including our Family of Services - affiliated mortgage, title, insurance and home warranty companies.
Why is your company successful? Our beliefs define our business… Gertrude Gardner founded our Real Estate Family on the “The Golden Rule.” Throughout her illustrious career, Gertrude often stated “It all simmers down to LOVE… love of your family, love of your business, and most importantly love of God.” For four generations, we continue to give back to the communities we serve by showing “GARDNER LOVE,” which is our company-wide community outreach and philanthropic program that stems from Gertrude’s social service work to find homes for the needy during the Great Depression. Over the years, our success has continued because we have been able to attract Top Talent into our GARDNER Real Estate Family, who believes as we do, that exceeding the expectations of our clients and giving back to our communities are all in a day’s work.
Pictured: GARDNER, REALTORS® agents in front of the GARDNER Cottage on their official "Closing Day" to celebrate their expansion, which doubled the capacity of New Orleans Mission Women's Center from 16 beds to 32.
What are your favorite parts of your job? Making a positive impact in peoples’ lives… whether it is by offering sincere words of encouragement, empowering by teaching skills, or investing time and resources. For example, this past year my favorite memory is our GARDNER Real Estate Family partnering with the New Orleans Mission - faith based nonprofit homeless shelter serving both men & women - to acquire the GARDNER Cottage, which doubled the Women’s Center capacity from 16 to 32 beds. We are making a positive impact in the lives of homeless women by providing a place of refuge to turn lives around, which will have a lasting effect for generations to come.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I enjoy spending time with my wife - who is my childhood sweetheart - doing typical things such as hanging out with friends & family, going to the beach on vacation, and cheering at LSU & Saints football games. My greatest satisfaction truly comes from serving God - such as by being actively involved in faith based homeless shelters, which we have been doing together for the past eight years.
For more information on GARDNER, REALTORS®, please visit www.gardnerrealtors.com.