INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – (Jan. 18, 2008) – The original “brain trust” was formed during Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s years as governor of New York State. The group was made up of close advisors, all drawn from some of the country’s most prestigious academic institutions. Roosevelt’s original brain trust disbanded in the early years of his Presidency. But the term, according to the Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition 2007, stuck for this and other types of intellectual groups.While brain trusts are common in a variety of different industries these days, all-female brain trusts are more unusual. One such group is a seven-member brain trust of female real estate executives. The group consists of women who all own their own companies ranging in size from 30 agents to 600 agents and from one office to 17 offices. One of the country’s most successful real estate brokers, Shari Chase, is one of The Brain Trust’s members. “The Brain Trust grew out of a need for me and other top-level female executives to get together and compare notes about housing and real estate issues in our representative markets,” said Chase. “We meet twice a year, once to do financials and market trends, and once at one member’s home office for our managers and owners to do a peer review and share ideas, trends and problems.”Chase is the founder and owner of one of the most well known brands for luxury real estate in the country, Chase International, with offices in California, Nevada and London. “Chase International is currently listing one of the most expensive homes in the country,” said Chase. She is talking about a sprawling 210 acre Lake Tahoe estate, Tranquility, which includes a private lake and is listed at $100 million. Chase is known as a visionary and trendsetter in the luxury real estate market. It is this kind of leadership that continues to attract a very prestigious clientele to Chase International.Being involved with The Brain Trust enables Chase to both empower herself as a female executive and pass her knowledge and strengths onto other women CEOs. Chase founded her company in 1986 with the idea that she would focus on luxury properties, and it has paid off. “This year, we have sold nine homes over the $10 million dollar price range,” says Chase. “For us, and for other luxury real estate firms across the country, the upper end of the market is good.”At their most recent meeting in Houston, the women discussed the current mortgage crisis and the glut of available homes on the market. Despite these difficulties, the group says the luxury market continues to grow. Other members of the Brain Trust include: Lois Schneider of Lois Schneider Realtors in Summit, N.J.; Pat Peterson, president of Daniel Gale Sotheby\\\\\\\'s International Realty in Long Island, N.Y.; Anita Head of Paragon Real Estate Group located in San Francisco; Jenny Pruitt of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby\\\\\\\'s International; Martha Turner of Houston-based Martha Turner Properties; and Michael Saunders of Michael Saunders & Company, in Sarasota, FL. Each of these women lead some of the country’s most prestigious real estate firms that cater to a very upscale clientele.“Even though we all come from different parts of the country, we deal with the same issues. Being involved with the Brain Trust enables us to share ideas about sales, management, human resources and market stresses we face every day in the real estate world,” says Chase. “We formed the Brain Trust in 1997 and hope to continue meeting on a regular basis for many years to come.”Chase International is headquartered in Lake Tahoe, Nevada and has seven offices in the region (Zephyr Cove, Glenbrook, Incline Village, Tahoe City, Truckee, South Lake Tahoe and Reno) and one office in London, England. With more than 140 professional Realtors® boasting an array of industry certifications and the highest volume per sales agent in the area, Chase International successfully represents homes at all price levels. For more information about Chase International visit www.chaseinternational.com.