Tom Money, Legendary at PSAR, has passed away

Posted by Rick Griffin on Jan 11, 2019 3:27:11 PM
Tom Money Tom Money, a longtime PSAR member and past President (1984) passed away at his home in Bonita on Jan. 5, 2019, after a courageous fight with cancer. He was 75.

A year ago, he was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer in the liver, according to his wife Sherry. “He got to live each day the best he could,” said Sherry. “He didn’t dwell on ‘Why me?’ He was very positive.”

Tom was considered a legendary figure at PSAR. He served as President when the Association was called the San Diego Bay Cities Board of REALTORS® (the Association’s name was changed to PSAR in 1993).

“He took great delight in hooking up first time buyers with a home,” said Sherry.

In addition to serving as President, Tom served on numerous PSAR committees as a member and chair, including the Government Affairs Committee. He also served as a California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) Director. He was a recipient of the PSAR REALTOR® of the Year award.

In a 2015 interview with PSAR, Tom voiced his long-time support for the Association. “Over the many decades, the Association has never lost its focus, which is to serve its members and homeowners.”

“He was a good friend who helped me a great deal when I first got hired at PSAR,” said Rich D'Ascoli, CEO, PSAR. “Last summer, a big celebration of life event was held for him when he was still alive and many elected officials and dignitaries attended to honor him.”

The City of Chula Vista declared Aug, 8, 2018, as “Tom Money Day.” The celebration gathering drew the attendance of five mayors of Chula Vista to honor him.

In a recent edition of The Star-News newspaper, Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas said, “Tom Money was more than a successful businessman and realtor. He had a great sense of community pride and was someone who believed in giving back through volunteerism on a number of boards, commissions, and especially devoting his time and treasure through his leadership and service in our Chula Vista Kiwanis Club. He will be missed.”

Thomas George Money was born at San Diego’s Mercy Hospital on March 3, 1943.

He met Sherry Seagraves, in August of 1970, on a blind date, and they married three years later, Aug. 25, 1973 in Balboa Park.

Tom attended local elementary schools and graduated from Chula Vista High School (class of 1961). In high school, he was the photographer for the Spartan newspaper. He contributed a photo of President Dwight D. Eisenhower for the Senior Year Scroll.

Tom operated Money Realty at 355 Third Ave. in Chula Vista. His office in Downtown Chula Vista holds the longevity record in San Diego County for continuous location as a real estate sales office. The office was opened by his father Mark in 1944, when the company was called Mark H. Money & Associates. Previously, Mark had relocated the family from Wisconsin to work in San Diego as an aircraft mechanic.

In 1963, after his father’s passing, Tom, age 28 at the time, joined the family real estate business as a REALTOR® and maintained the same office address since then. Tom’s mother Jane served as broker for the real estate company.

In addition to his service to PSAR, Tom was active in the community as a volunteer with a number of service clubs, charities and community organizations. In the 1970s and 1980s, he served on the board of the Junior Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce. He later served on the boards of the Third Avenue Village Association (TAVA) and Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce. He also served as president of the Chula Vista Kiwanis Club. He also served on an advisory board for Scripps Health.

Tom’s passion was sailing. He served on a committee in 1976 to save the Star of India, and then later sailed on the world’s oldest active sailing ship as part of the crew. The Star of India, a full-rigged iron windjammer ship built in 1863, is moored along Harbor Drive in Downtown San Diego and operated by the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Tom also was instrumental in having the America’s Cup trophy on display at Harbor Days, a summertime community event now known as Chula Vista HarborFest.

Tom experienced a number of sailing adventures during his life. As a young man, one of his adventures consisted of hitchhiking around the world on sailboats. He started a three-part, two-year journey around the globe in Hawaii. “I was 22 years old and working in Honolulu at odd jobs when I met a guy sailing to Tahiti in French Polynesia in the South Pacific who needed a crew member,” said Tom in a 2015 interview. “Then, in Tahiti I met a guy sailing to Africa who also needed a crew member. Then, in Africa, I met a guy sailing to Newport, Rhode Island. So, I call it a round-the-world trip on a sailboat as a hitchhiker.”

In 1969, Tom joined a gold mining company that was dredging the Bering Sea, between Alaska and Russia, looking for gold. According to Tom, “We were off the coast of Nome and a big storm came in and created huge chunks of ice. Our boat was crushed by the ice and we walked ashore on the ice about a quarter mile. The whole town turned out in the middle of the night with sleds to help us get our gear off the boat before it sank.”

In 1970, Tom was member of the crew who sailed a 100-foot-long, square-rigged, iron windjammer ship (similar to the Star of India) from Tahiti to Sydney, Australia, to commemorate Captain James Cook’s discovery of Australia in 1770.

In 1991, at age 48, Tom sailed across the Pacific Ocean, 2,250 miles in 12-and-a-half days, from San Diego to Honolulu, with himself and National City resident John Walton, a member of the Walton family who founded Wal-Mart (John was a son of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton). A race was being held to raise money for Mercy Hospital and John Walton was building a new style of trimaran sailboats that were lightweight and fast (a trimaran is a multi-hull sail boat that comprises a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls, or floats, which are attached to the main hull with lateral beams).

According to Tom, “I went to John and asked him to sponsor me in this race. He kept asking me questions and then decided to go with me. We finished first by a day-and-a-half, but were declared to be in second place by 15 minutes because of our ship’s handicap. In some races, boats have handicaps just like golfers.” (John Walton passed away on June 27, 2005, in a private plane crash in Wyoming).

Tom is survived by his wife Sherry, two daughters, Courtney Money and Colleen Varnum and husband Matt, and two grandsons, Evan and Zach; sisters Susanna Money of San Diego and Roxanne Money Zunich and her husband John of Fresno. He was preceded in death by his parents Mark H. Money and Jane Milke Money.

Broker and longtime family friend Mayra Swanson recently took over the real estate business. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 24, at the San Diego Yacht Club 1011 Anchorage Lane, San Diego, 92106. To RSVP for the service, send an e-mail to Mayra at mayra@moneypropertyinc.com, or call her at 619-422-0177. His ashes will be scattered off the coast of Pt. Loma, the family said.

Topics: Brokers/Managers, Leadership

Happy Holidays: Your Role in Home Ownership

Posted by Jan Farley on Dec 21, 2018 12:44:46 PM
Jan FarleyBy Jan Farley, 2018 PSAR President

During this holiday time of year, I would like to take a moment to share with you some reflections about the importance of our Association and our real estate profession, as well as your role as a REALTOR® or affiliate member assisting people with their housing needs.

I am so proud to be part of an industry that is making such a difference in the lives of people. Our jobs in real estate play a vital part in improving our culture and society. Our efforts are commendable for a variety of reasons.

The importance of a home can never be underestimated. It’s the place where you hang your hat, is a link to the past and through its doors one walks into the future. Home is where the heart is, but it goes much deeper than that. No matter what place you call home, the very word strikes a chord deep inside each of us.

A home can be a gathering place, shelter and sanctuary, providing escape from the busyness and intrusiveness of the world. A comfortable home can be a tremendous source of strength and reassurance. A healthy home is a vital ingredient in the pursuit of a meaningful life. In seasons of war or peace, poverty or plenty, even social, geopolitical and economic upheaval, our homes remain central to the ties of family and community. Our homes are primary when we reflect on the past and create future memories that will last a lifetime. A home can mean sanctuary, a place where we can rest, relax, enjoy time with friends, learn, grown and just be. Our homes can say a lot about who we are and what we think is important in life. As we define home, we also define ourselves in relation to it.

Let me remind you that the real estate industry is closely tied to the civil and religious liberty our nation offers to all. Like the cornucopia on a kitchen table, the diversity seen in our homes and lifestyles are reflective of previous generations who came from many countries, cultures and creeds. Whenever our ancestors joined in fellowship in a celebration of expectation, it foreshadowed the dreams that we still share today of living together in our own homes in peace with respect and love for our neighbors and communities, and with heartfelt gratitude for the blessings of life. Humans have clearly evolved to be homebuilders, homemakers and home-nesters. Our homes are at the tip of the countless blessings we all enjoy in this great land.

Each of us, starting at our front porch, can be an instrument of goodwill to those we touch as we clasp the hand of friendship with our brothers and sisters in the larger family of humankind. This is why REALTORS® participating in the American dream of homeownership is so important to our nation. Home ownership is as vital as the guiding light of freedom.

Granted, the transaction process, with affordability and financing challenges, can be one of the most grueling experiences for ourselves and our clients. Struggles in life certainly shape us, building character. And, I admire every one of our PSAR members who work long hours, facing stress, exhaustion and strained relations on behalf of their clients. I admire your creativity, intuitive guidance, imagination, inspiration and perspiration.

But, after all the papers are signed and the escrow closes, when another happy family is handed the front-door keys, there’s an exhilarating rush of satisfaction and a “job-well-done” that we feel inside. There’s nothing quite like helping a family with their real estate transaction. They may see their home as their place to feel safe and invest their hopes, dreams and wishes as a foundation for their future. So, as we close out one year and begin a New Year, thanks for your support to PSAR and for your efforts in our industry. The past is a resource, but the future is where hope lives. Happy Holidays!

Topics: Leadership, Industry

Former PSAR President Joined Association at Age 19

Posted by Rick Griffin on Dec 7, 2018 3:58:04 PM

Wayne Ansley collage

This article is the latest in a series highlighting former PSAR presidents.

It was 1973. As a teenager growing up in Chula Vista, Wayne Ansley had long hair, a ponytail and played guitar and keyboard in a rock band. But, then, he realized he had to get a real job. His father Bill, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, was a real estate broker at the time and encouraged his son to get his real estate sales license.

“After I graduated from Anthony’s Real Estate School and received my sales license, my dad gave me $500 to go buy some business suits,” said Wayne. “Then, I joined what was then called the South San Diego Bay Cities Association of Realtors, which later became PSAR (in 1992). I was 19 years old, and I think I was the youngest member ever to have joined the Association, until someone who was 18 years old joined later.

“My first real estate deal in 1973 was selling a home on Agua Tibia Street in Chula Vista for $22,000. The sellers, an elderly couple, the Papes, took pity on me and trusted a young, new agent. On those days, the sales contract was a one-page, legal-size form and copies were made with carbon paper. Cell phones weren’t invented yet. If you had a pager, you were a hot-shot like a doctor.”

After his father Bill passed away at age 61 in 1983, and Wayne got his broker’s license and took over the family business. In 1991, he joined the PSAR board of directors. He also became a California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) Director in 1992, and attended many C.A.R. state conventions on behalf of PSAR. In the 1990s, Wayne served on many PSAR committees, including Community Relations, Grievance, Professional Standards, Government and Political Affairs and Building Operations. For two years, in 1994 and 1995, Wayne served as board VP. In 1996, he was elected as president-elect. In 1997, he served as president of PSAR.

As a member of the PSAR Building Committee in 1992, Wayne played a role in the relocation of the PSAR offices in Chula Vista from “L” Street to PSAR’s current headquarters, a 16,467-square-foot building at 880 Canarios Court.

Wayne estimates he has sold more than $100 million of property over his 45-year career. He remains today an active full-time broker. His diversified background in real estate has included residential sales, investment properties (including commercial, apartment and industrial sales and leasing), foreclosure short sales and full-service property management. He also has developed and built several apartment buildings, houses and a condo project.

“While previewing or showing properties, I have set-off alarms, broken keys in locksets, accidentally let out dogs and cats and, one time, walked into a master bedroom where a naked lady was in the shower. She screamed at the top of her lungs,” said Wayne.

“As a young agent, I had a string of bad luck with several unreliable cars. I had a Mercury Capri sports car with a broken passenger seat that was propped up with a piece of wood. I picked up a buyer from Japan who had a camera hung around his neck. I hit a bump in the road and the piece of wood came loose and the buyer went flat on his back and got hit in the head by his camera.

“Then, I bought a Ford Pinto for $300. I was showing property to a Naval officer wearing his dress whites uniform. On the freeway, the front end started shaking at 40 miles per hour and then rusty water from the heater leaked on his white pants. He actually bought the house I showed him and later he told me, `Wayne, the first thing I want you to do with your commission check is to go buy a new car.’”

Over the years, Wayne said his other cars have included an Oldsmobile Delta 88 and a Cadillac Sedan Deville. He then purchased his dream car, a BMW 740 I-L.

Wayne is especially proud of his contributions as a member of the Pilgrim Lutheran Church. As a volunteer, he donated more than 3,000 hours over the past year-and-a-half and helped the church sell its previous three-acre property at 497 “E” St. for $5.5 million (escrow closed in August). The church has since merged with their sister church located on a larger 8.5-acre site at 810 Buena Vista Way to become the Victory Lutheran Church and Christian Academy. “It was the most difficult transaction I ever had, but also the most gratifying because I was able to give back to the Lord in gratitude of 45 years of success,” he said. Construction recently began on their new church project.

Topics: Leadership, Industry

2019 Installation Dinner was inspirational, entertaining

Posted by Rick Griffin on Nov 16, 2018 3:45:47 PM
Robert Calloway Installation It was an inspirational, wonderful and unforgettable evening. More than 255 people gathered at the Admiral Kidd Conference Center on Harbor Island for PSAR’s 2019 Officers and Directors Installation Dinner. Held Friday, Nov. 9, this year’s installation event was at an exclusive venue, the Admiral Kidd Conference Center located on military property on Naval Base Point Loma. The views of the San Diego Bay and downtown skyline were stunning.

The installation celebrated success in the PSAR REALTOR® community with REALTORS committed to serving in the industry. The program featured the swearing in of the 2019 PSAR board of directors, including Robert Calloway as 2019 PSAR president.

In his message to the members, Calloway stated the following:

“The 2019 theme for PSAR is Salute to Service. On Jan. 20, 1961, it was a cold day in Washington, D.C. for President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration. There, Mr. Kennedy spoke his famous words: `And so, my fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.’ He then continued by addressing his international audience: `My fellow citizens of the world: Ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.’ It was a call to action for the public to do what is right for the greater good. President Kennedy called on all Americans to commit themselves to service and sacrifice.

“Today, I am calling on all PSAR members to do the same. Let me encourage you to get involved by volunteering and serving on a PSAR committee or on the board of directors. Don’t just show-up, volunteer. Find your passions, utilize your strengths, be a participant, not just an observer, and you will get more out of PSAR. You will develop your skills, advance your career and the experience will be rewarding to you both personally and professionally. While no one is capable of doing everything, everyone is capable of doing something. However, all of us can extend the reach of PSAR by building relationships and spreading the word about the many benefits PSAR offers.”

Joining Robert on the PSAR board of directors during the 2019 calendar year beginning Jan 1, 2019, will be: Robert Cromer as president-elect, Sam Calvano as secretary-treasurer and Jan Farley as immediate past president. Other REALTOR® members also serving on the 2019 board will include: Mike Anderson, Yvonne Cromer, Carey Guthrie, Shonee Henry, Sean Hillier, Robert Kilbourne, Jason Lopez, Dennis Ryan, Norma Scantlin and Ditas Yamane. Also serving on the board will be Tony Santiago as an affiliate director.

Also announced at the installation were recipients of special awards, including:
  • Laurie MacDonald, East County Realtor of the Year;
  • Sarah Heck, South County Realtor of the Year;
  • Robert Hillard, East County Affiliate of the Year;
  • Juanita Adame, South County Affiliate of the Year;
  • Nikki Coppa, East County Broker-Office Manager of the Year;
  • Max Zaker, South County Broker-Office Manager of the Year.
Jan Farley presented four Presidential Awards of Appreciation. Recipients included: Shun Wakita and Aaron Kerper for their services as a Sandicor Director; Anthony Andaya and Sarah Heck for their service on the PSAR Legal Taskforce.

Special guest speaker Sammy Lee Davis drew several standing ovations at the installation. Davis served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was awarded the nation’s highest military medal for valor, the Medal of Honor. As Private First Class Davis, he told an emotional first-person story of a nightlong mortar firefight at Cai Lay in Vietnam as experienced by his Battery C group. His entertaining performance of “Oh Shenandoah” on his harmonica was breathtaking. Mr. Davis certainly made this year’s Veterans Day Weekend very memorable.

In his message to the member, PSAR CEO Rich D’Ascoli stated: “While many question the viability of REALTOR® associations, PSAR is continuing to get stronger. We remain committed to our collaborative relationships with other local associations, such as NSDCAR, C.A.R., NAR, as well as, most recently, as a member of the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS.) Together, REALTORS® are thriving because our associations are the glue that both holds the industry together and the fuel which powers our members for success.

“While REALTORS® may operate in an extremely competitive business arena, we come together through our associations and the MLS to create a marketplace that directly benefits consumers. As an industry, we don’t give ourselves enough credit. Because of REALTORS®, the MLS creates a transparent marketplace that provides consumers with choices and information which helps them to make sound financial decisions. Residential buyers and sellers are making the largest investment decisions of their lifetime. Without REALTORS®, we wouldn’t have the MLS marketplace or the market transparency that exists today.”

Topics: Education, Events, Leadership

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Posted by Joyce Evans on Oct 17, 2018 3:12:57 PM

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Topics: Education, Brokers/Managers, Leadership, CRMLS

Best Practices: 5 Leadership Traits for Successful Brokers

Posted by Rick Griffin on Oct 12, 2018 2:44:51 PM
REALTOR Joe GarzanelliHere is the latest in a series of occasional articles on “Best Practices” from PSAR members.

By PSAR Broker & REALTOR® Joe Garzanelli

Brokers are wired for achievement. But, it’s not easy being a broker. We get busy. We get overwhelmed. And we can need to constantly remember to keep the main thing the main thing.

No broker wants to be seen as a “flash-in-the-pan,” short-timer with lots of fanfare that soon fizzles. However, only over time, the true value of a broker as a leader can be made clear.

I’ve been a broker for more than 40 years, and I’ve been in real estate for 50 years. So, what would I consider as important leadership traits for successful brokers and all other real estate professionals? Here are a few traits I’ve learned along the way:
  • Brokers are continual learners.
    The world is always evolving. Because of technology, things are changing fast. And, what makes a successful broker today will not keep him or her as a successful broker tomorrow. So, the most successful brokers are consistent learners. Learning is the lifestyle of leadership. They never rest on their laurels; rather, they are continually getting smarter and updating their skills. The moment you stop learning is when you stop leading. The moment you think you know it all you’re dead in the water. The cliché is true that you either make dust or you’ll eat dust.
  • A broker’s work ethic is on display.
    Everyone in the brokerage can clearly see a successful broker’s strong work ethic. They are willing to do whatever is necessary to get the job done. While others live to avoid pain, a successful broker will do the things others are unwilling to do. And, hard work is the foundation of their success. They are never satisfied because there’s always something they can do better. Plus, they learn the entire business, not just their position.
  • Resilience and persistence is a broker’s middle names.
    The most successful brokers are leaders who have persisted in their profession long after others would have given up. Resilience is the ability to bounce back and recover from loss, failure, stress or disappointment. It’s the ability to keep going. The best brokers understand that success is sometimes three steps forward and two steps backwards. Nobody goes through life with an unbroken chain of successes. Everybody has failures and mistakes. We all embarrass ourselves. We all have pain. We all have problems. We all have pressures. But, the people who make it in life have endurance, resilience and persistence.
  • The best brokers surround themselves with excellence.
    The best brokers are transparent and willing to be open about their strengths and weaknesses. They know how to prioritize their activities and play to their own strengths to achieve maximum results. Plus, they’re not afraid to seek assistance because everyone has something to contribute. They’re smart enough to realize that you can’t become the best version of yourself without a little help along the way. They never claim to have it all together in every area. So, they recruit to their team both talented younger people and veteran professionals who add different perspectives and help the overall organization. The perspective of those who see the world differently can add something indispensable to your brokerage.
  • The best brokers are humble leaders.
    Successful brokers experience trials, endure failures and know what it’s like to be last and hungry. In those times, they learn humility and accept the fact that earning respect is a process. So, when their moment of breakout leadership eventually arrives, they accept the rewards of recognition with humility and gratitude, not pride. They enjoy sharing the credit.

Topics: Brokers/Managers, Leadership