On the morning of Thursday, July 25, McColly Real Estate hosted its annual Awards & Recognition Celebration at the Innsbrook Country Club in Merrillville. Although this event is always a special one for the company, this year’s installment was particularly significant. This year, attendees also celebrated McColly Real Estate’s 50th anniversary.
McColly Real Estate brokers, management, corporate staff and Community Title Company employees, were in attendance. Delicious breakfast foods including bacon, waffles, quiches, pastries and scrambled eggs were served.
Founded by Ronald McColly in 1974, the family-owned and operated company is now the largest independent residential real estate firm in Northwest Indiana and the Chicago Southland and Central Illinois areas. Rhonda McColly-Fleener, director of operations at McColly Real Estate, chooses the theme of each Awards & Recognition Celebration. For this year’s celebration, titled “From Foundations to Skylines: A Global Journey of Excellence Since 1974,” McColly-Fleener played off of McColly Real Estate’s affiliation with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World “We’re Local. We’re Global” by decorating the venue with globes, atlases, and similar imagery.
“I believe that this is a great location to celebrate our 50th anniversary,” McColly-Fleener said. “After all, our roots are right here in Northwest Indiana. This company was established when I was nine years old and I've worked here full-time for 37 years, so it's been pretty cool to see it develop. I don't think that we have a lot of businesses in this area that have been around for 50 years. I think our staying power is due in part to our company’s ability to adapt to the new technologies that have emerged in the last half-century. I think it’s important for the community to see that we're here to serve and that we don’t plan on going anywhere. The people we work with are amazing and I’m really looking forward to seeing how we continue to grow.”
Ron McColly took to the podium to reflect on the company’s history and share some of the strategies he has learned during his time in the real estate industry. Agents being recognized for their outstanding achievements and service awards then came up to the front of the room to receive their award and pose for a photo.
Kathie Dinga, broker at McColly Real Estate, was presented with the 2023 President’s Club award at the event. She also received an award for her 30 years of service. Dinga has greatly enjoyed her time at McColly and has no desire to partner with anyone else.
“The best of the best are here at this company,” Dinga said. “We serve community members and have forged many connections with them. This event gives us an opportunity to celebrate all that we’ve been doing. McColly Real Estate is the largest and, in my opinion, the best real estate company in Northwest Indiana. We've been here for a very long time and have always had a good reputation. It's truly been a great company to work for. I've been asked many times to work at other companies and I ask ‘Why would I leave?’”
Edie Cothran, realtor at McColly Real Estate and another 2023 President’s Club recipient, is pleased to attend yet another Awards & Recognition celebration.
“I hope everyone here today walks away feeling proud that they’re a realtor and that they're part of McColly Real Estate. I also hope they are motivated to go out and help people achieve their dreams of buying and selling homes. I would encourage up-and-coming real estate agents to remember that it takes awhile to gain traction, so don’t get discouraged. Try and make friends with as many people as possible and don't burn any bridges because you may cross paths years later. Personally, I feel good about my work and I look forward to conducting many more transactions and making our customers happy” Cothran said.
You can learn more about McColly’s services, exclusive listings, and real estate brokers information by visiting mccolly.com.