Brian Dolan

One of the most inspiring people Aurora-area REALTOR® Brian Dolan has ever met was the late Marie Wilkinson of Aurora. Described as a social activist and credited with helping Illinois pass the state’s first Fair Housing Ordinance in 1968, Wilkinson also dedicated her life to helping the less fortunate and her accomplishments on their behalf were numerous.

As fate would have it, Dolan held a property listing for the building that would house the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry. That eventually led Wilkinson to invite Dolan to help the pantry, and 15 years later, he’s still serving on its board of directors.

“Over the years, we have been involved with numerous charitable organizations in town,” says Dolan, a principal at Dolan and Murphy, Inc. “We’ve sponsored Aurora Boys Baseball and Fast-Pitch Softball and we’ve sponsored the traveling fast-pitch softball team named the Dolan & Murphy Shamrocks (formerly known as the Sealmasters of Aurora). My brother Danny (REALTOR® Daniel T. Dolan) has been very involved with the Annual Holiday Food Drive that benefits the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry. But the charity I’ve been most involved with is the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry.” Read more about Wilkinson.

Although the organization has much activity this time of year, Dolan says his involvement is year-round, as is the need to help the hungry in Aurora. He says it is rewarding to help the pantry and he is energized by many of the volunteers. But the most satisfying aspect of his involvement is when people who once sought help at the pantry return to tell stories of their own successes and to help others.

Dolan began his real estate career in 1977, earned his CCIM designation is 1988 and has specialized in industrial, commercial and investment real estate.

He was initially a member of the Aurora Board of REALTORS® and the Northern Illinois Commercial Association of REALTORS® (NICAR).  He served eight years on the NICAR Board of Directors and four years as chair of the Sponsorship Committee. With Illinois REALTORS®, he served on the Commercial Industrial Investment Committee in 2013 and 2015. Served on Public Policy and Governmental Affairs Major Investment Group in 2013.

He’s also a principal in Dolan and Murphy Management, LLC, which manages nearly 1 million square feet of retail, office and industrial properties for more than 15 years. He’s been involved in more than $30 million in real estate transactions over the course of his career.

Read the Illinois REALTORS® blog for weekly stories about the community involvement of Illinois REALTORS® during the association’s 100th anniversary year. If you have an idea for a REALTOR® to highlight with an article, please send it to: [email protected]. To read more stories like this one, go to: https://www.illinoisrealtors.org/membermonday #MemberMonday #IAR100yearsstrong