Chicago-area REALTOR® Tommy Choi is heading toward a new challenge the same way he always done – with a positive attitude.

“I’ve been in this business for 11 years, but I can tell you every year I’ve been in it I’ve felt like a success in some way,” said Choi, who’s one of six nominees for six positions on the Illinois REALTORS® Board of Directors.  “Successful closings are one kind of success. When I started getting recognized by our local association as a top-producing agent, I felt like I was a success then, too.

“Another measure was taking on new responsibilities at our local association. Then there was becoming an RPAC Major Investor and contributing at the Golden R level,” he said with an eye toward constant improvement. “But I tend to be better tomorrow than I was today.”

Experiences to build on

Choi figures to have very little downtime as he waits for the current board to officially approve the nominees at the Fall Business Meetings Oct. 3 and 4 in Lombard.

That’s because the co-owner of Keller-Williams Chicago-Lincoln Park is president and a member of the board of directors for the Chicago Association of REALTORS® (CAR) and he serves on several committees for the National Association of REALTORS®, including vice chair of its Young Professionals Network Advisory Board. He also serves as the Illinois REALTORS® state legislative contact for state Rep. Greg Harris of Chicago. Choi says his experiences as a REALTOR® have been so overwhelmingly positive that they’ve inspired him to get more involved.

“I applied to the Illinois REALTORS® Board of Directors because I see myself as a servant leader and because this industry has been so generous to me and my family,” he says. “I want to do my part to protect the industry for the future and to create policy that would protect private property rights.

“What prepared me for serving on the board were my positive experiences and my gratitude for what the industry has provided my family,” says Choi. “Another part was my involvement with our local association.

“I’d never had interest in politics until I got involved with our local association and I saw how much influence our Government Affairs Directors have. Whether it’s with capital investments in RPAC or sweat equity, we can really make a difference and make our voices heard.”

Family influence

“I’m a first-generation REALTOR® but my inspiration comes from my grandfather, who emigrated from South Korea in the 70s. He worked very hard to own his own home,” Choi says. “He instilled in me that home ownership is not a right, it is a privilege. You have to work hard to achieve it.”

With so many roles to fulfill, the husband and father of three daughters is asked if he can still make a difference. “Yes, I do think I can make a difference, in many ways,” he says. “I feel I make a difference whether I speak in front of a group, meet with someone who’s considering a career change, volunteer my time for a local charity or talk to an elected official. At this point in my career, my eyes are open to many different possibilities.”

Other nominees for the 2019 Board of Directors include: Maurice Hampton, Nykea Pippion McGriff, Zeke Morris, Karen Robertson and Sarah Ware.