Gobber has been in real estate since 1999 and is the designated managing broker and partner of Century 21 Affiliated in Westchester with 45 agents.

He grew up in the area and his family’s roots run deep; his grandfather was a carpenter for a construction company and helped build many of the homes in town. Gobber graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree in operations management and worked in the corporate world as an auditor, but real estate soon beckoned.

He went to work at his uncle’s Century 21 office and found that he was drawn to real estate’s entrepreneurial spirit.

“The harder you work, the smarter you work, the more you get out of it. That’s what led me to it,” he says. But what also appealed to him is the chance to change people’s lives with the transaction.

“Whether they’re buying their first home, their first commercial space to open up their own business or buying an investment property and starting down that road, everyone’s story is a little different but each of those are the American Dream for someone,” he said.

It wasn’t until Gobber had been working in real estate for more than eight years that he got interested in getting involved in his local association. He participated in an arbitration hearing and that piqued his interest to get more involved in professional standards.

He credits Association Executives (AEs) at Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS^® over the years – Pam Kreiter, Margery Shinners and John Gormley – with encouraging and guiding him to pursue leadership positions first at the local level and now at the state association level.

Industry colleagues would tap him to think about serving on a committee or urge him to get involved and now he hopes to do the same for others.

Gobber still remembers the impression past NAR President and instructor Ron Phipps made on him during a CIPS course. Like the best leaders, Phipps knew how to connect and inspire people. And he was an excellent communicator who listened and made everyone feel special, Gobber says.

There have been many colleagues who have been role models in terms of leadership. Two that come to mind are past Illinois REALTORS^® Presidents Loretta Alonzo-Deubel and Michael D. Oldenettel. Both are good examples of caring, empathetic leaders.

“They’re well-spoken. They care. They listen and they are not too big for their job,” he says. “They both lead by example.”

Gobber says there are five characteristics that he believes define a good leader:

1. Be a good communicator and an active listener.
2. Be humble and know that you are working for the greater good.
3. Be empathetic and considerate of other people’s perspectives.
4. Have emotional intelligence and be self-aware and in control of your emotions.
5. Be enthusiastic because when leaders are charismatic and passionate about something it is contagious.

During his term as president, Gobber plans to visit all of the local REALTOR^® associations around the state. It is important to continue to build connections with local leaders.

“The state and national associations are a wealth of resources and as a state leader, I want to strengthen the bridge between all three levels of our REALTOR^® family by visiting with all our local leaders throughout the year,” he has said.

“We see our responsibility as state leaders to provide as much encouragement to local volunteers to engage with their REALTOR^® associations at every level and to work on strengthening partnerships and serving one another.”

One way to grow more industry leaders at the local level is to share all of the opportunities they might not be aware of, Gobber says. If someone seems like a good fit for a committee, urge them to get involved. If someone is politically minded, let them know more about the REALTORS^® Political Action Committee (RPAC) or the State Legislative Contact program.

Gobber is a graduate of both the Illinois REALTORS^® Leadership Program and the National Association of REALTORS^® Leadership Academy. He encourages more REALTORS^® to apply.

Even if you don’t have the desire to go up the leadership ranks at the local, state or national REALTOR^® association levels, building your leadership skills helps in many ways.

It can help managing brokers and agents become better leaders in the office. But the benefits of improving your leadership also extend to personal life, from your family to clubs and community organizations you belong to, says Gobber. Everything you learn in your leadership journey translates to wider success.

“You just become a leader in your life,” he says.