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Minneapolis, MN (May 24, 2021)—HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, today announced that Christy Budnick, president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty, has been named chief executive officer of HSF Affiliates, which operates and manages the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Real Living Real Estate real estate brokerage franchise networks. Budnick was also named CEO of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network. Budnick replaces Chris Stuart who has departed the organization to pursue other opportunities. 

“I am pleased to welcome Christy as CEO of HSF Affiliates,” said Gino Blefari, chairman of HSF Affiliates and president and CEO of HomeServices of America. “She is a strong, charismatic and decisive leader who has done an excellent job gaining the trust of both her agents and their buyers and sellers.  She brings a tremendous amount of experience, integrity and innovation and I am confident that she will take Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Real Living to new levels of success.”

As CEO of HSF Affiliates, Budnick will oversee both the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Real Living Real Estate franchise networks. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is one of the world’s fastest-growing residential real estate brokerage franchise networks, with more than 50,000 real estate professionals and nearly 1,500 offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, and the Middle East. In 2020, the network associates facilitated more than $138 billion in real estate sales volume. Real Living Real Estate is a full-service real estate brokerage franchise company with a comprehensive suite of resources for franchisees and sales professionals, as well as for consumers who work with them. In 2016 and 2017, Real  Living Real Estate was named “Real Estate Agency Brand of the Year” in the ongoing Harris Poll EquiTrend® study; and was named “Most Loved” and “Most Trusted” real estate brand in the study in consecutive years.

Most recently, Budnick served as president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty, one of the most respected real estate firms throughout Northeast Florida. “I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead HSF Affiliates and its brands, said Budnick. “The Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Real Living owners and managers are extraordinary operators and their teams of agents are among the most experienced, productive and talented in the business. With the guidance and support of Gino Blefari, I am looking forward to growing our brands and continuing to help position our affiliates for even greater success.”

Budnick brings a unique perspective that combines knowledge and experience in brokerage management and operations to her new role. She began her career working for Bank of America as its vice president of sales and leadership training. She joined Florida Network Realty in 2002 as manager of the Beaches branch office and was promoted to executive vice president of residential real estate before transitioning to president and CEO in 2018. Budnick led the company to new levels of success by creating a one-stop shopping environment for residential real estate clients, offering the core services needed to buy, sell, or finance a home.  Under her leadership, the company has experienced year-over-year growth and with a team of more than 475 real estate professionals in nine offices throughout Northeast Florida, the company achieved more than $1.44 billion in closed sales in 2020 and ranks as one of the Top 25 companies in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network.

Budnick’s leadership extends to numerous industries, as well as civic and charitable organizations. She is a board member of Dreams Come True, a Jacksonville nonprofit organization dedicated to fulfilling the dreams of children battling life-threatening illnesses, serving as President of its 2019-2020 Board of Directors. Budnick is a member of the JAX Chamber and the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors and is a supporter of The Donna Foundation and the Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville. In 2019, Budnick was recognized as a Women of Influence honoree by the Jacksonville Business Journal. Budnick is listed in the 2021 Swanepoel Power 200 ranking the 200 most powerful and influential executives and leaders in the residential real estate brokerage industry.

“The future of HSF Affiliates couldn’t be brighter,” concluded Blefari. “Christy’s unmatched experience and fresh perspective combined with her outstanding leadership skills make her the perfect person to grow our networks and help our affiliates take their businesses to new heights.”

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About HSF Affiliates LLC

Irvine, CA-based HSF Affiliates LLC operates the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Real Living Real Estate brokerage networks. The company is a subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., the nation’s largest, full-service residential brokerage firm and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. affiliate. Visit www.hsfaffiliates.com.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Irvine, CA-based Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is one of America’s fastest-growing real estate brokerage networks with nearly 50,000 agents and 1,400+ offices named to the brand since its launch in September 2013. The brand was recognized as “Real Estate Agency Brand of Year” and “Most Trusted Real Estate Brand” in the 2018 Harris Poll EquiTrend Study; and for “Highest Satisfaction Among Repeat Home Buyers Among National Full Service Real Estate Firms” in J.D. Power’s 2018 Home Buyer/Seller Satisfaction Study^SM. Visit www.berkshirehathawayhs.com.

About Real Living Real Estate

Real Living Real Estate is a full-service real estate brokerage franchise company with a comprehensive and integrated suite of resources for franchisees and their sales professionals, as well as for consumers who work with them. Visit www.realliving.com.

About HomeServices of America

HomeServices of America, through its operating companies, is the nation’s largest residential real estate company based on closed transactions and is the country’s premier provider of homeownership services, including brokerage, mortgage, franchising, settlement, insurance, and relocation services. HomeServices of America is the owner of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Real Living Real Estate residential real estate franchise networks. HomeServices is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a consolidated subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. For more information visit www.homeservices.com. 

(EVERYWHERE, OK – May 18, 2021) In historic news for the Ebby Halliday Companies, President & CEO Chris Kelly announced that the first agent has been hired for the first Ebby Halliday office outside of Texas. Stan Gardner, an established real estate professional in Owasso, OK, near Tulsa, will carry this unique distinction into his new role. 

“Stan is a highly respected agent and member of the community,” Kelly says, “with qualities that dovetail nicely with our mission of ‘People First. Lasting Relationships. Elevating Real Estate.’ He has proven a visionary and entrepreneur in his career decisions thus far, so becoming our first resident Oklahoma agent seems to be a natural progression of that.”

The Ebby Halliday Companies first expanded into Oklahoma in October 2020 with a virtual presence. Since that time, more than a dozen Ebby Halliday agents have become dual licensed in both states. 

Sherry Smith, who currently manages Ebby offices in Sherman and Whitesboro near the Texas/Oklahoma border, has been appointed as the Oklahoma office’s first sales leader. 

About Gardner’s hiring, Smith says, “As we cross the Red River and begin building rapport with our neighbors to the north, it was crucial to bring someone onboard who could help us lay a firm foundation there. From Stan’s military service to his successful business ventures to his work with local Eagle Scouts, he invests himself wholeheartedly in whatever he does. We are excited to watch him do that in this case as well.”

Originally from Boston, Gardner attended Norwich University, a Military Academy in Vermont. He started a stainless-steel pipe business from the ground up at the age of 30 and was also the No. 1 recommended service distributor to the pulp and paper industry in the Northeast for 20 years. Outside of work, Stan has served as a local Scoutmaster with Boy Scouts, helping over 30 young men become Eagle Scouts. He once started a Boy Scout troop in an urban Tulsa neighborhood and promoted three Eagle Scouts from it, which was a first in the history of a HUD Housing Development.

His diverse background has provided Gardner the opportunity to work with professional men and women, city council members and people from all walks of life – the perfect segue to his career in real estate.

Once licensed, it didn’t take long for Gardner and his team to become No. 1 in sales production in Owasso. 

“My specialty is selling custom homes and working with developments,” Gardner says. “I have been one of the Top 25 Realtors in Tulsa for the past 10 years and am the No. 1 luxury Realtor in Stone Canyon in Owasso. My clients say that I’m the hardest-working Realtor they know. ‘Like a dog with a bone, finds it and moves it!’ I’m excited to work hard at growing the Ebby Halliday brand in Oklahoma.” 

Stan is a USMC Vietnam Veteran and lives with his wife, Maria, whom he enjoys traveling with all over the country. 

Stan Gardner can be reached at 918-430-8247 or stangardner@ebby.com.

For more information about Ebby’s Oklahoma office, contact Sherry Smith at 903-893-5921 or sherrysmith@ebby.com.

About the Ebby Halliday Companies

Having celebrated 75 years of service to North Texans and those moving to the region in 2020, the Ebby Halliday Companies are No. 1 in Texas by sales volume. The Ebby Halliday Companies were acquired in 2018 by HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, which is the country’s largest residential real estate company based on transactions. The Ebby Halliday Companies’ core-services brands include Prosperity Home Mortgage, Home Team Insurance, Texas Premier Title and HSTX Title. For more information, visit ebby.com. 

CUPERTINO, Calif. (May 13, 2021) — Intero^®, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and wholly owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., today announced the launch of HomeServices Insurance Agency within the company’s real estate services network. The HomeServices Insurance Agency announcement comes on the heels of the company’s other core real estate services that include partnerships with Prosperity Home Mortgage LLC and Orange Coast Title Company.

“Our mission at Intero is to provide customers with all their real estate services under one roof,” said Brian Crane, co-founder and CEO of Intero. “Insurance is key to completing that mission and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with HomeServices Insurance Agency to provide the best products and services available in the marketplace.”

In conjunction with the HomeServices Insurance Agency announcement, Intero is also proud to announce that Jyotirmoy “Jay” Bhattacharya will become the first insurance agent servicing Intero clients. Mr. Bhattacharya comes to HomeServices Insurance Agency with a wide array of experience from such insurance brands at AAA, Allstate, Geico and State Farm. In 2015, Mr. Bhattacharya made the switch from an engineering and technical background to the insurance industry. He has established himself as a top-tier insurance agent and has won several service awards for his sales excellence.

“We are excited to partner with Intero to offer their clients the best insurance products available with a level of service unsurpassed in the industry,” said Christopher Rosati, president and CEO of HomeServices Insurance, Inc. “We are thrilled to have Jay join the HomeServices Insurance Agency team. We are confident that with his experience and his dedication to the client, he will play a pivotal role in the success of HomeServices Insurance Agency within the Intero network.”

“Delivering insurance services is key to rounding out the core offering that Intero provides to their clients,” said Gino Blefari, CEO of HomeServices of America, the parent company to Intero, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. “I can’t think of a better partnership than Intero and HomeServices Insurance Agency. Both companies are dedicated to providing top-of-the-line service to their clients and working tirelessly to make sure that every customer walks away with a smile on their face.”

About the Intero Brand:

Intero, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and wholly owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America Inc., serves Northern California and Nevada with 23 offices throughout the greater Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Calaveras County, Western Nevada and the Greater Lake Tahoe Region. The Intero Franchise network is comprised of 38 affiliates located in Alabama, California, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas. The company is headquartered in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley.

Find more information about Intero at www.intero.com. Find more information about HomeServices of America at www.homeservices.com.

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