Industry Leaders Joining Coldwell Banker

Over the past several months Coldwell Banker has been adding agents who not only boast enviable sales records, but are also active on the public service side of the industry.

In March, the Pressley + Matthews team of Taylor Walcik and Sid Thom joined the firm. According to Walcik, they are now in a really good place and busier than they have ever been.

“We really like the personal aspect of the business,” Walcik said. “We market to our sphere of influence and probably 90 percent of our business is referral based.”

Walcik has been the business for over a decade and focuses primarily on projects within the city.  Thom has been in real estate for 14 years and specializes in the suburbs.  

In addition to their day-to-day jobs, they are both doing their part to try to make things better for both other real estate professionals and homeowners. Walcik currently serves as MetroTex Association of Realtors Secretary-Treasurer.  He’s been chosen as the organization’s president for 2022. He’s also involved in multiple political action committees whose goals are to promote policies that are good for the industry and consumers.

Thom is a MetroTex Director.  He’s also a Region 12 VP for Texas Realtor and has served as an NAR director for three years.

“I feel it’s really important to give back to the industry that’s given to you and allows you to be successful,” Thom said. “For me, it’s kind of a servant’s heart mentality.” 

Working with people who share a similar mentality was important to them when choosing a new brokerage.  One of those people is Hanne Sagalowsky who joined Coldwell Banker in 2018. She is a past Metrotex president and has been active in the National Association of Realtors leadership. Much of her focus over the past 15 years has been on global real estate. As she sees it, getting involved in issues related to the industry makes agents better at their jobs.

“It makes it a lot easier to see what’s happing in the industry and better informed about what’s going on,” she said. “I love working with people who are committed to the industry and believe in the importance of giving back.”

Last week, future Texas Realtors Chairman of the Board Russell Berry brought his newly formed team to Coldwell Banker. In addition to his two decades in the industry, he’s chaired the Public Policy Oversight Committee and been active in the American Heart Association, Dwell with Dignity and Easter Seals.

This move to Coldwell Banker also marks his returns to sales after seven years in management. He says it was simply the right time to make the move. Over the past several months he’d been looking for a home that had great tools, support and office culture. So far everything has been just as he’d hoped. He hopes to expand this team from four to six by the ender of the year.  After that, who knows.

“The team that we put together is pretty high-powered,” he says. “We are planning to be a top team in DFW.  No holds bar- we are going to rule the world.

Berry’s team will be known as the N-House Team.  It includes Steward Kipness, Michelle Walker, and Travis Lee Moore, who will also be a MetroTex Director in 2021 as well as the MLS chair.

This is the first time that Moore has worked in a team environment.  He met Berry when he began his real estate career six years ago and considers him a great friend and counterpart. The move to Coldwell Banker is something he has been pondering for over a year. He said it’s a great fit, and he’s especially fond of their marketing and technology support.

Moore’s company bio describes him as a “sincere, trusted, genuine native Texan with a great bedside manner.”  Being a native Texas is something he is particularly proud of.  He’s been in Dallas since 1984 and lived Oak Lawn and Deep Ellum before settling in South Oak Cliff. He’s active in the community and knows the area like the back of his hand.  He will and to on the Metrotex board of directors next year and serve as the MLS chair.

“I’m just drawn to that leadership stuff because I feel like you need to give back because this industry is so supportive,” he said.  

Both Moore and Walcik cite Branch Manager Linda Callicutt as a major reason why they came to Coldwell Banker. She has also served as a MetroTex president and believes that involvement in the industry gives them access to information and resources that can really benefit both the industry and clients. She says its’ server leadership, and when you have good agents that are servant leaders too, they will be even better as serving their clients.

“It’s unusual to have that many leaders in one pocket,” she said. “There’s a lot of energy and I’m really excited to bring that energy and professionalism.”