Reba Mossman is a real estate agent with Watson’s Arlington office and the 2002 president of the Jacksonville Women’s Council of Realtors.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AS PRESIDENT?
“To increase our membership, focus on retention of current members, to have good educational programs and to promote the Leadership Training Graduate designation. I would also like to see more teamwork with everyone working together. I want to listen to what the members want from me because I represent the local chapter. They have to tell me what they want me to improve.”
HOW DID YOU GET PICKED AS PRESIDENT?
“Sharon Pickett of the nominating committee called me and asked me to be president. She asked me to think about it and talk it over with my husband. He said he would stand behind me if I decided to do it. So, when the nominating committee called, I said ‘Yes’.”
WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE AS PRESIDENT?
“It’s going to be a lot of work. It’s going to require a lot of involvement and it was for all this year.”
WHAT DID YOU DO AS PRESIDENT-ELECT?
“I traveled a lot this year and went to every convention from January until October. I started off with the mid-winter meeting in Miami. That’s when I went with past WCR district vice presidents Ann Clark and Betty Turner and they helped me plan my trip. They helped me a lot. I really didn’t understand anything about WCR on the larger scale, but it is a whole different world on the state and national level. I went in from knowing nothing to really growing a lot. Everyone has commented on how I have grown over the last year.”
TELL ME ABOUT THE STATE AND NATIONAL WCR
“People on the local level don’t understand the impact that the state and national level have. They have strong women, leadership, knowledge, education and professionalism. These are some serious women.”
HOW WILL SHE USE HER POSITION TO HELP LOCAL WCR MEMBERS?
She is going to try to express how important it is to go to the state and national conventions. “It will help any woman in any walk of life. Anything you can learn will help you.”
HOW HAS WCR CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?
“They have created more interesting and educational programs. There is also more information in the newsletters.”
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A REAL ESTATE AGENT?
Since 1995. “I wanted a career change. I received the little cards from Claudette Struck, the manager of this office, that asked if I wanted a career in real estate. I just thought about it and then I got a card the next year, so I came over and talked with Claudette. She brought me into a room and had me fill out all this paperwork before I had even attended real estate school, because she wanted me to be in this office.”
WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE REAL ESTATE?
She has been a cosmetologist since 1983 and still cuts hair today. ”Claudette said that anyone who could please people with their hair had special talent.”
FAVORITE THING ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“Getting the opportunity to meet people and to make their dreams come true.”
LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“The uncertainty of your hours. You really don’t have set hours.”
WHAT AREA DOES SHE WORK?
Her farm area is Arlington, but she works all over Jacksonville.
SPECIALITY
Residential real estate.
BIRTHPLACE?
Huntington, W. Va.
MOVED TO JACKSONVILLE?
In 1988 when her husband got a job with the Jacksonville sheriff’s office.
RESIDES
Arlington.
FAMILY
She is married to Ray and has two children; Greg, 33, and Jason, 27.
HOBBIES
Working in the yard gardening, playing with her dogs Codi and Coogan and her cat Elvis. She also enjoys taking walks outdoors and going for long drives.
FAVORITES
Her favorite book is “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell. She jokes that she is “backwards” because she is from West Virginia, but that is still her favorite place to visit because she still has family there. This time of year, she likes to watch, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” When relaxing at home in the evening, she enjoys tuning into “Law and Order” and “The Golden Girls” and when dining out she enjoys Longhorn Steak House.
ADVICE SHE WOULD GIVE TO PEOPLE INTERESTED IN GETTING INTO REAL ESTATE?
“Don’t go in with the idea that it is really easy and that you are going to make a lot of money. Real estate will provide one with many opportunities and if you can stay in it long enough and build your business and not get discouraged, then one can make it.”
—by Michele Newbern Gillis