Stories by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Andie Patton of Landmar
Andie Patton never wanted to be in the real estate.
“My mother was in real estate,” she said, “and I said, ‘Oh. no. I don’t want to do that.’”
Somehow, though, she managed to be a part of the industry and is one of the chairs for the September 27 Realtor Builder Trade Show. She laughs now at her former statement about occupational choice and says she has a good time and no regrets.
Other than being a chair for the upcoming show, Patton is a sales specialist with LandMar Group at its Winding River community in St. Mary’s, just across the Georgia state line. She lives at Neptune Beach and says the hour’s drive to work is actually a time when she gets a lot accomplished.
“I’m always on the phone with people,” she said with a laugh, “and the car ride is one of the times I talk with committee members about the show. If I’m stuck in the car, you’ll probably see me with my phone to my ear.”
Some might not do the majority of their business at an office, but Patton does a lot for the trade show while cruising. It’s effective, she says, and organization is one of the keys to making the show a success.
“We know what our goal is,” said Patton, “but there are a lot of little steps to accomplish to get to that big goal. Everyone’s been great, though.”
She does her part to make sure things are running smoothly by organizing and keeping touch with the different subcommittees within the organization.
Patton started her career as a marketing coordinator with Prudential Network Realty, coordinating print, radio and television ads for various offices and led training classes for incoming sales agents. It was there that she also earned her real estate license. Her passion was in advertising and promotions but she left Prudential in 1996 after five years of service after a change of heart.
“When I left Prudential,” she said, “for some reason I just felt I never wanted to do anything in real estate again.”
She was out of real estate in 1997 and 1998 and felt the urge to dive back in when an opportunity with Arvida (now St. Joe) came about. She was back into advertising and public relations, marketing the St. James Island community, and says she loved it. She also has been with The Vintage Group and Key Realty Advisors.
Patton is involved with numerous charities including Espirit d’ Corps as a charity volunteer coordinator. She was selling raffle tickets at fund raiser for a local hospice, when she met her husband, Tom Patton of TV-7, the Jacksonville public station.
“I sold him a raffle ticket,” said Patton, who admitted that people joke with her about the story. “But the thing is, he won me and not the car. He later said that the car would have been cheaper.”
She was involved with the trade show for six years of the last seven years in various capacities but this year’s participation was a little different. Last year she was unable to help, and this year she wasn’t expecting to participate, either. She was in Ft. Lauderdale working on a project the phone rang.
“They called and said they could use my help,” she said. “So I was glad too.”
She says she’s most excited about the new venue, the Prime Osborn Convention Center, as the new location will offer much more space. The event has grown larger than the club at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and she says everyone should have more much more space in general for the function.
Working with Jason Rue as a co-chairperson, she says, has been beneficial and says Rue brings a different element to the process.
“He’s very creative, and he always has a different idea or spin on things when we discuss things,” said Patton. “It’s refreshing.”
She admits handling the chairperson duty on top of her job at Landmar has its stressful moments, but doesn’t regret any of it and believes this year will be a huge success.
“It’s a nice stress, if there is such a thing,” she said. “These are all people I’ve worked with before and it’s been great. I’m learning a lot.”
Jason Rue of Prudential
Jason Rue says he’s ready for the juggling act that comes with being a chairperson for the Realtor Builder Trade Show. He’s had experience balancing multiple acts at once.
Two years ago and just days before he married his wife, Andrea, he passed his real estate exam. Balancing the stress of walking down the aisle with preparing for and taking one of the biggest tests in his life was just the beginning, though.
A couple months after taking his vows and beginning his career, he found out he was to be a father. It was a blessing, he said, but becoming a parent is a life-altering change.
“That short time frame, those three months were by far the most stressful in my life,” said Rue. “I am happy and blessed, but during that time I just went with it and my faith in God.”
Now, he balances being a father, a husband, his job as a Realtor at Prudential Network Realty’s Sawgrass office, his church and being a leader in organizing the trade show. He’s also a pretty big sports fan and likens his role as a trade show chair with a recent World Series-winning baseball coach.
“It’s like being Tony La Russa of the St. Louis Cardinals,” said Rue with a laugh. “You get to help all these talented players and you’re all going for a goal. Like any manager though, they tend to get too much credit sometimes and dogged other times. There’s been nothing but good things thus far.”
Rue says he uses a hands-on approach with things and that time management is the key to getting things accomplished. All the work adds up and he notes that the busiest time is usually the day of the trade show’s monthly meeting. It’s during those meetings when ideas are shared, committees are planned and the particulars of putting on a show of its magnitude are planned. Even his best efforts to keep things running smoothly and keeping the juggling act in motion can be strenuous.
“It’s hard sometimes,” he said. “My wife can see frustration on my face at times, but I try my hardest to keep my work and home life separate.”
Rue does manage to get away from work at times. Wednesday and Sunday mornings are times he devotes to his family and church, where he is involved with the youth.
Originally from Sebring, Rue graduated from the University of North Florida with a degree in Special Education. After school, he was a substitute teacher but soon after realized that education just wasn’t his thing.
He’s been involved in many aspects of the housing industry over the years from laying concrete as a summer job while in college to remodeling commercial and residential properties in Jacksonville Beach. He realized his hands-on approach with work and his people skills would help him in other aspects of the industry, and pursued his real estate license.
Rue says he plans on staying put for a while in Jacksonville unless God tells him otherwise and that he’s enjoyed being an integral part of the upcoming trade show. So much, in fact, that he couldn’t think of doing anything else for next year’s event. Which means that his performance will have a second act.
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “I’ll definitely be back next year to help.”