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Gloria Jean Hecking |
![]() Gloria Jean has had a career and life that some only dream about having. Not only has she achieved her longing to fly, but she has soared to the height of her current profession as well. She has become one of Atlanta's most successful Realtors, not only gauged by her earnings, but by her good work as a volunteer and in her leadership capacity to give back to the community that has embraced her. These values were instilled in her during her youth. Her parents owned a dairy farm in Orange County, N.Y. Growing up on a farm wasn't easy. Cows had to be milked and cattle fed. Her first experience in service to others was a member of the 4-H Club, the premier organization for country children. She learned about animals and farming, and eventually showed calves at the Orange County Fair. ![]() Today, Gloria Jean enjoys a level of professional respect afforded only a few. In the top five percent of Prudential agents nationwide, she is in Prudential's President's Circle and Master's Group. She also has been in the Prudential Atlanta/Georgia Realty Top 50 since 1990. And that's not all. She is a lifetime member of the Atlanta Board of Realtors Million Dollar Club and a 1998 Phoenix Award recipient. More importantly, Gloria Jean has earned the respect of her colleagues for her service to the community by her repeated choice for leadership positions in the metro Atlanta area. She is a director at the Georgia Association of Realtors, and the 2000 president of the Atlanta Chapter of the Women's Council of Realtors. She was the WCR's Atlanta Chapter Realtor of the Year for 1997. ![]() She recounts an incident that occurred several years earlier. She participated in a charity road race for a local Dunwoody church. An inexperienced runner, she started the race by trying to keep up with the front of the pack. "I was trying too hard to keep up with someone else's stride," Gloria Jean explains. "That's when I had an insight that I have applied to everything I do: I run my own race; I don't worry about what anyone else is doing." Despite her apparent self-confidence and her obvious business acumen, Gloria Jean has not forgotten the human touch. "I believe what goes around comes around," she says. That is evidenced by her career choices, all professions that have assisted others. And it is evidenced by how she has chosen to spend her personal time, as a volunteer for a myriad of causes, serving others. She has truly epitomized the adage; Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. Perhaps that is why over 70 percent of her business today is from referrals. "There is value in developing relationships and letting people get to know you," says Gloria Jean.. ![]() She assumed the life of a wife and mother, first in Union City, then College Park, and finally Dunwoody, where she continues to reside. She became active in the Silverliners, a club for former Eastern Airlines stewardesses ("We weren't called flight attendants in those days," comments Gloria Jean), and the Eastern Pilots Wives' Club. Both clubs served the metro Atlanta community with fund-raising activities and assisted at the airport to augment regular employees. "We gave airport tours to schoolchildren and helped during the holidays, when airports are traditionally hectic. We accompanied unescorted children and helped wherever we were needed." Gloria Jean reminisces. Her service and dedication were apparent. She grew to leadership positions in both organizations, culminating in the presidency of both. (She was the youngest president of the Eastern Pilots Wives' Club, an honor usually reserved for a more senior member.) She is no longer active in either organization due to her successful real estate business and her commitments to her auxiliary real estate activities. "It's hard to do both," she explains. "Besides, it's too sad now," she adds with poignancy, referring to the airline. Ironically, it was because of Eastern's continued problems that she became an agent. ![]() Plagued with rumors of difficulties at Eastern, Gloria Jean decided she better do something to assist with the family's finances& just in case. In 1984, she became a real estate agent. "Things were different in those days. I took my pre-license course on the top floor of the Merrill Lynch office. My instructor was Sandy Fosgitt Stephenson and my broker was Toni McGowan." Five years later, Prudential bought out Merrill Lynch. Gloria Jean has remained with the same company in the same office. "A lot of the agents think the grass is greener somewhere else. I think if you really want to succeed, you can make it wherever you are," says Gloria Jean. "And besides," she adds, "I'm a very loyal person." ![]() Gloria Jean's farm area is a lot bigger today. On a regular basis, she works in Dunwoody, Roswell, Alpharetta, Duluth, Norcross, and Lawrenceville. But she's gone as far as Peachtree City for quite a few airline employees. And she has quite a relocation business, including one's from family members. "Two of my sisters are realtors in upstate New York, in Goshen and Middletown. I've received a few referrals from them," Gloria Jean says. She has also received referrals from her networks. In addition to WCR, she is also a CRS(Certified Residential Specialist), ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative), a Certified Relocation Specialist, and the prestigious LTG (Leadership Training Graduate). In addition, she is an associate broker. "I wanted to get these designations and take the additional training so I could continue to improve myself and better serve my customers and clients," she explains. "An unexpected benefit was the additional referral business." ![]() With her busy professional life and her active volunteer work, she still has time to "pilot" new agents. Her advice is basic: In today's fast paced world, there is still no substitute for face-to-face contact. Technology is a help in business, not a replacement for the personal touch.. She also adds that new agents should regard real estate as a profession and a full-time job, not as a stopgap measure until something better comes along. The competition is stiff; it's not a free ride. A new agent should plan to work without significant income for at least one year. Gloria Jean reflects on her life. "In Real Estate, the three most important things are location, location, location. In life, I think the three most important things are timing,timing,timing." And for Gloria Jean DeBlock-Hecking, it's been the best of times. |