JUST 3...

Starting today, we are introducing a new feature to the blog called “JUST 3”. Periodically we’ll pose just three questions to someone who has something insightful to say about the MIBOR Centennial and the history of the real estate industry. We hope you enjoy their perspectives. If you want share you’re JUST 3 thoughts, let us know. Email Claire Belby with your ideas. 

Today we start at the source of your association’s quintessential history, Todd Gould. Todd is an award-winning author and television producer/director. A graduate of the IU School of Telecommunications, he has produced documentaries and features for PBS, ESPN, the BBC, The Learning Channel and other national and international video distribution outlets. He is a 18-time Emmy Award winner and a six-time winner of the Indiana Film Society Award for “Best Documentary”. He is the author of REALTORS® Opening Doors for 100 Years and the producer of the video documentary of the same name (hint...available for sale in the REALTOR® Store). He is your historian and here are his JUST 3:

Did you have any professional experience telling the story of real estate or trade associations before taking on this project?

While I had done several historical projects that explored the history of the city of Indianapolis in a variety of videos and publications, I had never examined the growth of the city in such a dynamic and diverse way as when we first began doing research work on the MIBOR history project. It has been fascinating to learn how the social and cultural history of our city was shaped largely by the men and women of the real estate industry, and how cultural, social and political leaders followed this visionary blueprint for success that created the booming city and its amenities, which we all enjoy today.

What was similar about the MIBOR history to other projects you’ve worked on?

Typically with any interesting and expansive history such as this, there are a number of influential leaders and intriguing characters who share in the trials and triumphs of the industry and help chart a course for the future and shaped the who we are as Hoosiers and residents of the city of Indianapolis. The same holds true here. From James S. Cruse, the first president of the Indianapolis Real Estate Board in 1912, to other influential leaders with names like Tucker, Binford, McClain, Booth, Justus, Savage, Carr/Boyd, Graves, Hirt and many, many others, MIBOR has enjoyed a history as rich and colorful as any about which I've ever researched and published works.

What was the most surprising thing you learned about REALTORS® while writing the book or producing the video?

I was very impressed with the many, many ways in which real estate professionals played such a critical role in the development of the city. From the rise of an industrial power, to the growth of neighborhoods, to civil rights, to women's suffrage, to the rebirth of a city's identity, REALTORS® had a tremendous influence on each of these important areas of our city's growth. Their history parallels the history of all of us who proudly call Indianapolis "home."