Inman

‘Happy’ Hale heads Houston Realtors

Native Texan Bob Hale is president and CEO of the Houston Association of Realtors. Hale is widely known as a visionary within the real estate industry.

Hale believes strongly in providing high-tech member services. During his tenure with HAR, the association’s Web site has become the premier real estate portal for Houston, with 300 million hits per month. HAR also offers free Web sites to every member.

Hale holds a bachelor of business administration and law degree from the University of Texas. After graduating from law school, he served as the director of governmental affairs for the Texas Association of Realtors. He began representing the Houston Association of Realtors in 1973 as legal and legislative counsel, with an emphasis on association and antitrust law. In 1998, he assumed the role of executive vice president and general counsel.

Hale will speak at Real Estate Connect in New York City, Jan. 9-11, 2005.

Panel or session at Connect: Internet Leads: Acquiring and Distributing Customers on the Web.

What are your current or childhood nicknames?

Happy.

Which daily newspaper do you read and which section of the newspaper do you read first?

Houston Chronicle, business section.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever packed in a suitcase?

Rocks for my grandson, Chandler.

What kind of music do you listen to?

Rock ‘n’ Roll.

What style of home do you live in and when did you buy it?

High-rise condo.

Where did you spend your last vacation?

Palm Desert.

What professional accomplishment in your life are you most proud of?

President & CEO, Houston Association of Realtors.

What personal accomplishment in your life are you most proud of?

Pursuing and marrying Susie.

How many e-mail addresses do you have?

One.

What worries keep you awake at night? 

That many Realtors do not understand the changes taking place in our industry.

What lesson did you learn in the last year?

Invest as much and as often in a 401K retirement plan as possible.

What is your favorite technology device or software application?

TREO 600 phone.

What is your opinion of Inman News? 

Excellent source of real estate news.

What was your top New Year’s resolution and have you kept it so far? 

To spend more quality family time, doing pretty well.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

More of a night owl.

What is your worst vice or bad habit?

I do enjoy a good bottle of Cabernet.

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