S.E.C. Real Estate Observer

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Byron was born in Boone, Iowa on February 25, 1922, the son of Mr. Orie W. Beeler, from Mankato, Kansas, and his wife Louise Moffatt Beeler from Boone, Iowa. Byron has two younger brothers; Bradford Beeler, a retired real estate appraiser, living in Boulder, Colorado, and Bill Beeler, a retired stock broker, living in Rancho Mirage, California.

Byron and his brothers were raised in Boone, Iowa and then in his early school years the family moved to Des Moines, Iowa. Byron graduated from high school and junior college in Claremore, Oklahoma at Oklahoma Military Academy.

In 1941 he started pre law at the State University of Iowa, however, his education was interrupted when he volunteered for the Army Air Corp as a cadet in 1942.

Byron was a fighter pilot flying P47 Thunderbolts over Italy, flying 60 combat missions. Prior to enlisting, and after only four dates, Byron married Marjorie Wise in October 1942, in Kansas City. Marjorie was his wife of 53 years before she passed away December 1995.

Upon release from the Army and with the GI Bill in hand, Byron returned to college and graduated from Drake University Law School in May 1948. He immediately went to work as a claim’s adjuster for Ohio Casualty Company. After five years with the company Byron evaluated his job position and salary level and compared it to what his long tenured boss was earning. That is when Byron came to the following conclusion: “If I am to make money, I will have to work for myself.”

In 1953, Byron moved his family to Iowa City. With the help from his Dad’s friend, he went into real estate, buying single-family lots and building speculative houses. Within months he went from buying 4 and 5 lots to 15 and 20 lots. Within a few years he started developing his own lots for his home building company. This led to Byron becoming a full-fledged developer who sold lots to other builders.

In 1960 Byron was elected President of the Iowa Real Estate Association and at the same time he served as President of the Traders Association for the State of Iowa. In 1961, when Richard Reno was President of International Traders Club, Byron served as the Vice President.

It was during Byron’s early active real estate years he first met Richard Reno by attending several of Reno’s training courses. Then Byron started to sponsor Reno and Chatman’s training courses and became an instructor of Chatman’s Real Estate Investments Courses in Florida.

While Byron was actively serving as an officer in various organizations he also started his own mortgage company in 1960. In 1966 he sold the mortgage company, moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida and went into semi-retirement.

It was in 1962 when Richard Reno started the Society of Exchange Counselors, because Reno thought there was a need for this type of organization, he asked Byron along with Kenny Johnson and Bill Broadbent to become original charter members. It was through the foresight of these men that the SEC is what it is today.

Byron may say he is now retired, however, he is extremely active in various organizations. He said he is still cleaning up his old records and files from his active Real Estate days and attends one or two Barter Meetings per week where he trades timeshares and lots for personal property. Byron belongs to Sarasota Jazz Club and attends two to three jazz concerts per month along with one or two stage shows. He works out three times a week and is in good physical health. Byron needs to keep in shape because he has 10 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren from his three children. His children are Jann Carter, who is a mother of three children and nine grandchildren, Joan Demery, a mother of two, and Stephen Beeler who has five children. Byron’s two daughters live in Florida and Stephen, his son, lives in Springfield, Virginia. Byron said his life long goal was to watch his children grow up and now to watch his grand and great grand children grow and achieve their places in life.

His business goals were many; forming various companies and putting together successful exchanges were his greatest business accomplishments. He said his strong points were seeing what needed to be done, doing it, and not being afraid of trying something new.

Byron said one of his most satisfying accomplishments was being one of the original organizers of the Society of Exchange Counselors and watching it weather the storm of start-up problems and through good leadership, grow into a nationally recognized organization. He said the S.E.C. is not just another real estate organization but rather a family of professional practitioners that look for people solutions instead of trying to solve property problems. He looks upon S.E.C. members as family and appreciates the support and fellowship he has received in good and bad times over the years.

In turn, we thank Byron D. Beeler for being one of the founding members of the Society of Exchange Counselors and the time and effort he put forth in making this organization what it is today “a family of professional real estate counselors.”