S.E.C. Real Estate Observer

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As one of the founders of the original “Reno News Observer” (more affectionate known in its day as “The RENO”) I am both proud and pleased that the RENO has been re-born and is alive again today as The S.E.C. Real Estate Observer.

The magazine was born in a time when many of us were intent on moving Dick Reno’s philosophy across the country and maybe the world. Cliff Weaver and I were in my kitchen (mixing drinks as I recall) when the idea presented itself. We called Dick and the deal was done.

Cliff came up with the name a month or so later when he and I were attending a Chatham class in Santa Barbara. The more the RENO grew, the more contacts it brought to us and the more people we all had to do business with. It also gave us a chance to listen to our own membership, as there was a lot of brainpower within the group that you don’t get to know about at a meeting.

After the second or third year we were still loosing money, however. So, while we were brainstorming on an airplane coming back from an S.E.C. meeting in the artic circle (where we just happened to do a little fishing) we came up with the Real Estate Expo idea to give the magazine some oomph and new blood and make enough money to pay our annual loss.

We changed planes in Vancouver, Canada and flew to Las Vegas and set up the first national meeting. We ended up loosing $20,000 the first year – not too smart – but we did develop a business that went on for 20 years and became very successful and really worked very well for the industry and with the magazine.

We had some wonderful opportunities to expand it into other countries and continue the momentum when Cliff died, his dad retired, Dick did not want to add much in the way of energy at that time. So we sold the RENO to others and the direction changed.

At the time I had the Ambassador from Taiwan seriously trying to program us to publish the philosophy through their National Trade Association. The Country of Panama was also excited about the idea. I flew down and met with their Minister of Tourism who was retiring and thinking of taking a variation of the Magazine and the RENO Philosophy into the private enterprise world in Central America and setting up Expo- S.E.C. type meetings in Panama’s new trade buildings.

I still think the world could really be tapped via the new S.E.C. Observer magazine. I think we are watching the biggest transference of wealth in the history of the world now taking place. There are huge happenings out there and tons of people who could use the Reno philosophy and the marvelous contacts and lasting associations that come from the S.E.C. type of association, which is unique on the planet. Good luck to you in the future.