Real estate coach and social media expert Matt Ferrara and Conway CEO Carol Bulman.

Internationally acclaimed real estate coach Matt Ferrara was the keynote speaker at the 25th Annual Conway Country Convention held recently at the Quincy Marriott Hotel. Ferrara addressed a crowd of 325 Conway sales agents during the first session of the day-long training and awards event.

“I was absolutely blown away by Matt’s talk,” said Conway-South Boston agent Tia Zaferakis. “He spoke about the newest forms of social media that can help us do our jobs better, and it was fascinating.”

Ferrara told the Conway agents about the value of using Facebook, Twitter, texting, video, YouTube, tablets and iPhones to reach their customers. “The idea of social marketing is to have other people sell and endorse your service for you,” said Ferrara. “If you see a bunch of Facebook users saying good things about your work as an agent, you’ve just received a massive audience for your brand, and it hasn’t cost you a cent.”

Ferrara stressed that “dialogue” is the focus of most marketing in today’s society and that one-sided messages are strategies of the past. He told the group that 44 percent of Gen Y’ers (age 23-34), prefer texting to face-to-face meetings, and that Gen X’ers (age 35-45) have doubled their use of the social media since 2008. He added that 200 million of today’s consumers access social media on their mobile phones.

“When Matt asked our agents how many of them owned a smartphone or an iPad, almost every hand in the room went up,” said Conway CEO Carol Bulman. “Our sales force is definitely making use of the new technologies in our industry, but there is always more to learn. Conway agents are constantly looking for new ways of communicating with our consumers and we make sure they find them.”

Brigadier General Thomas J. Sellars (center) was honored by Chairman Jack Conway and CEO Carol Bulman at the 25th annual Conway Country convention

Brigadier General Thomas J. Sellars, newly retired Commander of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, was honored as the Conway Country 2011 Citizen of the Year at Jack Conway Realtor’s annual convention held last week at the Quincy Marriott Hotel. The General accepted his award on behalf of the 6,400 troops he had led in Iraq, Afghanistan, and here in the Commonwealth. He then switched roles and unexpectedly presented Chairman Jack Conway with the Department of the Army’s “Commander’s Award for Public Service.”

“I’m honored to be recognized by a company that has given back so much to the community and has helped generations of Massachusetts citizens to become homeowners,” said Sellars. “There is a difference between a business and an institution. An institution has its own personality – its own history, and it serves all of us. The Jack Conway institution is something I’m proud to be a part of, and if a man is known by the company he keeps, then I’m feeling pretty good today.”

U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel James Sahady, who accompanied Sellars to the ceremony, presented the Commander’s Award to Jack Conway as CEO Carol Bulman and hundreds of Conway Country associates rose to their feet waving a sea of American flags hailing both their founder and their citizen of the year.

A Brockton native and graduate of the Stoughton Public Schools, Brig. Gen. Tom Sellars and his wife Nancy live in Randolph. He retired from his 37-year career in the Massachusetts National Guard in September shortly before the last U.S. soldier returned from the war.

To learn more about our community involvement and the many fine South Shore homes for sale we represent, contact Jack Conway & Co. today.

Conway's Swampscott Team at the Lynn Chamber of Commerce

Jack Conway, Realtor’s Swampscott Office recently hosted a booth at the Lynn Chamber of Commerce’s Home, Garden and Health Show. The event, which took place at Swampscott High School from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., drew hundreds of visitors to view the wares of vendors ranging from cosmetic dentists to mortgage lenders, along with cooking demonstrations, guest lectures and a keynote speech by Dr. Sheldon Sevinor, a celebrated plastic surgeon.

“The home show was a great chance for my agents to get out and talk real estate with potential buyers and sellers and other members of the community,” said Conway-Swampscott Manager Tim Knowlton. “We were the only Realtors there, and we came away with many new friends and several new customers.”

Hosting the Conway booth during the day-long event were Swampscott sales associates Lisa Scourtas, Amanda Brawley, Paul Ferraro, Teresa Flaherty, Sue Garcelon, Barbara Kennedy-White, Glenn Kessler, Ronnie Northrop, and Sue Sinrich, as well as loan specialist Chris Curran of New England Mortgage Partners, the financial arm of Jack Conway, Realtor.

For all of your real estate needs, contact Conway-Swampscott at 781-584-4757 or email Swampscott@jackconway.com.

Get Your Real Estate License With Us!

If you have ever thought about obtaining your real estate license, now is the time to get the education you need to pass the state exam. The Conway School of Real Estate pre-licensing course will prepare you for the test in only five weeks, with the added convenience of classes held on Saturdays.

The next course begins on Saturday, Jan. 7 at the Conway Training Center in Norwell, 137 Washington St. (Rte. 53). The 40 hours of instruction will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the next four Saturdays, concluding on Feb. 4. Tuition is $375, which includes textbooks, sample exams, and all materials.

The course will be taught by attorney Jay Chaisson, Jack Conway’s corporate counsel, who has decades of experience in the real estate industry. Taking the course with Conway does not obligate you to join the company, but students of the Conway School of Real Estate have the opportunity to receive career advice from the company’s sales managers.

Completing the 40 hours of learning qualifies students to take the Massachusetts state licensing examination. Your success is guaranteed! Conway students may retake the course at no charge if they do not pass the exam on their first attempt, as long as the test is taken within 45 days of completing the course.

For more information, or to register online, visit our Careers page or call Marie Battles, 781-871-0080, ext. 342.

Jack Conway & Co. is celebrating its 55th anniversary, with 42 sales offices from the North Shore to Boston, Cape Cod and the South Coast. We represent buyers and sellers of South Shore homes for sale, Cape Cod real estate, and other properties up and down the Massachusetts coast. The company also operates New England Mortgage Partners, a joint venture with Wells Fargo that provides a full range of financing options to buyers. Contact Jack Conway today to learn more!

Julie Simmons with Jack Conway

A banquet hall filled with orange and gold balloons, cornucopias, fall flowers and stacks of food for the hungry was the setting for Jack Conway, Realtor’s annual Thanksgiving Award Breakfasts held at the Plymouth Radisson Hotel. More than 400 Conway sales associates from Boston to Cape Cod, the South Coast and the North Shore attended the event at which  agents were honored for “team spirit and congeniality.” The winners received gift checks to purchase a Thanksgiving turkey, and all attendees brought non-perishable food items to contribute to the Charity Guild of Brockton.

“We have a lot of functions in our company that recognize agents for top production,” said Conway CEO Carol Bulman. “But this ceremony honors our associates for the intangible qualities of kindness, good humor and camaraderie. These individuals are true winners because they help and support their colleagues and their communities all year long.”

The local recipient of the Conway Thanksgiving Award from the Dorchester office was Anne O’Brien, who was recognized for her volunteer work on behalf of the Franklin Park Zoo and for being a “consistently positive influence in her office.” Also honored at the breakfast was Conway-Dorchester Manager Julie Simmons who received a special Conway Country Community Service Award for her contributions and support of her Dorchester community during the past year. Simmons serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees for the First Parish Church in Dorchester, one of the oldest churches in the city of Boston, and has been actively involved in raising funds for a massive renovation of the Circa 1631 building.

The Annual Thanksgiving breakfasts have been a tradition in Conway Country for more than 30 years, and with all of the great homes for sale in Plymouth MA that Jack Conway represents, the location is a natural choice. “We gather here in America’s hometown every November for our celebration,” said Chairman Jack Conway, who delivered the opening greeting to the group. “It’s where our country’s first Thanksgiving took place, and it reminds us to thank God for the many wonderful things we have in our lives.”

To find out more about our community involvement or our South Shore homes for sale, contact Jack Conway today!

Jack Conway, Realtor's Abington Office

The two Abington real estate offices of the 56-year-old Jack Conway Co. have combined forces! The consolidated office is located in the larger of the two spaces, at 204 Brockton Ave (Rte. 123). With both offices merged into one, this location will be more capable than ever of providing top-notch service to buyers and sellers of Abington real estate.

The other Abington office at 27 Brockton Ave. is being converted into a residential apartment, the rental of which is being handled by Robbie Lindo, Abington manager.

Construction of the venture is being handled by Abington builder Glen R. LaPointe, Inc.

“Now our Conway Property Management Company, a Conway Commercial office, and our Abington sales office will be under one roof – making it easier for all of us to service our customers,” said Lindo.

“Jack Conway Co. has been a fixture in the Abington sales market for more than two decades, and we look forward to many more years serving this great community,” said Chairman Jack Conway.

To find out more about Abington real estate or other South Shore homes for sale, contact Jack Conway today!

Susana Neves-Coito

New England Mortgage Partners (NEMP), an affiliate of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Jack Conway, Realtor, recently welcomed Susana Neves-Coito to its growing staff of mortgage consultants.

Neves-Coito brings 20 years of experience as a loan officer in Southeastern Massachusetts to her NEMP post. Fluent in Portuguese, English and Creole, she will offer a full line of home mortgage products to customers in the Dartmouth, New Bedford and Fall River areas.

“I have worked for Citizens’ Bank, Bank of America, and other large financial institutions,” said the South Dartmouth mother of two. “But I chose to come to New England Mortgage Partners because it is a small company with a large company behind it. Wells Fargo is a home mortgage giant, and Jack Conway, Realtor has earned a name in Massachusetts for honest and fair dealings for 55 years. That gives me and my customers the best of both worlds.”

Rosemary O’Neil, branch manager of NEMP, is “thrilled” to have Neves-Coito on her South Coast mortgage team. “Susana is very well known in the New Bedford and Dartmouth area, and we are fortunate to have her with us,” said O’Neil. “She has earned numerous awards as a loan officer and built a reputation that is highly respected in our industry.”

Neves-Coito serves as chairman of the Community Services Committee for the New Bedford Board of Realtors and teaches first time homebuyer classes for the City of New Bedford and Catholic Social Services of Fall River. She was named First Affiliate of the Year for the New Bedford Board of Realtors and is a member of the Southeastern Massachusetts Board of Directors for the Department of Mental Health.

A native of Portugal, she immigrated to America with her family as a young child. She earned a bachelor’s degree at UMass-Dartmouth and a master’s in financing from Boston University. She and her husband David live in South Dartmouth with their son Mathew. Their daughter Nicole Souza is serving in the U.S. Navy.

For all of your mortgage and home financing needs, contact Susana Neves-Coito at 800-370-0126 or email Susana.neves-coito@nemtgpartners.com. To find out more about the communities Jack Conway serves or for more info on South Shore homes for sale, contact Jack Conway today.

Lorraine Fricker (center) receives her turkey award

A head table adorned with orange and gold balloons, cornucopias, fall flowers and stacks of food for the hungry was the centerpiece for Jack Conway Realtor’s annual Thanksgiving Award Breakfasts held at the Plymouth Radisson Hotel.

More than 400 Conway sales associates from Boston to Cape Cod, the South Coast and the North Shore attended the event at which agents were honored for “team spirit and congeniality.” The winners received gift checks to purchase a Thanksgiving turkey, and all attendees brought non-perishable food items to contribute to the Charity Guild of Brockton.

“We have a lot of functions in our company that recognize agents for top production,” said Conway CEO Carol Bulman. “But this ceremony honors our associates for the intangible qualities of kindness, good humor and camaraderie. These individuals are true winners because they help and support their colleagues and their communities all year long.”

Local recipients of the Conway Thanksgiving Awards were: Michele Vena of Abington for her “unfailingly kind and courteous manner and upbeat attitude;” Pat Sunnerberg of Cohasset for her “boundless energy and attention to detail;” Peggy Parfumorse of Hanover for her “creative effort to foster warmth and good cheer in her office;” Karin Doonan of Hingham for “being a positive influence on her coworkers;” Mike Rotman of Marshfield for his “cheerful and optimistic attitude;” Linda Thistle of Norwell for her “eagerness to step forward with a helping hand;” Barbara Cox of Scituate for being a “great team player and willing to help new agents;” Vicki Infusino of Weymouth for “being quite indispensable to her colleagues and office,” and Lorraine Fricker of Conway Headquarters in Norwell for “winning the hearts of all who know her.”

The Annual Thanksgiving breakfasts have been a tradition in Conway Country for more than 30 years. “We gather here in America’s hometown every November for our celebration,” said Chairman Jack Conway who delivered the opening greeting to the group. “It’s where our country’s first Thanksgiving took place, and it reminds us to thank God for the many wonderful things we have in our lives.” to find out more about homes for sale in Plymouth MA or other south shore homes for sale, contact Jack Conway today.

Photo: Conway HQ staffer Lorraine Fricker (center) receives her turkey award from the Conway Turkey, and CEO Carol Bulman.

Barbecue chicken, potato salad and corn on the cob were on the menu for Sunday dinner at the Salvation Army Kitchen in New Bedford on October 16th. The food was cooked and served by a number of Jack Conway Realtors on the Greater New Bedford Association of Realtors’ (GRNBAR) Community Service and Donations Committee. The group’s goal was to prepare and serve full course meals to the homeless in the downtown New Bedford Area.

Conway-Padanaram agent Nona Sbordone, and Mattapoisett agent Joanne Mecke help serve food the homeless in New Bedford.

“We conduct food drives and cook the dinners ourselves,” said Nona Sbordone, a Conway-Padanaram agent who recently obtained a $500 grant from her local Shaws Supermarket to benefit the cause. “We usually serve a meal to about 300 people – some individuals and some families. I’ve been doing this for about two years, and I would never give it up. They are so grateful for our help.”

Sbordone and her manager Brenda Simmons serve on the GRNBAR committee with fellow Conway agents Laurie Wilkie, manager of Conway-Dartmouth, and Conway-Mattapoisett agents Mary McCann, Sue Haley, Joanne Mecke and Paula Tosca. “Everyone pitches in and cooks the meals, and we all participate in the food drives to collect canned goods and non-perishable items,” said Simmons. “Nona is particularly involved in finding new locations for us to set up our drives, and she was instrumental in securing the recent grant from Shaws. She is a ‘can-do’ person in the truest sense of the word.”

Anne Arruda, executive assistant at GRNBAR, was happy to forward the $500 check from the Dartmouth Supermarket to the Salvation Army for its food pantry. “I know Nona helped make it happen by talking with the Shaws upper management about our committee,” said Arruda. “We thank her so much for her hard work on behalf of the homeless.”

 Click here to read more stories about Conway’s involvement in the communities we serve.

As you know the Alzheimer’s Walk is fast approaching and we are putting a great team together to walk as Jack Conway Co.  It’s not too late to join us!  Simply click on the link below and then click “join team”, fill in the required information and your done.

CLICK HERE to Join the Conway Team or Make a Donation Today!

See you Saturday, October 1^st, at 8:30 am on the Plymouth waterfront by the Plymouth Rock. 

Visit our hospitality tent for some refreshments before and after the one mile or the three mile walk.  Heck, you can run it if you like.  (I’ll be walking.)  If you’re not walking, you can also support the team by making a team donation on the site as well.

If you are having trouble signing up, give me a ring (800-283-1030, extension 318) and we can do it together.

Thanks for all your support!

-Dawn Stevens