CR Magazine - Winter 2016

C.A.R. FOUNDATION NEWS
NANCY SUVARNAMANI
2016 Chicago Association of REALTORS ® Hall of Fame
We proudly inducted Nancy Suvarnamani of Century 21
S.G.R., Inc., into the Chicago Association of REALTORS ®
Hall of Fame at our 133 rd Annual Inaugural Gala. We thank
her for her leadership, achievements and philanthropy.
Nancy Suvarnamani never thought she’d go into real estate.
Born in Bangkok, Thailand, her father was a Major General in the
Thai Army, and her mother was a nurse. After graduating from
Chiengmai University in 1974 with degrees in Social Science and
Political Science, she came to the United States to complete her
master’s degree, ultimately receiving one in Information Sciences
and another in Social Science.
Instead of returning home to Thailand after her studies like
she originally planned, Nancy stayed and went into corporate
business. She worked for several Fortune 500 companies such
as the Borg Warner Corporation and Beatrice Foods Company,
in her 15 years in the corporate world. And then, influenced by
her grandmother— a real estate tycoon in Thailand—and inspired
by her entrepreneurial spirit and ambition, Nancy began a career
in real estate.
Sheldon Good, Founder/Co-Chair, C.A.R. Hall of Fame,
2016 Hall of Fame inductee Nancy Suvarnamani, Century 21
S.G.R., Inc., and Dave Hanna, Co-Chair, C.A.R. Hall of Fame.
as this that ultimately earned her the Century 21 International Marsh
Fischer Award for promoting diversity in the industry.
She founded Century 21 SGR, Inc., in 1989. Since then the company
has grown from five agents and one office to over 100 agents and
three offices. Her specialization in structural international real
estate transactions and in raising equity capital for construction
developments in the US and Asia, along with her strong presence
in the SEO market, transformed her and Century 21 SGR, Inc., into
industry leaders in Chicago.
Nancy was first invited to volunteer at C.A.R. by Darcy Daugherty,
which ultimately led to several years of close involvement with
the association. In 2005, Nancy was elected president of
C.A.R. and continued to steer the industry towards progress by
establishing an outreach program for Asians and other minorities
on the industry’s fringes. During and after her tenure, she also
lobbied to increase the professional and educational standards
of the industry, improving the imagery of REALTORS ® and the
caliber of service being provided to the Chicagoland community.
In 2012, Nancy founded the Chicago chapter of AREAA; she currently
sits on their Board of Directors. It was groundbreaking initiatives such
Watch Nancy’s Hall of Fame speech,
and check out her video.
“I don’t think I’m a pioneer, but I hope I will be an inspiration to
the immigrant woman,” Nancy said. She is recognized among her
friends and colleagues as someone of strength, leadership and
perseverance, and her reputation as an industry influencer and
mentor precedes her.
“My passion for mentoring came from my father. Life is about
giving. And mentoring is very important, [to] help people and get
people to success,” she said.
Nancy’s latest venture is the restoration and expansion of a
35-unit villa resort complex in Hua Hin, Thailand. She is also
working on developing Thai City, a neighborhood initiative similar
to Chinatown.
She is a strong advocate for increasing awareness of and
involvement in the international real estate market, but nothing
can beat the proof of her own success. Nancy believes in
fighting through barriers and not giving up. When she reflects
on achievements like her REALTOR ® of the Year Award in 2007
and this year’s Hall of Fame Induction, she sees them as
evidence that perseverance truly pays off, and that barriers
can be broken through.
Congratulations, Nancy, on your Hall of Fame induction.
18 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine