Soon after taking office last January, President Nicole Brule- Fisher turned the spotlight onto TAR as a key civic leader. At 5 a.m. Jan. 16 in front of a pack of TV news cameras and media at the 25th Annual TAR Soccer Shootout, she talked about the Association’s focus on making Tucson a better community.
From there, she carried forward TAR’s other community endeavors that included, in part, a $50,000 scholarship to the UA's Masters in Real Estate Development; TAR's new local artists-in-residence program; and fund-raising efforts through its YPN that supported the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
“During the year, there was a lot accomplished for which I am very proud. TAR is continually committed to giving back to the community,” she said.
TAR also finished its water conservation and water harvesting project that demonstrates to the members and the community what can be done to preserve water. That “sustainability” accomplishment was packaged into a guest editorial in the Arizona Daily Star that reached over 100,000 readers.
Again, the focus was on TAR “looking to the future” to educate and change the way the community thinks about housing and development.
I am exceptionally proud that our Association is setting the pace and demonstrating what it means to be a good steward of our precious resources,” she said.
Nationally, Brule-Fisher cast TAR in a positive light when the Wall Street Journal called about “boomerang” buyers. Her upbeat message to 3 million people on behalf of TAR and its members was that they already were returning to Tucson’s housing market.
Learning curve is every year
As president of the region’s largest trade association, there is a learning curve every year for incoming officers. TAR must maintain/enhance its commitment to members and does so with quality programming, services and continuing education.
TAR also continually studies regulations and works to protect private property rights through its government affairs program.
“By the time one begins to feel some degree of comfort in the position of president, the year is just about finished. There is always so much to learn in the real estate industry and this year highlighted that for me every day,” she said. “Giving back to the industry TAR has given to me was just natural.”