Realtor Biondi receives Lifetime Achievement Award
A Cape Coral community leader was recognized for all of her hard work this past month, as Linda Biondi of Raso Realty was bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women’s Council of Realtors.
Biondi was surprised with the award at the Women’s Council of Realtor’s Christmas luncheon at Palmetto Pines, an early gift that brought a smile from ear to ear.
“I was shocked. I was absolutely shocked,” she said of how she felt that day.
This is not an annual award passed out every year by the Women’s Council, but one saved for special circumstances and special people, such as Biondi.
The honor doesn’t just have to do with work in the organization, but the work put into your community, which Biondi has contributed to immensely over the years.
“It’s a heartwarming thing,” she continued. “I sometimes feel that in the past year, I’ve done some stuff for Women’s Council, but I haven’t been as involved as maybe I would’ve liked to. And so it’s just kind of heartwarming that they think of me.”
Biondi has held numerous positions within the Women’s Council since she joined in 1992, including president of the Cape Coral/Fort Myers Network, secretary, district vice president and governor (her favorite).
She’s even help open two chapters or “networks” in Florida, and merged one with another to keep it afloat.
Now, she works on a more local level to ensure things are running smoothly in her own backyard.
The Cape Coral/Fort Myers Network just merged together, becoming one of the largest networks in Florida, and one that Biondi said others look up to.
“I’ve been really involved over the last umpteen years, locally, with my network,” she said. “Trying to mentor, trying to help the chapter or network stay on track.
“We’ve all been working together to make our group grow, and we’ve done a tremendous job.”
She believes that being a part of the Women’s Council of Realtors (which is open to men and non-Realtors) has set her up for career success, and is a valuable tool for any professional in the industry.
“Women’s Council is probably the premiere organization for professional Realtors in the country,” she said of the national group. “It teaches you to be a leader. It teaches you a lot about the business, the logistics, the salesmanship, the ethics. Not only is it a professional organization to help you in your profession, but it’s also a network of people that really care about each other.”
The bonds Biondi has made because of the group run deep and will last a lifetime, she said, even referencing a time where a friend from the organization in Tampa helped her uncle move.
“You find people over the state that you still connect with, and people all over the country you still connect with,” she said. “So not only is it a connection personally, but it is a connection businesswise as well. If I have a client here moving to California, I just look through my network to see who out there could help.”
A big part of Biondi’s contributions to the community involve that of charity or volunteerism.
She is very active in the annual Veteran’s Day parade, she is the vice chair of the Community Redevelopment Agency, she’s been involved in Touch-a-Truck, she volunteers for the Cape Coral Animal Shelter, in past years she was the vice president of the Cape Coral Son’s of Italy, that put on parades and festivals yearly.
“We’re always doing something,” she said. “When I was sick, the community came together and helped me, and I always feel that I need to pay it forward.”
For more information on the Women’s Council of Realtors, visit www.wcr.org.
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