Each year in December our three local Boards of REALTORS® – Newport Beach Association of REALTORS®, Orange County REALTORS® and Laguna Board of REALTORS® – host leadership installation events to de-install outgoing Board leaders and to install incoming leadership.
For decades, the Laguna Board of REALTORS® has held theirs as a breakfast event at the Surf & Sand in Laguna Beach and we fondly call it the “Installation Breakfast”. For those in the know, it is a must-attend event where you catch up with colleagues, celebrate the end of the year together and rub shoulders with the other luminaries that attend – local civic leaders (mayors, city council members), C.A.R. executive staff and state legislators – who come as guests and also often as keynote speakers.
The selection of a keynote speaker for the event can be challenging for all the usual reasons – travel schedules during the holidays and conflicting events – but this year, however, our choice of speaker seemed to fall into place nicely. We were in Sacramento for the C.A.R. Spring Business Meeting, and California State Senator Tony Strickland was giving our small group a tour of the main legislative hall at the State Capitol and he asked us if there was anything he could do for us and I said “Yes, actually, we’ve got a great event we do every year and we’d love to have you address our group in December.” He said “If I don’t have any schedule conflicts, I’d love to” and that was that.
The event was bittersweet for me because it marked the end of my 2025 Presidency of LBOR, but I was really proud of the work we’d done this year to advance the strategic goals of the Board; of our work to launch the start of our second century as an organization; to hand off the gavel to our incoming President, Geoff Dunlevie; and to open for Senator Strickland’s keynote address.
I said it in my speech and I’ll say it again here – serving the Members and Affiliates of the Laguna Board of REALTORS® as President in 2025 has been an absolute highlight of my almost 20 year career. I’m so grateful for the people – our Board of Directors, our committee chairs, our committee members, the passionate affiliates, our Members – who give their time and energy to make our real estate & local communities better places to live and work in.
My exhortation to anyone who hasn’t gotten involved in giving back to your community – do it –it is easy do, you are needed, and the returns are so much more than you could ever imagine.
Thanks again to Senator Strickland for speaking – your message about building bridges across the political divides was a welcome one; may you accomplish great things during your tenure as California State Senator for the 36th District. To our incoming Board President, Geoff Dunlevie – we’re lucky to have you and I know we’re all looking forward to working with you in 2026!
Welcoming committee for the Laguna Board of REALTORS 2025 Leadership Installation Breakfast. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
2025 LBOR President Geoff Dunlevie w CA State Senator Tony Strickland and 2025 LBOR President Jesse Brossa. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
CA State Senator Tony Strickland with 2025 LBOR President Jesse Brossa and OCR CEO Dave Stephanides. I mean – look – I’m not short, but I look like I’m a hobbit standing next to those guys. I need to re-think my photo partner choices; maybe I’ll start carrying around a garden gnome or something to restore my height advantage.
Bob & Faye Chapman with incoming City of Laguna Beach Mayor Mark Orgill. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
LBOR Past President and Former Director For Life Marie Thomas (1986, 1987, 1995). Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
2025 LBOR President Jesse Brossa with fellow agents & some BOD members. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
At the head of the Compass table. Do I spy four Presidents in the mix? Mike Johnson (2016), Geoff Dunlevie (2026), Jesse Brossa (2025), and Jim Ardery (2020). Photo by Bobbie Jordan
2026 LBOR Leadership Installation Breakfast Program
2026 LBOR Leadership Installation Breakfast Program
Hey, that’s me giving my last speech as Board President. So grateful for everyone who served with me this year and made it all work – couldn’t do any of it without you all. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
CA State Senator Tony Strickland addressing the room. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
LBOR Past President Dave Csira (2019). This guy. He’s the one who got me started on this journey. I remember it like it was yesterday. We were standing on Glenneyre after seeing some homes on broker preview “Hey, Jess – I need you for something; I think you’d be perfect for it.” JB: “Oh yeah, what is it? Name it.” DC: “We need a new Chair of the Gov’t Affairs Committee. You’d be perfect.” JB: “Uh, the only thing I’ve ever chaired is a couch; you sure about this?” DC: “Yes; absolutely sure.” My sincere thanks (I tell him all the time) – thank you, Dave, for getting me involved in the Board; it has been a highlight of my career and I couldn’t have done it without your encouragement. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
2025 LBOR President with CA State Senator Tony Strickland; super honored to get a bit of recognition from the Senator’s office for my time as Board President 🙂 Photo by Bobbie Jordan
Emcee Zac Krone crushing it on the mic, getting the 2025 LBOR Directors ready for de-installation. Seeya in one second and then… welcome back… Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
Awfully Cheery Outgoing 2025 Directors for the Laguna Board of REALTORS. From left to right – Jesse Brossa, Geoff Dunlevie, Dana Wall, Niki Willhoit, Traudi Hansen, Reuben Gulledge, Farzan Parvizi, Kristine Torrance, Gilda Duhs, Laura Baptista, Bob Chapman. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
Senator Tony Strickland and Outgoing 2025 Directors for the Laguna Board of REALTORS. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
Outgoing 2025 Directors for the Laguna Board of REALTORS. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
Senator Strickland Swearing in the 2026 Directors for the Laguna Board of REALTORS. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
Senator Strickland Swears in the 2026 Directors for the Laguna Board of REALTORS. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
The newly installed 2026 Directors for the Laguna Board of REALTORS. From left to right – Greyson Benson, Geoff Dunlevie, Jesse Brossa, Dana Wall, Niki Willhoit, Traudi Hansen, Reuben Gulledge, Farzan Parvizi, Kristine Torrance, Gilda Duhs, Bob Chapman. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
LBOR 2026 Affiliate Directors. They are missing a couple of Directors, but – from left to right – Jon Margolis, Nicole Kasperbauer, Jordyn Newton, Lisa Runyon, Candy Babcock, Dave Eurton. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
LBOR 2025 President Jesse Brossa handing the gavel off to 2026 President Geoff Dunlevie. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
LBOR 2026 President Geoff Dunlevie giving his address. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
LBOR 2026 President Geoff Dunlevie honoring Jerry Bieser
LBOR 2026 President Geoff Dunlevie honoring Jerry Bieser. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
LBOR Affiliate Extraordinaire Jerry Bieser – one of the most recognizable guys in town for his good cheer and dedication to the community. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
LBOR Past Presidents Michael Gosselin (2006) & Rick McIntire (2004 & 2008). Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
LBOR 2024 Affiliate of the Year Dave Eurton. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
LBOR 2024 Affiliate of the Year Dave Eurton with 2025 Affiliate of the YearJon Margolis. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
2024 LBOR Affiliate of the Year, Dave Eurton, giving the 2025 LBOR Affiliate of the Year, Jon Margolis, a proper winning hug. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
LBOR 2025 Affiliate of the Year Jon Margolis. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
2024 REALTOR of the Year (and 2021 LBOR Past President), Kendall Clark, introducing the 2025 REALTOR of the Year. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
Bob Chapman 2025 REALTOR of the Year & Kendall Clark 2024 REALTOR of the Year. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
Bob Chapman, 2025 REALTOR of the Year (and 2024 LBOR Past President), addressing the room. Photo by Mary Hurlbut.
At one point during the morning’s proceedings someone asked for any LBOR Past Presidents to stand and be recognized; I thought “We have to get a photo today of these guys!” I texted Bobbie across the room and she arched her eyebrows and texted back “Good luck!” like “That’s never going to happen :/ ” When the event wrapped up, I raced around and got as many past presidents as I could (missed a few before they left) and then grabbed 2026 President Geoff Dunlevie to loop him into the mix. From left tot right – Kendall Clark (2021), Michael Johnson (2016), Laura Baptista (2022), Suzanne Taylor (2014), Nancy Pooley (2011), Gary Boisen (2012), Marie Thomas (1986,1987,1995), Rick McIntire (2004,2008), Traudi Hansen (2018), Jesse Brossa, (2025), Jim Ardery (2020), Geoff Dunlevie (2026), Bob Chapman (2024). Photo by Bobbie Jordan
