Gary W. Keller

Gary Keller
Born Gary W. Keller
Austin, Texas
Alma mater Baylor University
Occupation Author, Real Estate Expert
Known for Co-Founder and Chairman of Keller Williams Realty
Spouse(s) Mary Keller
Children John Keller
Website
Gary Keller KellerINK profile

Gary Keller is an American author and real estate entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of Keller Williams Realty, an international real estate franchise with headquarters in Austin, Texas.[1] He is the author of numerous books including The Millionaire Real Estate Investor which became both a New York Times best-seller and a BusinessWeek best-seller[2] and The ONE Thing, which reached #1 on the Wall Street Journal business best-seller list.[3] He currently serves as the chairman of the board at Keller Williams Realty.[4]

Early life and education

Keller originally had no intention of attending college. The summer following his high school graduation he began to pursue a music career. Mid-summer, he came to his parents and informed them that he wanted to go to college as his music career was not working out.[5] His parents informed him that they had already applied to Baylor University in Waco, Texas where he was accepted. After visiting the university, Keller decided to attend, following in the footsteps of his sister and father who has previously attended the university.[6]

While at Baylor, Keller spent time shadowing professionals in the fields of law, accounting, banking, and real estate.[6] It was at that time that he became interested in real estate and began to pursue a real estate and insurance degree program that had just started at the university.[6] His senior year he was interviewed by various real estate companies who came to Baylor looking for graduates.[6] Following graduation in 1979, Keller moved to Austin where he began his career in real estate.[1]

Career

Keller moved to Austin in 1979 and began working in real estate.[1] He worked for a future competitor for four years prior to venturing out to start his own agency.[1] It was in 1983 that he and Joe Williams founded Keller Williams Realty in Austin.[7] The company grew to be the largest real estate agency in the Austin area within two years. After expansion and franchising, it became the largest real estate franchise by agent count in North America and the only privately held global residential real estate brokerage. In 2014, Keller Williams Realty reached a milestone of over 100,000 agents worldwide,[8] with franchises in the United States, Canada, Southern Africa, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Dubai.[9][10] Keller still serves as the company's chairman of the board.[4]

Keller began writing during his early years at Keller Williams Realty. He established KellerINK for the publishing of instructional and inspirational business books with a specialty in real estate. His first book, The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, was co-authored with Dave Jenks and Jay Papasan and released in 2004.[11] The book made the best-seller list on BusinessWeek.[12] He co-authored a second book, The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, in 2005 along with Papasan and Jenks.[13] This book became a New York Times best-seller.[2]

In 2013, Keller and co-author Papasan published their first non-real estate book, The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results.[4] The book reached #1 on the Wall Street Journal business bestseller list. It was also a bestseller on The New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.[14][15] Hudson Booksellers named The ONE Thing one of the five best business interest books of 2013.[16] The authors have been featured in publications including Forbes and Dave Ramsey’s EntreLeadership Review.[14] In all, Keller has published four best-selling books on real estate and has sold more than a million copies worldwide.[14]

In addition to writing and Keller Williams Realty, Keller has been involved in other ventures including that of an investor. He has invested in companies such as the Austin-based Music & Entertainment Television.[17] Keller is also a public speaker[18] and was a panelist for the nonprofit Relationship & Information Series for Entrepreneurs in 2013 along with former Texas Longhorns quarterback Vince Young.[19]

Bibliography

Publication year Title Original publisher ISBN Notes
2004 The Millionaire Real Estate Agent McGraw Hill ISBN 9780071502085 Co-Authors Dave Jenks & Jay Papasan. BusinessWeek best-seller.
2005 The Millionaire Real Estate Investor McGraw Hill ISBN 9780071469531 Co-Authors Dave Jenks & Jay Papasan. BusinessWeek and New York Times best-seller.
2006 Flip: How to Find, Fix, and Sell Houses for Profit McGraw Hill Financial ISBN 9780071545143 Co-Authors Rick Villani & Clay Davis.
2007 Your First Home: The Proven Path to Home Ownership KellerINK ISBN 9780071546218
2008 SHIFT: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times KellerINK ISBN 9780071605274 Co-Authors Dave Jenks & Jay Papasan. New York Times best-seller, the The Wall Street Journal Business Bestseller, and the USA Today Bestseller.
2013 The ONE Thing Bard Press ISBN 9781848549258 Co-Author Jay Papasan. First non real estate book by both authors.

Philanthropy

Keller is also known for his philanthropy. In 2007, he donated $5 million to Baylor University.[20] The donation was for a new research center for residential real estate located at the Hankamer School of Business.[21] The facility is named The Keller Center and studies issues such as buyer behavior as well as marketing and management strategies.[20]

Keller is the organizer of All ATX: The Concert, a fundraising concert put on to benefit the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians.[22] The concert has featured artists such as Eric Johnson, Ray Benson, and Bob Schneider.[23]

Awards and recognition

Keller has received numerous awards and recognition throughout his career.[24] He is a previous Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner and a finalist for Inc. Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year.[4] He was honored by his alma mater in 2011 when they presented him with a Meritorious Achievement Award, giving him a Medal of Service for his business leadership.[6] The same year he was recognized by Austin Business Journal as one of Austin's 30 Most Influential.[24]

In 2013, the Swanepoel Power 200 designated Keller as one of the 5 most powerful people in residential real estate.[25] Also in 2013, Inman News named Keller one of the 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders.[26] In 2014, Keller was featured in an article by Training Magazine naming Keller Williams the No. 2 training organization across all industries.[27]

Personal life

Keller gave up playing the guitar prior to attending college.[28] He took it up again on his 40th birthday and is an astute student of everything relating to Gibson and Fender guitars.[28] He also plays once a year for an audience at the Keller Williams Realty annual meeting.[28] Keller is an avid user of social media and in 2014 was ranked as one of the 100 Twitter accounts to follow.[29] He resides in Austin with his wife Mary.[30]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Simmons, Lee (24 May 198). "Realtor saw opportunity in adversity". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 20 May 2014. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The New York Times Paperback Archive". The New York Times. 19 June 2005. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  3. ↑ Drake, Sarah (7 May 2013). "Book by Austin exec tops WSJ bestseller list". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Schawbel, Dan (23 May 2013). "Gary Keller: How To Find Your One Thing". Forbes. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "Gary Keller". California Real Estate. 2004.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 "Medal of Service - Business Leadership". Baylor Magazine. Fall 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  7. ↑ Mistretta, A.J. (31 December 2006). "The market doesn't matter". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  8. ↑ Buchholz, Jan (8 May 2014). "Keller Williams hits milestone with 100,575 agents worldwide". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  9. ↑ Sambidge, Andy (14 April 2014). "Largest US real estate franchise to launch ops in Dubai". Arabian Business. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  10. ↑ Garrison, Trey (18 February 2014). "Keller Williams posts major growth, plans Dubai office". Housing Wire. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  11. ↑ Bruss, Rebert (25 May 2004). "How to be a successful real estate agent". Inman. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  12. ↑ "The BusinessWeek Best-Seller List" (PDF). BusinessWeek. July 2004. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  13. ↑ Bruss, Robert J. (1 May 2005). "Book Review: Serious About Success?". L.A. Times. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "The One Thing - Author Jay Papasan Shares The Secret To Success". Entre Leadership Review. December 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  15. ↑ "Hardcover Advice & Misc. Best-sellers". The New York Times. 21 April 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  16. ↑ "2013 Book Of The Year - Best of 2013". Hudson Booksellers. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  17. ↑ Zaragoza, Sandra (7 October 2007). "Music for the masses". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  18. ↑ "Keller makes Toronto speaking debut". REM Online. 13 August 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  19. ↑ Drake, Sarah (9 May 2013). "Vince Young, Gary Keller among RISE speakers". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "$5M kickstarts real estate center at Baylor". Austin Business Journal. 6 March 2007. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  21. ↑ "Keller funds center at Baylor University". Chicago Tribune. 11 March 2007. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  22. ↑ Corcoran, Michael (23 September 2013). "HAAM Day is special in the Live Music Capital of the World". The Statesman. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  23. ↑ Swiatecki, Chad (24 September 2013). "Austin businesses band together for musicians' health". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Austin's 30 most influential". Austin Business Journal. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  25. ↑ "The 200 Most Powerful People in Residential Real Estate in 2013". Swanepoel Power 200. 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  26. ↑ "100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders". Inman News. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  27. ↑ "Keller Williams is on the Move". Training Magazine. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Pope, Colin (9 November 2012). "Journal Profile Gary Keller Interview". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  29. ↑ "Capital Gains: NFL airtime; Rocky Mountain High & more". Austin Business Journal. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  30. ↑ "About Gary Keller". KellerINK. Retrieved 20 May 2014.

External links