FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Jenna Weisbord, 202-662-0766
jweisbord@franchise.org
CENTURY 21 CEO RICK DAVIDSON TO RECEIVE IFA’S RONALD HARRISON DIVERSITY AWARD
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2015 – The International Franchise Association has awarded the IFA Ronald E. Harrison Diversity Award to Rick Davidson, president & chief executive officer of Century 21 Real Estate LLC.
The award recognizes businesses and individuals who have made significant contributions to minorities in franchising either within their franchise organization or within the franchise community. Formal presentation of this award will occur during the IFA 56th Annual Convention, Feb. 20-23, 2016, in San Antonio, Texas.
“Rick Davidson has demonstrated the importance of diversity and inclusion in his business,” said IFA Chair Melanie Bergeron, chairwoman of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, International. “By helping people inside and outside of his company understand the importance of minority inclusion, he has shown that it is good for communities and businesses to make diversity a core competency.”
Century 21 Real Estate LLC (century21.com) is an iconic brand and franchisor with the largest global network in the residential real estate industry including over 6,800 independently owned and operated offices and over 101,000 independent sales professionals in 78 countries and territories worldwide.
With over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry, Davidson has always aimed to help people of all backgrounds be successful in real estate either as independent sales professionals or as home buyers or sellers, particularly veterans and persons from multicultural communities. In fact, under Davidson, the CENTURY 21® System established a “Recruiting America’s Heroes” program to assist veterans looking to earn a real estate license and transition into civilian life, and they have spent an increasing number of hours and resources aligning their business mission and goals with sustainable homeownership for all Americans.
“Veterans have done so much to serve our country and protect our many freedoms, and we are proud to work with our philanthropic partner in Easter Seals to help empower them to lead more independent lives,” said Davidson. “We are committed to being an organization that reflects all of the faces of the consumers we serve. As such, we will continue championing the work of the industry’s diversity associations, including NAHREP, AREAA, NAGLREP, NAREB and others, all in an effort to help our System members understand how to impact diverse communities and to better serve America’s ever-changing populace.”
Davidson also serves as Chairman of the International Board of Directors for Easter Seals, Inc., a group which aims to create a world of inclusion, dignity, empowerment and independence for people living with autism and other disabilities. The CENTURY 21 System has raised over $111 million for the organization. In addition, Davidson is a big brother through Big Brother/Big Sisters and is a Base Committee Member of the Boy Scouts of America Northern Tier High Adventure Base.
Davidson has always set out to make his mark in a well-established franchise sales organization. To this day he emphasizes the key principle of diversity in franchise operations and sales, recruitment, buyers and sellers, as well as corporate staff.
Prior to taking his current role at Century 21 Real Estate, Davidson served as President and COO of Coldwell Banker Commercial Affiliates, and as COO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate, LLC. Davidson was also the Founder and President of Coldwell Banker Commercial Capitol Realty Services, an independently-owned and operated commercial real estate firm in the Washington, D.C. metro area. In 2011, 2012 and 2013, Davidson was recognized in the Inman 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders. In 2013 and 2014, he was included in the Swanepoel Power 200 list of the most powerful people in residential real estate.
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About the International Franchise Association
Celebrating 55 years of excellence, education and advocacy, the International Franchise Association is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the more than 780,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.9 million direct jobs, $890 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy and 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology and business development.
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