Baird & Warner Evanston is truly part of its community.
Ask managing broker Catherine Leonard about her neighborhood, and she’ll be quick to rattle off some of her favorite places. Some of those spots are just a few doors down from the Baird & Warner Evanston offices, including the Old Neighborhood Grill and Curt’s Cafe.
It just goes to show how much the agents and loan officers of Baird & Warner Evanston are closely connected to the neighborhood.
“Our office reflects Evanston itself,” Catherine says. “We are from all different socioeconomic strata, we are hardworking, scrappy, and we stick together!
In fact, the team members of Baird & Warner Evanston are just like family. They even have their own Thanksgiving meal together right in the office, one of Catherine’s “personal favorite” events of the year.
“Our togetherness and family feeling is palpable,” she says. “And that makes me so happy.”
Baird & Warner Evanston prides itself on being a spot where brokers can quickly get their footing in a safe, supportive, and forward-thinking environment — and where experienced brokers are allowed to flourish and continue to develop their business their way.
Catherine recounts the story of one member of the Evanston office who tripled her sales after switching brokerages.
“She said ‘I’ve received more support here in one week than I had in 12 years,’” Catherine recalls. “Another would tell you, ‘I just wish I had known this sooner!’ Baird & Warner as a company is sort of humbly and quietly just an extraordinary place to be.”
And Baird & Warner Evanston is pretty extraordinary in its own right. This office has outpaced market growth consistently, and its sales volume has more than doubled since 2014, quadrupling its market share of Evanston business.
A big part of that growth, Catherine notes, “is because of our culture, which is really what sets us apart.”
Baird & Warner Evanston team members are truly involved in every aspect of their community, including giving back.
This office gathers together to support Connections for the Homeless by preparing and serving meals, packing lunches, attending gala events, and collecting donations. Every year around the holidays, team members of Baird & Warner Evanston also collect gifts for Mary Lou’s Place and the YWCA.
And remember the office’s neighbor, Curt’s Cafe? This restaurant helps provide employment and housing for at-risk and formerly incarcerated young adults. The team members at Baird & Warner Evanston are ardent supporters of this great cause and even helped to paint the house shared by some of the program’s employees.
For living proof of this office’s spirit of community and generosity in action, look no further than broker associate John Adamson. John is actively involved throughout his community, serving meals at a local soup kitchen, volunteering at a retirement community, and even breaking out his guitar to busk for charity at a local cafe.
“I do think that a corporation needs to stay involved and become part of the community. We need to help each other. We need to connect, we have to touch people. And I think that’s better for society in general,” John says.
“I think Baird & Warner has a culture that matches with mine,” John continues. “They have high ethical standards, they have integrity in their brokerage, and that appeals to me. And I think it appeals to a lot of people, too. That we are Chicagoland. We’re based here, and we care about it.”
As managing broker, Catherine shares his belief in doing good.
“I was invited to manage this office, and it is one of the best things to ever happen to me,” she explains. “I found my home here at a company rooted in equity, honor, kindness, and expertise.”
“Every day I try to demonstrate that kindness and competitiveness are not mutually exclusive,” Catherine says. “We can win listings and be the best at our jobs while still being kind and honorable.”
In fact, when Catherine was recommended for her position as managing broker, she explains, it was because she had a reputation for doing charity work in the community. The person who suggested her “knew that Baird & Warner’s management is interested in someone’s character more than anything else, and thought I would be a ‘Baird & Warner person.’ It seems to have worked out!”
From giving back to the local community, to providing unparalleled opportunities and resources for brokers, to just making the office feel more like a home, Baird & Warner Evanston is all about its people.
“We’re not selling bricks and mortar,” John says. “This is about one of the most important decisions people make. We’re not there for the quick buck; we’re there to help people.”
Want to learn more about Baird & Warner Evanston? Be sure to follow this office’s official page on Facebook for updates, news, and more. Ready to get in touch? You can start the conversation with one of Evanston’s amazing team members by visiting the office’s website, available here.
