Professionals Real Estate 
Tuesday, 21st March 2023
Professionals Real Estate has a long history and today evidence of its proud past was returned to its rightful place, the walls of the Brisbane hotel where the company was founded almost 50 years ago.
In 1976, a group of disgruntled independent agents gathered over a steak and a beer at the historic Breakfast Creek Hotel to hatch a plan to create a united company.
A plaque marking the momentous occasion had hung on the pub’s wall for decades until it was washed away by floodwaters in February last year.
Today (Tues March 21) things were put right when a replacement plaque was returned to the wall and celebrated with a dinner for agents and staff from Professionals, and family members of the ‘founding fathers’.
Watching proudly was Brian Brady, a Professionals agent and son of Keith Brady, one of the organisers of the original gathering.
“My father was entrepreneurial and was instrumental in organising that meeting when those local agents decided to join forces to support their individual businesses,’’ Brian said.
“These guys felt that as a group they would have stronger buying power for a range of services such as newspaper advertising, signage and printing.
“It is at occasions like this that you fully appreciate the enormity of what they did nearly 50 years ago. The Professionals we see today began from truly humble beginnings around a table at the Brekky Creek Pub.
“After that meeting my father headed off to knock on every door of an agent along the east coast of Australia. I was only a teenager at the time but I remember him being away for months.
“Dad knew it was a strong plan and he was committed to the group despite running his own business at the time.
“There was a lot of hard work done by those pioneers who rolled up their sleeves and did what had to be done. It’s a proud legacy.
“But it’s not just that original group, it’s all the good men and women who followed. It’s been a continuous process of giving back and helping raise up generations of agents. That’s probably why so few agents fail in this company.
“Now there are Professionals’ offices right across every state of Australia, and New Zealand and Fiji.
“When I was 18 I remember asking Dad why he didn’t decide at the time to franchise the business as he would have been a very rich man. But he just looked at me and said ‘Son, it’s not all about the money. It’s about family and putting families in a better position with a strong business.”
Brian still operates as the Principal under his late father’s business name, Professionals Keith Brady at Everton Park.
“I never changed the name as his legacy needs to be celebrated. At one stage we were No.1 agents in Queensland. I have fourth generation buyers coming in whose great grandparents were Dad’s clients.
“That’s something special about the Professionals, we have the longest multi-generational ties in the industry.’’
And with a son in Year 12 with an interest in real estate and a desire to study finance, Brian believes there’s every chance a third generation of the family will join the business.
Professionals Chief Executive Officer Katherine Gonzalez-Cork paid tribute to the legacy of the founders of Professionals.
“We owe them a debt of gratitude for their foresight in creating a uniquely independent real estate company that has stood the test of time,’’ she said.
“Professionals continues to grow and is embarking on a period of revitalisation and expansion as new agents come on board when they realise the level of support they receive from us for the best value in the market.’’
Media Contact: Jo Cranstoun (Urbaine) 0408 781 294 or email jo@urbainepr.com.au
