My first role in the association profession was with the NC Association of REALTORS®. And although it wasn’t Tim who hired me, it would be him who ultimately influenced my future career path.

I vividly remember the day it was announced that Tim was being hired as the Executive Vice President of NCAR. When I first saw him, the first thing I noticed was his smile and his very polished look. He actually looked like he had just come off the set of a local television station. (I would later learn that wasn’t far from the truth. Although he most recently headed the NC chapter of the American Institute of Architects, he had in fact worked in television as a reporter and anchor at WRAL.)

As time passed, it didn’t take long to realize that this guy was different from anyone I had ever worked for. He was night and day from my most recent manager. Not much more than a year earlier, I had left the newspaper business and found my way into the nonprofit space. For better or worse, my first boss there was an absolute micromanager—the kind of person who made me swear that if I ever managed people, I would never lead like that. Tim was not that. He was the opposite. He was encouraging, yet demanded excellence. He was formal in public and casual in private.

When Tim greeted you in his office, after you got past the smile, the next thing you noticed was that large, open hand reaching out to meet yours. It was one of the most welcoming handshakes I had ever experienced. Who knew such a simple gesture could say so much about a man.

About a year into my role, and several months into Tim’s tenure, I had just finished my annual evaluation when I suddenly got a call from him asking me to come down to his office. During my evaluation, I had mentioned that it seemed strange that we had one person managing the trade show at the annual convention, another selling advertising in our magazines, one (me) managing our REALTOR® Partner program and yet another selling sponsorships. I thought it would make more sense if there were a more centralized process for managing relationships with our various vendors – a true one‑stop shop.

It was at that point that Tim asked if I would like to become our next Director of Business Development. He even had me develop the job description and hire my replacement.

Not only was Tim not a micromanager – he was a macro‑leader. There were so many examples from that first year that I will never forget. So many examples of not just member service, but creating member experiences, employee relationships, and a commitment to success in every way.

There were several things that resonated with me after experiencing my first association conference with Tim where he had a chance to come in and observe the way things had been done before.

We had a very fiscally responsible accountant at NCAR. So much so that when a member lost the backing of one of those infamous REALTOR® pins, the staff person told them they would have to buy another pin instead of simply giving them one from another set. Tim was usually good about not losing his cool, but this time was an exception. To sum it up, he basically said, “Give them the pin!”

Another key memory from that convention was the trade show setup. As the one responsible for managing the Partner program, I had a booth in the trade show. The exhibit hall was in the basement of a hotel. It was damp. There was no natural light, other than the slivers coming through a few windows along the perimeter. And the kitchen exhaust must have been partially vented into the room. And remember those windows? The schedule was designed so poorly that there was actually a cornhole tournament and reception happening outside while the trade show was open. It was horrible.

My last memory from that convention was the staff meeting afterward. Tim had apparently overheard at least one (maybe more) staff member tell a member, “I don’t know. That’s not my job.” Again, there were very few times I saw Tim truly upset, but this was one of them. “Don’t ever tell a member of our association that something isn’t your job,” he said. He reminded us that there’s a reason the back of our business cards are blank. If you don’t know an answer, your response should be: “While I don’t have that answer for you, give me your contact information and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.” Tim taught me what it meant to go above and beyond for the membership. It was paramount. He truly believed we worked for the members who pay their dues. Without them, we wouldn’t have jobs.

Although, I do recall one instance of Tim walking quickly down the hall of the REALTORS® office following a board meeting and looking a bit frazzled. When I asked him what was wrong, he quickly quipped, “This association would run so much smoother if the members would just get out of the way.” I know he was kidding. Well, sort of.

He would go on to teach me so much about what it meant to be an association professional. And I wasn’t alone. Several of us who worked under Tim would eventually move on to serve other associations—and even lead them. He had a way of identifying and nurturing people who were both willing and able to grow.

Next week, I’ll share more about my pathway into my first chief staff role in the association profession—and how TK’s fingerprints were all over it