America Supports You: RE/MAX Helps Military Spouses on Career Path

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2006 – Moving frequently is not always beneficial to military spouses' careers, but RE/MAX officials hope to help change that. RE/MAX, an international realty company, announced "Operation RE/MAX" on Aug. 14, during opening ceremonies of the 2006 RE/MAX International Conference of Broker/Owners and Managers here. This program assists military spouses in developing careers in real estate, which a recent American National Standards Institute survey indicated as one of the top five careers suited for military spouses.

"A career in real estate is ideal for many military spouses," Dave Liniger, RE/MAX co-founder and chairman of the board, said in the release. "It's a line of work that an individual can easily transport to any new location and become productive again almost immediately." Operation RE/MAX is not limited to those who want to become licensed real estate sales persons, however. Programs for administrative office support, unlicensed assistants and other staff positions also are available.

"We began discussions with the Department of Defense almost year ago," LaVerne Bintner, RE/MAX vice president of training, said. "They have determined that offering positive career opportunities for spouses may help accomplish one of their highest priorities -- retention of quality military personnel." Other career paths recommended to military spouses by the DoD include paralegal, nursing, dental assistant/technician, and teaching.

License preparation for spouses participating in Operation RE/MAX is being handled by local real estate license training schools, with ongoing training available via the RE/MAX Satellite Network, Bintner added. Advanced sales training courses are also available on the satellite network. Research by the Standards Institute showed that real estate careers are ideally suited to military spouses because of the shorter educational and licensing period, high income potential and portability. RE/MAX personnel already have attended a number of career fairs at military installations around the country to explain the program and examine additional needs and services.

"RE/MAX is an ideal career field for military spouses because of our focus on technology, including the RE/MAX Satellite Network, our brand reputation and our extensive network of offices and agents around the world," Bintner added. Spouses who would like to more information on Operation RE/MAX should contact the Spouse Employment Office or Family Center at their military installation. They also can log on to www.military.com/spouse or send e-mail inquiries directly to operationremax@remax.net.