Fred Tucker* presided over one of the most active and historic years in the history of this Association. The year was 1972 and rarely has a single calendar year involved so many significant decisions.
It was the year in which the Association changed its name to the National Association of REALTORS® and expanded its membership by inviting the more than 400,000 sales-associates to join. The latter change made the National Association the world's largest business/trade association and gave it the fundamental strength and identity to build an organization that reflected the vital role that real estate plays in the economy.
Through its Real Estate Political Education Committee and through individual involvement by REALTORS®, by the purchase of its own strategically-located Washington office and by its expanded program of political involvement, NAREB, under the direction of Fred Tucker, moved in 1972 to become a major factor in the nation's political process.
To assists the real estate investor and the syndicator of real estate, NAREB established the Real Estate Securities and Syndication Institute. To further aid and encourage communities to better utilize their physical and economic assets, REALTORS® continued the efforts of the Build America Better and Make America Better programs.
The Association's efforts to establish a responsible Equal Opportunity in Housing program resulted in an agreement with the Department of Housing and Urban Development about a poster that combined NAREB's positive policy towards the program with the required federal statement.
Internally, the Association sought additional coordination and efficiency in administration by moving its public relations program to the national headquarters, an effort designed to offer further service to NAREB's affiliates.
With the sudden growth of the Association, President Tucker knew there would be an overwhelming need for legal services. A substantial increase in the flow of legal information to boards and members was realized through expanded activities of NAREB's legal counsel. Tape cassettes responsive to members' needs for legal information and a new publication answering questions about the MLS also were provided in 1972.
More than anyone, Mr. Tucker was aware of the strides made by the Association. In a year-end message to the membership, he said. "A reasonable measurement of an Association's progress may be found in the record of its growth and the response to its annual convention. In both of these areas, NAREB far surpassed any other year in its history. The first goal --- to achieve 100,000 members --- was reached early in 1972, with approximately 10,000 new members added during the year. The convention in Hawaii attracted nearly twice as many REALTORS® as any previous convention."
Mr. Tucker, a native of Indianapolis, was president of F. C. Tucker Company, Inc. - REALTORS® and Developers. He was past president of both the Indiana Association of REALTORS® and the Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of REALTORS®
Source: Presidents of the National Association of REALTORS®, (Chicago: NAR, 1980).
*Deceased