Leon Dickson Sr., owner and principal broker of BenchMark at Southwind Realtors LLC in Memphis, has been installed as the Tennessee Realtors’ 2018 president, becoming the first black president of the organization in its nearly 100-year history.

2. Last Word: Corker's Touchstone, Quonset Rehab and The Methodist Chart - Wednesday, October 11, 2017

More invective from the White House directed at U.S. Senator Bob Corker since we last met here. And it is now becoming a sort of political prairie fire among Republicans in the Beltway per The New York Times.

3. Dickson First Black President Of Tennessee Realtors - Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Leon Dickson Sr., owner and principal broker of BenchMark at Southwind Realtors LLC in Memphis, has been installed as the Tennessee Realtors’ 2018 president, becoming the first black president of the organization in its nearly 100-year history.

4. Events - Saturday, February 4, 2017

The second We Mean Business Symposium, hosted by the City of Memphis Office of Business Diversity and Compliance, will be held Wednesday, Feb. 8, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Tower Center at Clark Tower, 5100 Poplar Ave., 33rd floor. The primary focus is to share upcoming city bid opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses. Companies also will learn about the certification and registration process and how to leverage the city’s diversity programs. The first J.E. Walker Breaking Barriers Awards Luncheon will follow. Cost is free; RSVP required. Register at eventbrite.com.

5. Huston to Lead Downtown Marketing Initiatives - Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Penelope Huston has joined the Downtown Memphis Commission as vice president of marketing, communications and events. Huston has more than 20 years’ experience in advertising, marketing, public relations, and relationship management, most recently serving as director of marketing for Memphis in May.
In her new role, she will be responsible for developing the DMC’s marketing strategy; driving activities to enhance the image of Downtown and public awareness of its growth and value to the region; and lead initiatives to position Downtown as a center for culture, tourism, business and entertainment. 

6. Riding Momentum - Saturday, December 31, 2016

Around this time each year, everyone tends to start fetishizing the blank slate a bit, with its attendant allure of reinvention and that sweeping away of the old order to make way for what comes next.

7. The Week Ahead: June 6-12 - Monday, June 6, 2016

Time to get this week started, Memphis! There’s plenty to keep you busy in this week’s roundup of need-to-know happenings, from the 50th anniversary of a seminal civil rights moment to a blast from the '80s-movie past...

8. Marx-Bensdorf Expands in East Memphis - Friday, September 19, 2014

A prominent Memphis realty company has expanded its presence in East Memphis. Marx-Bensdorf Realtors has grown in the office building at 5860 Ridgeway Loop Blvd. by 526 square feet, bringing its total to 4,653 square feet.

9. ‘Good News’ for Housing in Second Quarter - Monday, July 15, 2013

Shelby County’s housing rebound continued in the second quarter, with key indicators showing improvement over the same period last year.

Shelby County netted 4,226 home sales in the second quarter, an 11 percent bump from 3,821 in the second quarter of 2012, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

10. BenchMark to Relocate, Restructure - Friday, January 25, 2013

BenchMark at Southwind Realtors LLC will soon relocate its Southeast Memphis office, add agents, integrate technology into its business practices and go paperless in one fell swoop.

11. MAAR Members Honored at End-of-Year Luncheon - Saturday, January 5, 2013

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors named the recipients of its 2012 awards at its year-end luncheon Dec. 19 at the Hilton Memphis.

Leon Dickson Sr. of BenchMark at Southwind LLC was named 2012 Realtor of the Year.

12. MAAR Members Honored at End-of-Year Luncheon - Monday, December 31, 2012

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors named the recipients of its 2012 awards at its year-end luncheon Dec. 19 at the Hilton Memphis.

Leon Dickson Sr. of BenchMark at Southwind LLC was named 2012 Realtor of the Year.

13. Poag, N.Y. Investor Buy The Avenue - Friday, May 11, 2012

The Avenue Collierville – the largest lifestyle center in the Memphis metropolitan area at Houston Levee Road and Bill Morris Parkway – has been bought by an affiliate of Memphis-based Poag Lifestyle Centers.

14. Poag, N.Y. Investor Buy The Avenue - Thursday, May 10, 2012

The Avenue Collierville – the largest lifestyle center in the Memphis metropolitan area at Houston Levee Road and Bill Morris Parkway – has been bought by an affiliate of Memphis-based Poag Lifestyle Centers.

15. Hayes Survives, Thrives Even in Housing Slump - Monday, March 19, 2012

As a child, Michelle Hayes dreamed of owning her own hotel. Instead of going toe to toe with Hilton and Marriott, however, the Whitehaven native and LeMoyne-Owen College graduate instead entered into the world of real estate in 1998.

16. Home Sales Up 2 Percent For October - Wednesday, November 9, 2011

October home sales in Shelby County inched 2 percent higher compared to the same month a year ago, marking the fourth consecutive month with year-over-year improvement.

Shelby County registered 1,073 home sales last month, compared to 1,011 in October 2010, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

17. Housing Market Inches Upward in Q3 - Monday, October 10, 2011

Local home sales saw an uptick during the third quarter, and local professionals say it’s due to the sluggish market conditions yielding incentives for buyers.

Shelby County registered 3,568 home sales in the third quarter (July 1 to Sept. 30), a 7 percent increase from Q3 2010, which totaled 3,332, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

18. MAAR: June Home Sales Improve 4.5 Pct. - Friday, July 8, 2011

The housing market may be inching its way to recovery, as the Memphis Area Association of Realtors has reported a 4.5 percent increase in June home sales.

The Memphis area recorded 1,612 home sales last month, up from 1,542 in June 2010, according to the association’s MAARdata property records database. The MAARdata system includes records of all property transactions in Shelby, Fayette and Tipton counties.

19. Davidson Hired as Manager of Habitat ReStore - Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Joseph Yates Davidson has been hired as the manager of the new Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 7130 Winchester Road.

20. Memphis-Area Home Sales Dip 23 Pct. in March - Thursday, April 7, 2011

Memphis-area home sales last month fell 23.2 percent from March 2010, according to sales recorded in the Memphis Area Association of Realtors’ MAARdata property records database, which includes records of all property transactions in Shelby, Fayette and Tipton counties.

21. Noffsinger Receives Leadership Award - Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Mike Noffsinger, sales manager for the Memphis location of the RJ Young Co., has received the John T. Crunk Leadership Award, an honor given to an employee who exhibits outstanding leadership traits and performance during the year.

22. Recovery Roadblock - Monday, March 21, 2011

As the housing market inches closer to correction, the potential elimination of government-controlled housing institutions Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could bring the recovery to a screeching halt.

In 2008, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were pushed to the verge of collapse, partially because both failed to charge enough for the guarantees they sold to protect lenders and investors, which for decades were fully backed by the government.

23. Shelby Home Sales Drop 21 Pct. in Feb. - Wednesday, March 9, 2011

The latest housing market figures paint a bleak picture of the market.

Although brokers can be optimistic about a few of the numbers – and can point to factors such as terrible weather to explain part of the decline – February 2011 will go down as a month to forget for the housing market.

24. MAAR: Outlook Belies February Numbers - Tuesday, March 8, 2011

While Memphis-area home sales declined from the same month a year ago, average sales price, existing homes and nonbank sales all showed signs of resurgence in February.

Memphis-area home sales last month fell 11.8 percent from February 2010, according to sales recorded in the Memphis Area Association of Realtors’ MAARdata property records database, which includes records of all property transactions in Shelby, Fayette and Tipton counties.

25. 2010 Home Sales Declined 9.7 Percent - Monday, January 31, 2011

Home sales in the Memphis market declined 9.7 percent in 2010, showing the market perhaps still has a ways to go to recovery.

There were 13,711 homes sold in 2010, a 9.7 percent decline from the 15,186 sold in 2009, according to the latest numbers from the Memphis Area Association of Realtors’ Multiple Listing Service.

26. Dickson Takes Reins of MAAR - Thursday, January 20, 2011

Leon Dickson prefers to concentrate on the future of the real estate market rather than dwell on the past.

But one cannot fully understand Dickson’s current tenure as president of the Memphis Area Association of Realtors without tapping into his history.

27. MAAR Installs 2011 Officers - Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors announced its 2011 officers and board of directors at its annual inaugural gala Friday.

The officers are: Leon Dickson of BenchMark at Southwind, president; John Stamps of Prudential Collins-Maury Inc., vice president; Walter Allen of Integra Realty Resources, secretary-treasurer; Carol Lott of Prudential Collins-Maury Inc., president-elect.

28. Housing Shrinks 8 Percent in 2010 - Monday, January 10, 2011

While 2010’s home sales are down – 8 percent from the previous year – local real estate agents say bright spots in the report indicate the housing market is on the road to recovery for 2011.

29. Housing Endured Bumpy Ride in 2010 - Tuesday, December 28, 2010

As the 2010 housing market seemed to get worse with every monthly report, local real estate professionals adjusted their routines to cope.

A lack of confidence in the market and uncertainty about the employment picture prevailed, keeping home sales about 15 percent off last year’s pace – which had been the lowest in decades.

30. Polly Installed as President of Downtown Kiwanis Club - Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Dianne Polly, vice president of compliance and community relations for Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association, has been installed as president of the Downtown Memphis Kiwanis Club. Also, she has been appointed chairman of the American Dietetic Association’s Ethics Committee.

31. Realtors: Housing Has Nowhere to Go But Up - Thursday, September 16, 2010

Although the local real estate industry took yet another year-over-year dip in August – as new and existing home sales declined 13 percent from the same month a year ago – Realtors see the light at the end of the tunnel.

32. MAAR Elects 2011-2012 Board of Directors - Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors elected its board of directors for 2011-2012 at its annual meeting and election last week.

MAAR members elected six real estate agents to serve on the board during the next two years.

33. Payne-Johnson Joins Arlington’s Baptist Memorial Medical - Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Dr. Ann Payne-Johnson, a family medicine physician at Baptist Memorial Medical Group, recently began practicing medicine at Baptist Memorial Medical Group Arlington Family Medicine.

Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Education: Residency, University of Tennessee Department of Family Medicine, Jackson, Tenn.; Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine; master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of Southern Mississippi
Work Experience: Family medicine physician at BMMG, clinician at Saint Francis Hospital, aerobics instructor/fitness instructor (stopped when I was 5 months pregnant with my son)
Family: Married. Five-year-old son, Donovan, in kindergarten at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School; daughter, Ashley, 2.
Last book read: “Llama Llama Mad at Mama”
Music: Disco. Favorite song: “I Will Survive.”
Favorite movie: “Scarface” (“Avatar” is a close second)
Sports team: New Orleans Saints (Who Dat!!!)
Activities you enjoy outside of work: Farmville on Facebook, gadgets, spending time with the kids
Who has had the greatest influence on you? My father, who was a musician and scientist.
Why did you pursue a career in medicine? I have always wanted to practice medicine.
What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishments? Becoming board certified.
What do you most enjoy about your work? The people I work with every day are phenomenal. Baptist is growing to continue to meet the community’s needs for primary care.

34. Hagan Presented Francis Gassner Award - Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Joey Hagan has been presented the Francis Gassner Award by the Memphis Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for his outstanding contributions to the quality of the built environment in Memphis.

35. Home Sales Inch Up in Q1 - Monday, April 12, 2010

This past weekend the Memphis Area Association of Realtors hosted a citywide “open house” along with Realtor associations across the country.

The event, which spotlighted hundreds of homes for sale throughout the area, was designed to increase sales as the homebuyers tax credit approaches its April 30 deadline and also give the industry an overall spark before the busy summer season.

36. Madness Comes to March Home Sales Totals - Thursday, April 8, 2010

“March Madness” refers to the frenzy of college basketball from coast to coast each spring, but the term might also be applied to the local real estate market, which last month saw an impressive flurry of home sales.

37. Stabilizing Home Sales Hit Bump in January - Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Although it might have ended last year with a bang, the local real estate market began 2010 with a whimper.

Shelby County recorded just 885 sales last month, a 14 percent decline from 1,025 sales in January 2009 and a 30 percent decline from 1,261 sales in December 2009, according to the latest data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

38. Howard Named Prez-Elect Of Collegiate Registrars And Admissions Officers - Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Kate Howard has been named president-elect of the Tennessee Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

39. MAAR Prez: Stage Set for Better Home Sales - Monday, January 11, 2010

2009 went into the books as the worst year for home sales in 18 years, but a slight improvement in the final quarter signaled a sliver of hope for a beleaguered real estate industry.

Shelby County saw just 14,600 home sales last year, an 11 percent decline from 16,406 home sales during 2008 and a 29 percent decline from 20,706 home sales during 2007, according to the latest data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

40. Visible School Names Ellis To Modern Music Ministry Faculty - Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Bill Ellis has been hired to the Visible School faculty in the Modern Music Ministry program.

Ellis will teach guitar, the history of pop music and hands-on courses in world music and ethnomusicology.

41. Finch Appointed to Dean Position At UofM School of Nursing - Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Dr. Linda Finch has been appointed associate dean and director of undergraduate programs for the Loewenberg School of Nursing at the University of Memphis. Finch was previously an associate professor on the nursing faculty. She has been named an American Nurses Foundation Scholar by the American Nurses Association and is an active member of Sigma Theta Tau International, the honor society for nursing. She also has served on the editorial board of “The Tennessee Nurse.”

42. Calipari Home Sells For 16 Percent Below List Price - Friday, August 14, 2009

Former University of Memphis basketball coach John Calipari’s home at 220 E. Galloway Drive sold Aug. 6 for $1.425 million, according to the Shelby County Register of Deeds.

That sales price is $275,000 – or 16 percent – less than the home’s listing price of $1.7 million with Hobson Realtors. It also is $70,000 less than what Calipari and his wife, Sue Ellen, paid for the home in 2000.

43. Calipari’s House Fetches $1.425 million - Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Former University of Memphis basketball coach John Calipari’s home at 220 E. Galloway Drive sold Aug. 6 for $1.425 million, according to the Shelby County Register of Deeds.

That sales price is $275,000 – or 16 percent – less than the home’s listing price of $1.7 million with Hobson Realtors. It also is $70,000 less than what Calipari and his wife, Sue Ellen, paid for the home in 2000.

44. Calipari’s House Fetches $1.425 million - Thursday, August 13, 2009

Former University of Memphis basketball coach John Calipari’s home at 220 E. Galloway Drive sold Aug. 6 for $1.425 million, according to the Shelby County Register of Deeds.

That sales price is $275,000 – or 16 percent – less than the home’s listing price of $1.7 million with Hobson Realtors. It also is $70,000 less than what Calipari and his wife, Sue Ellen, paid for the home in 2000.

45. Memphis Music Foundation Elects Bell Chairman - Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Al Bell has been elected the new chairman of the Memphis Music Foundation.
Under Bell’s direction, the foundation will continue to provide education, strategic planning and promotional opportunities to the Memphis music industry.
Bell is the former chairman and owner of Stax Records and former president of Motown Records. Bell has worked with artists such as Booker T and the MG’s, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Albert King, Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes and Richard Pryor.

46. Hyneman Sells Lakeland Outparcel To California Investors - Tuesday, June 30, 2009

2957 Canada Road
Lakeland, TN 38002
Sale Amount: $2 Million

Sale Date: June 19, 2009
Buyer: Debbie Ann Martinez and Michael Amerio, as trustees of the Debbie Ann Martinez 2003 Trust (50 percent); and Dawn Lizabeth Bubion and Michael Amerio, as trustees of the Dawn Lizabeth Bubion 2003 Trust (50 percent)
Seller: Corner Shops LLC

47. New Memphis Coach Buys Southwind Home - Friday, June 26, 2009

Recently hired University of Memphis men’s basketball coach Josh Pastner and his wife, Kerri, have bought a Southwind home for $775,000, according to a notice that appears in today’s edition of The Daily News. The sale closed Tuesday.

48. UT’s Hathaway Named To Ruth Neil Murry Endowed Chair - Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Dr. Donna Hathaway has been named to the Ruth Neil Murry Endowed Chair in Nursing at the University of Tennessee College of Nursing.

49. Society of Entrepreneurs Names Crye Master Entrepreneur - Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Harold Crye, co-founder and chief executive officer of Crye-Leike Realtors, has been honored as the 2009 Master Entrepreneur by the Society of Entrepreneurs in partnership with Junior Achievement of Memphis.

50. Youth Villages Names Rutschman Director of Communications - Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Echelle Lane Rutschman has been named director of communications at Youth Villages. Rutschman joins Youth Villages after 10 years serving as senior communications officer and system director of corporate communications at Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp.

51. UTHSC Professor Dagogo-Jack Appointed A.C. Mullins Chair - Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Samuel Dagogo-Jack has been appointed to the A.C. Mullins chair in Translational Research, an endowed professorship, at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center. Dagogo-Jack has also been named chief of the Division of Endocrinology for the Department of Medicine in the College of Medicine.

52. Home Sales Freefall Continues in Q1 - Monday, April 13, 2009

Shelby County home sales continued their downward spiral during the first quarter of 2009, proof that consumer confidence has yet to be restored and that credit issues have yet to be resolved.

Just 3,078 homes were sold in the first three months of 2009, down 25 percent from 4,101 in Q1 2008, according to the latest data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. The period’s total marked the lowest first quarter since Q1 2001, which saw 3,107 home sales.

53. January Housing Numbers Say It All - Friday, February 6, 2009

Real estate professionals hoping for a good start to 2009 were greeted with a dose of bad news to kick off the new year: Home sales in January declined 32 percent compared to the same month in 2008.

54. Calipari Tapped to Rally Real Estate Community - Thursday, January 8, 2009

For many local sports fans, the lasting image of 2008 was the University of Memphis men’s basketball team suffering a heartbreaking loss to Kansas in the national championship game.

For many local Realtors, the lasting image of 2008 was the housing market suffering a continued slump.

55. Realtors Get Creative In Slow Market - Tuesday, November 4, 2008

When real estate agent Larry Ohrberg landed a 10-acre ranch in Olive Branch as one of his listings, he knew the property needed a fresh approach for the open house, not the run-of-the-mill fare reserved for traditional homes.

56. MAAR Elects Board of Directors - Monday, September 8, 2008

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors elected six real estate professionals to its 2009-2010 board of directors at last week’s annual meeting.

The new directors are Landis Foy of Crye-Leike Inc.; Steve Guinn of Highwoods Properties; R. Darnell Tate of ERA Legacy Realty; Michael Green of John Green & Co. Realtors; Betsy Kelly of Hobson Co. Realtors; and Randy Jefferson of Hobson Co. Realtors.

57. 2007's Top RealtorsHonored by MAAR - Thursday, January 17, 2008
     The Memphis Area Association of Realtors recently handed out awards at its annual gala, including one to John Linthicum of Crye-Leike Inc., who was named 2007 Realtor of the Year. Randy Jefferson of The Hobson Co. Realto

58. White Joins Junior Achievement As Exchange City Manager - Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Michael White has joined Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South as Exchange City manager.

Previously, White has served in various youth development positions in the community including as a YMCA youth counselor and director of the Stax Music Academy Summer Camp. He earned a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Memphis.

59. Local Relocation Companies Help New Residents Find Housing - Tuesday, February 20, 2007

First there was International Paper. Then there was ServiceMaster. Next, well, who knows?

But as corporations move their headquarters or relocate individuals to Memphis, the transferees and their families need to find new homes, just as their companies did.

60. Archived Article: Daily Digest - Wednesday, March 2, 2005
Holiday Inn Property

Holiday Inn Property

Sells for $12 Million

HH HPTCW II Properties LLC has purchased a Holiday Inn property at 5795 Poplar Ave. near Interstate 240 for $12 million, according to The Daily News Public Records Database, ww...

61. Archived Article: This Week - Monday, July 12, 2004
Project Management Institute Offers Exam Preparation Course

Memphis Bar Association Offers Ethics Update

July 13

The Project Management Institute hosts a project management exam prep course from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through July 15 at Hampto...

62. Archived Article: Calendar - Monday, May 19, 2003
Calendar of events May 19-25

Calendar of events May 19-May 25

May 19

Memphis Investors Group hosts Shelby County Commissioner David Lillard at 7 p.m. at the Memphis Area Home Builders Association, 776 N. Germantown Parkway. Lillard will dis...

63. Archived Article: Real Briefs - Tuesday, November 24, 1998
The number of home sales reported to the Memphis Area Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service decreased slightly in October but was up year-to-date The number of home sales reported to the Memphis Area Association of Realtors Multiple Listi...

64. Archived Article: Real Focus - Tuesday, August 11, 1998
By LAURIE JOHNSON Going once ... going twice ... sold! Auctioning is not just a clearinghouse for distressed properties anymore By LAURIE JOHNSON The Daily News When word gets out that a home is being sold at auction, most people assume theres somet...

65. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, March 11, 1998
Gary L Gary L. Osing has joined the Waring Cox law firm as chief operating officer. He formerly was director of administration for the law firm of Hand Arendall LLC in Mobile, Ala. He is a graduate of the University of South Alabama and Springfield ...

66. Archived Article: Real Briefs - Tuesday, March 18, 1997
Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc. has announced that it has sold 2 million shares of common stock at $28.75 per share subject to the terms and conditions of a prospectus supplement filed with the Securities...

67. Archived Article: Highwoods Lj - Monday, January 27, 1997
lj 10/5 cates Construction will begin in February on Highwoods office By LAURIE JOHNSON The Daily News Highwoods Properties Inc., a Raleigh, N.C.-based real estate investment trust with operations in Memphis, will begin construction in early Februar...

68. Archived Article: Real Briefs - Tuesday, November 26, 1996
The Home Builders Association of Memphis has announced that Winderly Place at Southwind will be its main site for the 1997 Vesta Home Show The Home Builders Association of Memphis has announced that Winderly Place at Southwind will be its main site ...

69. Archived Article: Real Fcs Women Lj - Tuesday, July 16, 1996
lj 10/5 cates Women in construction Women face challenges but are finding acceptance in construction industry By LAURIE JOHNSON The Daily News After spending several years fielding home buyers questions while working as a residential home designer, ...

70. Archived Article: Real Briefs - Tuesday, March 19, 1996
03-19 Real briefs Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc. has completed the purchase of the 416-unit Lakeside Apartment Community located in Jacksonville, Fla. The company now owns five apartment communities in Jacksonville, totaling 1,322 units. The...