Longtime Milan resident Roger White recently was named Keller Williams No. 1 real estate agent in gross sales for the entire state of Michigan and the northern Ohio region, topping $10.5 million in sales for 2005.
The announcement was made at the Keller Williams Regional Awards Banquet held March 31.
"I almost didn't even go to the event," said White.  "I had no idea I was even in the running.  I had no clue."
 His broker, Tom Whitehouse convinced him to attend.  The evening hosted some 600 other agents.  As the awards were being presented for sales achievements, White began paying attention to the numbers
 "I started thinking to myself, 'Gee, I wonder where my numbers fall into all this," White said.  "When they began to introduce me and they started with the grand total of sales, and my broker and the other agents I work with started looking at me and smiling - I knew the jig was up.  It was a real thrill.  A real thrill."
For White, the recognition was particularly sweet because in 2001, after a 24-year career at R&B Machine Tool Co. in Saline, he was suddenly out of a job after working his way up to plant supervisor.
 "Back when the plant closed, it was like the floor dropped out from under my feet," White recalled.  "I spent several weeks looking for positions for the guys who worked for me, and finally after I did whatever I could to help them-I realized that I forgot to figure out what I was going to do."
 White soon decided to try real estate.
 "After the awards banquet last month, I told my broker, Tom (Whitehouse) that when I first walked into the Milan Keller Williams office to embark on this career, that my spirit was broken.  He told me that he always thought I'd be successful," White said.  "He believed I'd be successful because he saw that I was successful at my job at R&B.  He believed I could do it."
White loves his work, and in retrospect believes changing careers was the best thing that could've happened.
 "This job is the best.  I love working with people.  It's really about relationships and treating people the way you want them to treat you," he smiled.  "It was an absolute honor to get this award, I really am just thrilled.  I feel so fortunate."
Some of his favorite moments in real estate are dealing with first time home buyers.
 "It is such an exciting and celebratory time.  The signing of all the papers, the passing of the checks and finally that moment when they're given the key to their first home," he said.  "It is very emotional."
By Kym Boelter-Muckler, Staff Writer
Heritage Newspaper