A Tribute to Our Friend Andy VonStein
It isn’t often that someone storms into your life, corporate or personal with as much gusto as Andy VonStein.
I remember the day as it was yesterday. We merged Andy’s firm, Broker’s Choice Realty in Ravenna into Cutler Real Estate. I traveled to Ravenna to meet Andy and his wonderful staff. From that day I knew we had something special. Andy had built a staff of Realtors that were real pros but he knew he needed to provide more support to them than his time and resources would allow. We had the systems in place that he needed so he looked to us to augment what he had built. It is difficult for a proud company owner to admit that they need help but Andy recognized that and never looked back. It wasn’t just for him that precipitated the merger; it was for his Realtors who he cared so deeply for. Our mantra, “Together We’re Better” could not have been more appropriate.
Andy was a consummate professional. His desire to help people was unmatched. Andy cared for and fought for his customers as he would for his family and his Realtors were his extended family. He was controversial but fair, aggressive but caring and to all of us he was a big lovable Teddy Bear. He adored the ladies in his life, his wife, Laura and daughters Brittany and Brooke.
For years at Cutler we celebrated our top producers’ successes with a cruise together. I vividly remember the times we spent with Andy and Laura. In the late evening if you heard uncontrollable laughter on the ship, you could be sure Andy and Laura were in the middle of it and not far behind was Christie Campbell, our dear Cutler Realtor who passed away shortly after our last cruise together and her husband Troy. They were the life of the party! I often wondered how they could be so chipper at breakfast the next morning.
Others could wax more eloquently about Andy than I. For me I want to conclude my thoughts by saying, Andy thank you for all you did for Cutler Real Estate, for your professionalism, your integrity, your willingness to give to others and the joy you brought to the lives of your Cutler Family. Most of all Andy, thank you for being our friend. May God bless you and keep you and may he watch over and care for your “special ladies”.
To my Cutler Family, please be safe! Think about how you conduct your real estate business and make changes where necessary to guard against a tragedy happening to you. For those of you questioning why this happened to Andy, I will share this thought “Never put a question mark where God put a period”.
