Neighbors in the news: Realty firm names Lake Bluff man new director of business development
• Lake Bluff resident Luke Mutter was named director of Business Development at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago. Mutter will manage relationships with corporate and third-party companies, as well as work with and expound upon the firm's portfolio of innovative products and services that benefit the firm's agents and their clients.
Following a successful career in management consulting, Mutter began his career in residential real estate and was named a 2018 Rising Star by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago and a 2018 Rookie of the Year by the North Shore Barrington Board of REALTORS (NSBAR). Mutter has served as a director of NSBAR, and has been consistently recognized for sales achievements since his first year in the business. He went on to serve as the assistant manager of the firm's Lake Forest and Libertyville offices and currently serves as managing broker of the firm's Libertyville office.
"Luke is a natural leader and has had a terrific impact on our company, first as assistant manager in our Lake Forest office, then as assistant manager in our Libertyville office, before taking the reins as our Libertyville office manager. As an agent, Luke was very innovative in promoting listings and has shared that enthusiasm and know-how with agents as their manager. We know he will employ that same enthusiasm and innovation in the role of director of Business Development," said Diane Glass CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HoneServices Chicago.
• The Schwabe Group, an Arlington Heights-based suburban real estate practice, has expanded its team with the addition of three new agents - Rana Hamwi, Sarah Faraci-Gomez and Amy Pappas.
Hamwi provides experience and is bilingual, with a mastery of Arabic. She has extensive knowledge of the Northwest suburbs and is a skilled negotiator.
Faraci-Gomez is an Arlington Heights resident with a lengthy career in client-centric businesses. With so many established agents in this area, Faraci-Gomez stands out due to her rapport with clients.
Pappas is a lifelong resident of the area, having attended Prospect High School, where her two children are currently enrolled. She has been involved in a wide-range of community organizations and is focused on analyzing available data to match buyers with the right home for them.
"The real estate industry is as challenging as it has ever been. Rana, Sarah and Amy each bring an appreciation for the process of buying or selling a home and, as local residents, understand the specifics of this market," said David Schwabe, founder, The Schwabe Group.
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Sabrina Bukvarevic, a junior at Maine West High School, finished third in the feature writing category at the IHSA state championships, which was held Friday, April 22, in Normal.
Bukvarevic finished first in the IHSA sectional competition earlier, one of seven sectional competitions across the state leading up to the state competition. Students were given a prompt and a data set with one and a half hours to write a full article during the competitions.
"Going up against the best writers in the state, Sabrina showed that her talent is nearly unrivaled," said Laurie McGowan, Bukvarevic's journalism teacher and the Westerner school newspaper sponsor.
Next year, Bukvarevic will be co-editor-in-chief of the Westerner.
• Send 'Neighbors in the News' items to ntwohey@dailyherald.com.