Mauricio Umansky | Credit: The Agency
Luxury brokerage The Agency is welcoming a new franchise in Naples, Florida, the company announced on Tuesday.
The office will mark the brokerage’s 29th franchise in its network across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Prior to this office, The Agency most recently launched a new franchise in Montreal, Canada.
Three real estate couples — Chris and Kara Resop, Blair Chang and LeAnne Thrasher-Chang, and Glenn and Shantel Shimkus — will lead the new office as managing partners.
Jim Ramsay | Credit: The Agency
“South Florida is an incredibly important region for The Agency as we continue to expand our footprint throughout the state with the launch of our new franchise in Naples,” Mauricio Umansky, founder and CEO of The Agency, said in a statement.
“We could not be more excited to have the powerhouse team of Chris and Kara Resop, Blair and LeAnne Thrasher-Chang, and Glenn and Shantell Shimkus leading this charge as we continue to introduce The Agency brand around the world.”
Chris Resop | Credit: The Agency
Naples will help strengthen The Agency’s growing presence along the eastern seaboard, which already includes offices across markets like Boston, New Canaan, North Shore, Washington, D.C. and Turks and Caicos.
“As the luxury market in Naples continues to boom, we are confident that a unique brand like The Agency will meet the demand of buyers seeking to move into this thriving market, ” Jim Ramsay, executive vice president of franchise sales at The Agency, said in a statement.
Kara Resop | Credit: The Agency
The Resops both have a history in the area, as both were born in Naples. Chris also was drafted by the then-Florida Marlins after high school (the team rebranded to the Miami Marlins before the 2012 season), and played for the Marlins, as well as the L.A. Angels, Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and the Oakland Athletics for several years before becoming a real estate agent. Following his baseball career, the couple settled down in Naples and founded The Resop Team in 2015. The couple has netted over $500 million in sales across over 200 transaction to date.
“The Agency’s exclusive tools and unparalleled brand philosophy will bring a new level of offerings to the region,” Chris Resop said in a statement.
“Naples has always had a special place in my heart and I am honored to further build new and existing relationships with The Agency’s unmatched marketing and technology services,” Kara Resop said.
Glenn Shimkus | Credit: The Agency
Glenn Shimkus is a well-established real estate professional in the industry, having been named as one of Inman’s 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate and one of Stefan Swanepoel’s 200 Most Powerful and Influential People in Real Estate. Glenn founded Cartavi, an award-winning cloud-based document-sharing solution for transaction management, which was ultimately sold to DocuSign. He is currently serving as the National Association of Realtors’ vice president of strategy and innovation. Meanwhile, Shantel Shimkus has more than 15 years of experience in the industry and has developed a specialization in relocation and short sales. The couple moved to Naples full-time in 2019 from their home state of Illinois.
Shantel Shimkus | Credit: The Agency
“We are certain The Agency will make a strong impact on Naples real estate and we look forward to continuing to shape our home market,” Glenn Shimkus said in a statement.
“With The Agency expanding its presence to the already booming Naples market, I am excited to see the region spotlighted as a top Florida destination,” Shantel Shimkus added.
Blair Chang | Credit: The Agency
Blair Chang, one of the founding partners of The Agency, now brings his talents to Naples to help launch the new franchise, along with his wife, LeAnne Thrasher-Chang. Prior to founding The Agency with Mauricio Umansky and Billy Rose, Chang was co-founder and executive director of the Architectural Division at Prudential California Realty. Chang has made both RealTrends’ The Thousand and The Wall Street Journal’s Top 100 Residential Realtor Teams. Thrasher-Chang grew up in Naples and was raised by a father in real estate finance. She started her real estate career in 2011 after first pursuing a career in modeling.
Leanne Thrasher-Chang | Credit: The Agency
“The Agency’s global brand is bringing together an exceptional team to cover the Naples market,” Blair Chang said in a statement. “We are thrilled to be leveraging the talents of the region’s most respected and well-known real estate agents in the business.”
Added LeAnne Thrasher-Chang, “We are thrilled to bring the first Agency location to the Gulf Coast and I look forward to [ushering in] a new era of luxury real estate to my hometown.”
The new office will be located at 852 First Avenue South, Suite 100, Naples, Florida.
Update: This story was changed from a previous version to reflect that Glenn Shimkus is not a Realtor.
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