There's a quote from the late Thomas J. Watson that Hadley Rue holds near and dear to his heart. Watson, who was the chairman and CEO of IBM, said: "To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business and your business in your heart."
Rue, who previously worked in finance and management, is in his second year of real estate. And, he's been awarded the Rookie of the Year by Chicago Agent Magazine, along with the Five Star Professional Award. "This is a huge honor and acknowledgement," he said.
The award is for 2016 and he will be listed in the October issue of Chicago Magazine as a Top Agent in the Chicagoland Area. The award, he added, "is a testament to my passion for the business."
Rue said he was surprised and elated to learn of the honor.
"I consider it a major accomplishment," he said. "How many real-estate agents are there in Chicago? [It's about 20,000], so, for me to be recognized and awarded this shows my dedication."
Rue got hooked on real estate through, naturally, a realtor: Barbara O'Connor, who represented the seller on the first property he bought. "She was professional and knowledgeable," Rue said. "I hired her to sell my personal property and she did. We became friends and every time we talked, the question was, 'When are you getting your license?'
"So after being asked plenty of times I decided to get it. And the rest is history."
Rue's grandmother also was a very successful realtor on the Main Line in Philadelphia, "so it is in my blood," he said.
Rue's forte in the field is residential real estate, [and] also being able to tell what sound investments are for my clients, regardless if [it] is their primary property or an investment," he said.
Rue said his favorite part about the job is simply meeting new people. "You develop a trusting relationship that turns into a friendship," he said.
Rue said about 65 percent of his clients come from the LGBT community.
Rue also has served on several different boards within the community, including Equality Illinois, GLAAD and the Trevor Project.
-Age: 37
-Neighborhood: Edgewater
-Favorite TV show: Antiques Roadshow
-Hobbies: Shopping for antiques and traveling
-Favorite movie: Home Alone
-Relationship status: Partnered with Anthony Leonette, a school psychologist
-Little-known fact: "I speak fluent Polish."