Blogs

Q&A with 2023 MNR President Emily Green
What do you want to accomplish in your role as president?
I hope to continue the work of uniting our members and promoting awareness of the many resources the state association has to offer. The knowledge and effectiveness of our organization is strengthened by connecting and sharing ideas.

What do you see as the single biggest challenge awaiting you? 
There will be many challenges ahead, some we anticipate, and some will surprise us. There is always opportunity in each of the challenges and we must remember to look for that opportunity as soon as possible. REALTORS® are some of the most resilient, creative, and resourceful professionals in our community. Our association is here to ensure they remain well poised to adapt to market changes, spot opportunities, and continue guiding their clients through successful transactions. 

Do you do any volunteer work?  
For over ten years, my husband, Chris Lomheim, and I have volunteered for the Ebenezer Care Center, a rehab and nursing-care facility in Minneapolis. We provide entertainment every month at the residents' birthday parties. Chris plays piano and I sing. We love the people there and get a lot out of celebrating with them each month. 

What are your hobbies and interests?  
Chris and I met in the recording studio. He is a professional pianist and composer, and I am a singer with the NorthStar Big Band, a jazz group that plays music from the swing era. I occasionally play with smaller groups, too. I recently started getting more serious about guitar, so in my spare time, I practice on my Telecaster.  

If you could leave town tomorrow, where would you go and why? 
After the Red River flooded Grand Forks in 1997, MNR organized a group of REALTORS® to spend a few days helping our members with flooded homes and offices. It was an amazing experience, and I am forever grateful. As a 21-year-old REALTOR®, it really meant a lot to me. In fact, that’s when I got the volunteer-vacation bug. Since then, I have done several getaways building homes for Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village program, and plan to do more. It’s deeply fulfilling in so many ways—but hard work, too. I did one build in Jamaica, where there was a lot of manual cement mixing and bucket lines for transporting water. In Mexico, I was on a brick-and-mortar build where my big challenge was hammering rebar. Unlike the U.S. program, families that receive these homes must find someone to gift them a little land to build on. So, that makes it more challenging to do these projects. 

I also did an incredible volunteer trip in the Dominican Republic with Orphanage Outreach, where I spent a month doing lots of different projects. We lived at the orphanage in what they called a "ramada," which was a cement slab with a metal roof enclosed in chicken wire with tarps wrapped around it for privacy. One of the volunteers got in trouble for feeding goats through an opening in the tarp by her cot. Although I can't judge her at all for doing it (I’m surprised I didn't think of it), it did cause quite an issue when a herd of goats relentlessly poked their noses through the tarps in hopes of a treat. 

Do you have a hidden talent? 
I don't know if I would categorize it as a talent, but I am pretty crafty. I like sewing, crocheting, drawing, etc. I took some graphic design classes in the last few years that were really exciting. I am always enrolled in a class whether it’s community ed or a college course. Last semester I took a class at Berklee College of Music on improvisation. Side note: I'm not there yet, but did you know that after age 62 you can take a class from any Minnesota state college for free? I can't wait!