The Partnership for Success Program is designed to promote diversity within the REALTOR^® membership and enhance the probability of long-term success for new minority agents. The program offers the successful minority candidate the opportunity to have one year of REALTOR® dues and six months of MLS fees covered, and to attend real estate practice courses and networking events. Some program benefits are “paid forward” via cash reimbursements or community service hours within three years. Potential applicants and their sponsoring brokers can learn more at www.wra.org/Partnership.

The WRA cultural diversity in housing committee is pleased to announce the following Partnership for Success award winners. Please join us in congratulating these amazing new agents and their remarkable sponsoring brokers!

Award winner: Olivia Toliver

Firm: eXp Realty LLC, Milwaukee
Sponsoring broker: Deb Cappello
Mentor: D’Antae Powers
Olivia Toliver has a degree from the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee in African and African Diaspora Studies and has worked as a first-grade teacher. She is driven to share homeownership knowledge and opportunities with others. Sponsoring broker Deb Cappello finds Toliver to be a goal-oriented educator who helps her community and loves to learn. 

Award winner: Samuel Amaral de SantAna

Firm: Homestead Realty Inc., Wauwatosa
Sponsoring broker: Michael Borowski
Mentor: Luis Garcia
Samuel Amaral de SantAna attended computer science school in Brazil where he had a digital marketing company and also worked in remodeling and construction. He wants to work with investors in commercial and business real estate, and he hopes to achieve the financial stability that will enable him to undertake development projects to benefit the community. Sponsoring broker Michael Borowski finds de SantAna to be a go-getter with unlimited talents, passion and commitment, and says he is a guru in lead generation and Excel. 

Award winner: Asrarullah (Kash) Qurishi

Firm: 1st Advantage Properties, Waterford
Sponsoring broker: Mary Pangman Schmitt
Originally from India, Kash Qurishi is a CNC machining programmer and has invested with a friend in retail properties. Qurishi is committed to real estate training and education and helping people buy homes while continuing to pursue more commercial investment properties. Sponsoring broker Mary Pangman Schmitt finds Quirshi to be smart, ambitious and capable with a high degree of integrity. As an accomplished educator and trainer, Pangman Schmitt personally guides her new agents. 

Award winner: Shante Carter

Firm: First Weber Inc., Madison
Sponsoring broker: Dan Lee
Mentor: Stacy Ozanne
Shante Carter has worked at Exact Sciences in Madison since 2019, but her passion is real estate and helping the homeless. She is committed to training and education and hopes to someday establish non-profit organizations to help young mothers and the community. First Weber Inc. has a comprehensive training program, is active in local associations and has extensive community involvement. 

Award winner: Steven Arista

Firm: Homestead Realty Inc., Wauwatosa
Sponsoring broker: Nicole Borowski
Mentor: Luis Garcia
Steven Arista hopes to build a family team of real estate agents to serve the Hispanic community. His mother is a real estate agent. Arista will be working with Luis Garcia as his one-on-one mentor. Sponsoring broker Nicole Borowski believes Arista will do well with the individualized mentorship as well as the firm’s training materials and videos. Homestead Realty Inc. promotes community involvement and participates in community activities such as first responders’ events, a hunger task force, school supply drives and holiday drives.

Award winner: Tamara Jones

Firm: Homestead Realty Inc., Wauwatosa
Sponsoring broker: Nicole Borowski
Tamara Jones has been a registered nurse for 25 years, has an MBA and is working as a nurse case manager for an insurance company. She is passionate about community building, affordable housing, building generational wealth and educating a diverse clientele of potential buyers. Sponsoring broker Nicole Borowski is impressed with Jones’ professional drive, client focus and commitment to serving people as well as securing more affordable housing in the community.