
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES
Take a look at a recent news article on Biznow.
Hear the interview with Kathy Permenter as she recently sat down with David Johnson of KRLD CEO Spotlight to describe the content and history included in the 3rd Edition of THE BOOK
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The Book DFW Real Estate Legends Want Your Young Brokers, Investors And Developers To Read
News Article: BISNOW August 25, 2019
NTCAR Hall of Fame Announcements
Press Release: August 21, 2019
NTCAR Hall of Fame Announces
The Book - Third Edition Now Available

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LEGENDS OF NORTH TEXAS COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE COMMEMORATED IN THIRD EDITION OF THE BOOK – DALLAS/FORT WORTH COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE HALL OF FAME
To be unveiled Aug. 21, the new 288-page coffee-table edition features timelines detailing the
235 real-estate milestones of Dallas and Fort Worth from 1841 on, spotlights 91 real estate icons and nine major local projects, and salutes the “Greatest Generation” leaders who served during World War II
DALLAS/FORT WORTH (Aug. 21, 2019) – Early on were pioneering men and women with the desire to build – from the settlers who staked their claim in Camp Worth to the raising of John Neely Bryan’s humble cabin, to the ambitious launches of the Fort Worth Union Stockyards, Union Station, and the Dallas State Fair and Exposition. More recently in the past century was the construction of Texas Stadium, Legacy West and Alliance Airport, to name a few – plus the explosive growth of the suburbs throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth region.
Behind these historic developments were legendary figures whose extraordinary vision and real estate prowess shaped North Texas. Names such as Stemmons, Crow, Carpenter, Staubach, Hines, Perot and, of late, the Caroline Rose Hunt family, Jerry Jones, Mike Berry and other daring leaders –are captured in the comprehensive third edition of THE BOOK – Dallas/Fort Worth Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame, published by the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors (NTCAR) Hall of Fame Committee.
Compiled into one volume, the four-color, 288-page coffee-table tome is packed with rarely seen color photos and behind-the-scenes stories of 91 North Texas real estate icons. Also recognized are the 56 recipients of the Michael F. McAuley Lifetime Achievement Award and the Stemmons Service Award who made significant contributions to their industry and the community.
While there are numerous examples of Hall of Famers who served in the military, this new edition salutes 33 of the “Greatest Generation” honorees who fought or made major contributions during World War II. There’s also an expanded forward section from eight local mayors, "The Real Estate Family Tree," and current and comparative aerial photographs​. One section spotlights nine new local development projects, including the Arlington Entertainment Center, Platinum Quarter (in Frisco), Dickies Arena (Fort Worth), Dallas County Inland Port, Trinity Groves (Dallas) and more.
THE BOOK, which does not intend to be a history book, also explores past developments in commercial real estate, including nine local development projects – the Arlington Entertainment Center, Platinum Quarter, Dickies Arena, Dallas County Inland Port and Trinity Groves, to name a few.
“THE BOOK celebrated the bold-spirited, visionary men and women who made North Texas what it is today. Their stories of perseverance, wisdom and out-of-the box thinking contributed greatly to our region’s economic vibrancy and its reputation for innovation,” said Robert Grunnah, NTCAR Hall of Fame co-founder and one of the eight-member team who worked on THE BOOK.
THE BOOK will be unveiled at a reception honoring the entire roster of Hall of Fame recipients and their families Wednesday, Aug. 21, from 4-6 p.m. at Arlington Hall at Turtle Creek Park (3333 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas). Available for purchase, proceeds will support the development of future editions of the NTCAR Hall of Fame and its publications. Media are invited to attend the unveiling.
THE BOOK is the result of thousands of hours of research, including interviews with the individuals, their coworkers and family members, and culling through old newspaper clips and microfiche documents. The Dallas Public Library and the Dallas Historical Society aided the research efforts.
Authored by Elizabeth Perkins, the third edition also includes a fascinating timeline highlighting 235 milestones in Texas and real-estate history. These include Amon Carter’s move to Fort Worth, the Caruth Family’s donation of land to build SMU, The Dr Pepper Company’s incorporation in Dallas and the establishment of Southland Ice Company (which eventually became 7-Eleven). Other landmark dates include Ben Carpenter’s master plan development for Las Colinas, Ray Nasher’s revolutionary construction of NorthPark Center, Caroline Ross Hunt’s transformative vision for The Crescent; and Fehmi Karahan’s acclaimed design for Legacy West.
Also included is an updated version of the commercial “Real Estate Tree,” which shows the influence that the Henry S. Miller family, Hank Dickerson and Trammell Crow had on today’s real estate community. (The majority of today’s real estate leaders got their start working for one of their companies.)
Additionally, THE BOOK profiles the past five year’s Hall of Fame recipients – Jack Matthews; Cornelia Heins and Ralph Heins; Robert Shaw; Terry Montesi; John Weber; John Goff; John Scovell; Jack Huff; Toby Grove; and Jerry Jones.
The first edition of THE BOOK was published in 2008, the second edition in 2013. Plans are to update it every five or six years.
The NTCAR Hall of Fame, which celebrates its 31st anniversary this year, kicked off in 1988 honoring “arguably six of the most influential entrepreneurs at the time responsible for shaping both the DFW landscape and our modern-day industry.” The first six distinguished real estate veterans were Trammell Crow; Lyn Davis; Henry S. Miller, Jr.; John M. Stemmons, Sr. and his brother, L. Storey Stemmons; and Angus G. Wynne. Their influence is seen in such diverse projects as the Dallas Market Center; Highland Park Village, the first shopping center in America; the Trinity Industrial District and Interstate 35-E; and Six Flags Over Texas.
“Our initial goal was to preserve the incredibly colorful stories of the past 100-plus years before they were forgotten. Based on the responses we received, I think we delivered on that promise,” said Darrell Hurmis, a NTCAR co-founder and part of the trio who developed the first edition.
Since its launch, NTCAR has inducted 87 individuals and three families and made one historical induction (Henry S. Miller Company) into its Hall of Fame. Each recipient is profiled in a two-page spread featuring anecdotal stories, photos and a listing of the individual’s birthplace, year they entered real estate, their current status and most notable contributions.
“These stories paint a picture of not only the early days of Dallas/Fort Worth but the recent years as well, and it’s a great read for anyone interested in the history of our region” said Chris Teesdale, NTCAR Hall of Fame co-founder and Committee member. “It’s taken literally thousands of hours of interviews, meetings, writing, editing and selling sponsorships, but it’s been worth it.”
The project initially was the brainchild of three real estate veterans – Robert Grunnah, Darrell Hurmis and Chris Teesdale – who conceived the idea for THE BOOK 17 years ago. They have since met many Tuesdays at Sevy’s Grill to pour over details that are not part of their typical commercial real estate routines – from raising money, eyeballing photos and proofing copy and galleys, to selecting fonts and paper stock and discussing sponsorship calls. Joining Grunnah, Hurmis and Teesdale to the Hall of Fame Executive Committee are Greg Cannon, Kathy Permenter, Bill Cox, Lynn Dowdle and Jack Gosnell.
“By publishing every five or so years, we’re keeping THE BOOK fresh and topical. Our hope is that this becomes a go-to reference book for anyone looking for information,” said NTCAR Hall of Fame Committee member Greg Cannon.
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Highlights of THE BOOK include the following:
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Trammell Crow, showing modern-day management styles, never had his own office. He worked in a desk side-by-side in the same room as the rest of his employees.
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When asked if he’d run for Mayor, John M. Stemmons, Sr. stated “I’d shoot somebody. Hell, that would drive me crazy.” Speaking of Judge Lew Sterrett, he said “I thought he was a thief and a mongrel, and I told him so.” Better known for helping develop North Texas’ water supply, Stemmons also handed out his “Stemmonsky … Big John’s Finest Land Peddler Hooch” to those he felt deserving. His brother, L. Storey Stemmons, was the quieter, scholarly sibling who used reverse psychology to seal the deal. The two brothers later donated the land that would be used to build Interstate 35. Leslie Stemmons, the father of John and Storey, led the creation and completion of a levee system for the Trinity River.
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Angus Wynne, Jr. developed 820 acres in Oak Cliff and created Six Flags Over Texas, after visiting Disneyland with his family.
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Leo Corrigan, Sr. was the second of 10 children who began working fulltime at age 11. He spent thousands every month on phone bills (this was in the 40s and 50s) and invested in the Adolphus and Stoneleigh hotels.
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Robert S. Folsom, who eventually served as Dallas Mayor, was a serious-minded, introverted man who attended West Point and SMU. He accidentally poured concrete for a new building on his neighbor’s land. (The situation was remedied when the neighbor allowed Folsom to buy the land.) Folsom is credited with building Reunion Arena, bringing basketball to Dallas and spearheading the downtown Dallas Arts District.
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The story of Ben H. Carpenter is the story of Las Colinas. When the Urban Land Institute came to town to review his master plan for Hackberry Creek Ranch (as it was known then), they disliked his vision for an urban center with towers, hotels, shops and restaurants. He stuck by his plan, which became Las Colinas. Although he didn’t drink, he held liquor elections and eventually won approval to bring liquor to the area.
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David Fox of Fox & Jacobs opened Dallas’ first model homes – called Flair – that were so popular they had to have fences built around them.
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Roger Staubach, starting his years as a Dallas Cowboy at age 27 with a wife and three children, decided he didn’t want to put all his eggs in one basket. He began working on the side in real estate. Two years later, a telegram came the day after the Miami Super Bowl congratulating him on his win and stating that “by the way, you’ve been promoted to vice president.” He stuck with real estate.
“It’s hard to believe that in 1979 Dallas only had 13 buildings over 400 feet tall! THE BOOK certainly showcases the tremendous growth that’s taken place over the last 40 years,” said Dowdle.
Major sponsors of THE BOOK are Republic Title and Lincoln Property Company. Other top donors are Carlisle Interests – John Pearcy; Cedar Hill, TX Economic Development; Colliers International; Columbus Realty Partners, LTD.; Folsom Properties, Inc.; Frisco Economic Development; Henry S. Miller Hillwood; Hillwood; KDC; Rex Real Estate; SMU/Cox; Weber & Company; and Younger Partners.
THE BOOK sells for $150, and may be purchased online at NTCARhalloffame.org/the-book. For more information, contact NTCAR at 214-750-9247 or HallofFame@eventlinintl.com
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CONTACT:
Becky Mayad 214.352.1881 work
214.697.7745 cell
​NTCAR Hall of Fame Announcements
as seen in Dallas News 2-12-19












