Billy Bean to Keynote 2014 National LGBT Real Estate Conference
Jupiter, Florida, August 20, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Former Major League Baseball player and human rights spokesperson, Billy Bean will appear as a keynote speaker at the 2014 National LGBT Real Estate Conference hosted by the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals in Fort Lauderdale on October 14-16. Now a REALTOR by trade, Bean is the only living major leaguer to publicly disclose his homosexuality.
"Billy Bean came out publicly in 1999 and has been working to dispel myths and stereotypes ever since. To this day he is the only former Major League Baseball player to openly acknowledge his homosexuality," said Jeff Berger, founder of NAGLREP. "We are honored to have him appear at the first LGBT real estate conference."
"Billy Bean came out publicly in 1999 and has been working to dispel myths and stereotypes ever since. To this day he is the only former Major League Baseball player to openly acknowledge his homosexuality. We are honored to have him appear at the first LGBT real estate conference."
Jeff Berger, NAGLREP Founder & CEO
Bean played major league baseball from 1987 through 1995. He began his career with the Detroit Tigers and went on to play with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. He retired from professional sports in the prime of his career in 1996 after the sudden death of his former partner. Alone in his grief, the struggle moved him to change his life and live more authentically.
Bean authored a book titled, "Going the Other Way: Lessons From Life In and Out of Major League Baseball which is in pre-production to become a TV film. This summer he was named Major League Baseball's Ambassador for Inclusion, the first position of its type in professional team sports for men. (No other major leaguer has come out since Bean has been out.) He is vice chairman of the Standup Foundation and has been a motivational speaker for many LGBT events and organizations over the past decade. He is a principle owner of Envision Realty Group, a Miami Beach-based company. He is also the best selling member of the L.A. Luxe Group (Keller Williams Beverly Hills) where he resides in Los Angeles.
The 2014 National LGBT Real Estate Conference is expected to attract leading experts on the LGBT market, nationally recognized trainers, housing and real estate executives and about 400 top-producing LGBT and gay friendly real estate professionals. This is the first national business and networking forum of its kind dedicated to the LGBT real estate market and promoting homeownership in the lesbian, Gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Recent estimates place LGBT consumer spending at $830 billion annually, second only to the Hispanic market in buying power. Gay consumers are brand loyal to companies that are committed to diversity and equality says Berger who expects interest from corporate sponsors to be strong as NAGLREP becomes more visible in the industry.
