ANDY SAKMAR

BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE

By Jane K. Asher, Ph.D.

Photos by Jessica Laine Photography

In 1975, after spending three years as a part-time real estate agent, Andy Sakmar became a victim of a slowdown in the tool and die industry and was laid off from his full-time job as an estimator. As a result, Andy, who had grown increasingly passionate about real estate, seized the opportunity to change his course in life. “I knew I wanted real estate to be my life’s work,” he said. “So, I obtained my broker’s license and started my own real estate firm.”

Today, after having spent 48 years pouring his heart and soul into the industry, Andy’s acclaim continues to emanate in CENTURY 21 Sakmar & Associates, where he served as associate broker for 45 years before he sold the company to Chris Hendrix in 2019.

“We are truly defined by our agents as being a family. We all encourage each other and share our strengths with each other,” Andy said. “We even sing, but that — along with Sakmar Dollars — is a story for another day.”

Andy has garnered the respect and admiration of his clients and colleagues by conducting his business with remarkable honesty and integrity. “I have always held myself to a high ethical standard and strived to treat everyone fairly,” he said. “I always give the $100,000 buyer and seller the same level of service as the $1 million buyer and seller.”

Andy, who has sold an excess of $150 million throughout his career, says that his greatest reward is helping agents and clients achieve their dreams and goals. “The best part of this business is knowing that you did something that was appreciated by your fellow man,” Andy said. “And you can never leave out the thrill of the deal — that’s pretty great, too.”

Andy grew up in the Van Dyke-Lynch Road area on Detroit’s east side and says that his father played an important role in shaping his morals, ethics and work ethic. “My father was very inspirational and full of encouraging anecdotes,” Andy said. “Some of his favorite words of wisdom were ‘What man can imagine, man can do’ and ‘A man without an aim is like a ship without a rudder, aimlessly drifting at sea.’”

In addition to the memorable guidance he received from his father, Andy is forever grateful for his wife Ann who died of leukemia in 1988. “Ann was very encouraging and supportive in all my endeavors,” he said. “After I started the brokerage, which was during the era of stay-at-home moms, she immediately sought employment to help supplement our income.” Ann eventually became the bookkeeper at Sakmar & Associates, where she worked alongside her husband until her untimely passing at the age of 46. “Ann was a woman who did the right thing all the time — I have always tried to conduct my brokerage in the same matter,” he said.

“My last, but certainly not least, mentor is my friend and business partner Lawrence Smith,” Andy said. Andy is the sole proprietor of Sakmar & Associates, but he and Lawrence accumulated a number of properties together throughout the years. “Lawrence had faith in me, and without hesitation or reservation, he helped me out financially during turbulent times in our industry — he is a true friend indeed,” Andy said.

Above all else, Andy pays tribute to the talented and local agents who helped build his business and shape his legacy. “My most valued assets were the agents — years ago, they came to work for me under my banner, and many of them are still here after 20 and 30 years or more,” Andy said. “I feel extremely blessed by the people who have chosen to be associated with me.”

And those people — the many agents who proudly work under Andy’s banner — have undoubtedly been equally blessed by his leadership, mentorship and friendship.

“I’ve been a real estate agent with Andy for 25 years and couldn’t have asked for a better boss — he’s been one of the best role models I have had in my life,” said Irene Gatt. “Andy’s the most honest and caring individual anyone could ever work for. I don’t know anyone who is more knowledgeable about real estate — he’s my go-to person.”

Associate Broker at CENTURY 21 Sakmar & Associates Don Robinson, who was hired by Andy in 1978, echoes Irene’s sentiment. “Andy taught me that honesty, integrity and treating people the way I wanted to be treated are just as important as hard work,” Don said. “Just about everyone in Rochester knows Andy, and in over 40 years of working with Andy, I have never heard anyone say anything bad about him!”

Phil Cini met Andy in 2015. At the time, Phil had just retired from a 32-year career in media marketing and was looking to start a second chapter in real estate at the age of 56. “I have worked with many great corporate leaders at some very progressive companies, so I know good leadership when I see it,” Phil said. “Andy is a leader who understands how positive motivation enables individuals to obtain their greatest achievements in real estate and in life. Andy is a legend because he is a realistic problem solver who makes everyone involved feel good about their decisions … and makes everyone feel like a winner.”

Now that Andy has passed on the Sakmar & Associates torch, he’ll be spending his winters in Florida and his summers at his up-north cottage, where he enjoys fishing and golfing with his family: daughter Loretta, son Michael and two grandsons. Andy’s passion outside of real estate is Thoroughbred horse racing — since 1976, he has attended every Kentucky Derby with the exception of about four. Andy also likes to travel to Las Vegas at least once a year.

Although real estate no longer dominates Andy’s dayto-day life like it once did, he continues to pop in the office on a weekly basis, sell houses and pass on a lot of referrals. He may have officially retired from his post as broker/owner of Sakmar & Associates, but he shall forever be the dignitary behind the mighty Sakmar banner — and the cherished leader who made bringing out the best in people his full-time focus.

“I leave you with the words that I read every day from the plaque on my desk: ‘The task of a leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been. The ultimate leader is one who is willing to develop people to the point that they eventually surpass him in knowledge and ability. The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on,’” Andy said. “In signing off, I leave with the feeling of mission accomplished.”

Legend in the Business- Andy Sakmar