Professional Profile: Gerard Patton - 1973

Name: Gerard Patton - 1973

Title: Owner

Company: Clarke & Patton, Realtors

Location: Milford, CT

Gerard (Jerry) Patton, 40, Clarke & Patton, Realtors, Milford, entered the real estate business in 195 when his own electronics manufacturing company was having trouble. He started with the Clarke Agency as a residential salesman and began to handle much of the commercial and investment work after attending NIREB’s Investment, Taxation and Exchange Course in 1967. In the early 1970s, Patton purchased the agency and instituted a growth program which has brought the company to a $6 million per year volume and a staff of 12. In order to continue the growth, Patton recently created a middle management level within the firm by appointing a residential sales manager and a commercial sales manager. The firm presently is drawing plans for a 1000 sq. ft. addition to its existing 1200 sq. ft. office building purchased in 1971. The agency’s publicity campaign notifying the public of its move won “Realtor” recognition in a write-up and prompted more than 1000 Realtors throughout the country to write requesting copies of the post card series used in the publicity. Clarke & Patton is the largest residential firm in the area and the only firm with membership on three multiple listing systems. Its founder, Russell Clarks, who still remains active with the firm, is a direct descendent of one of Milford’s founders. Patton, a graduate of the Realtor’s Institute, is a member of CAREB’s Education Committee. He wrote a “History of Organized Real Estate” which is used in the orientation courses of boards throughout the state. Part of the history is being included in NIREB’s revised edition of the “Real Estate Salesman’s Handbook.” Since 1968, Patton has been teaching principles and practices of real estate for license preparation in Bridgeport and New Haven and in the adult education class in Woodbridge, Orange and Milford. He recently completed the first Instructor’s Certification program co-sponsored by CAREB and the University of Conn. at Storrs. Patton, an engineering graduate of the University of Bridgeport, is affiliated with the New Haven and Bridgeport Board of Realtors, the Milford Real Estate Board and NAREB, NIREB and NIFLB. He is the past president of Milford Lions Club and is chairman of the Milford Housing Committee. Besides his education activities in real estate, he is a member of the Bridgeport Board CID committee and the “Voice” committee which oversees the official publication of CAREB. Patton and his wife, Diane, who was literally the girl next door, have five children and reside in Milford.