Crye-Leike, the nation's 6^th largest real estate company and the largest in Tennessee, Arkansas and the Mid-South, marked its 25^th anniversary this year.

For its 25th anniversary, Crye-Leike's founders marked the occasion by having a beautiful bronze commemorative plaque placed on permanent display in the lobby of its Quail Hollow headquarters in Memphis, TN.

Given Crye-Leike's founding in Memphis, Tennessee, it was only fitting that Memphis Mayor Willie W. Herenton and Shelby County Mayor Jim Rout issued a joint proclamation declaring the day of July 19, 2002 as Harold Crye & Dick Leike Day. City mayors in Nashville and Chattanooga, where Crye-Leike holds additional regional hub offices, also followed suit by issuing proclamations. Even sitting Governor Don Sundquist acknowledged Crye-Leike's 25 years of achievement by issuing Harold and Dick the Tennessee Volunteer Commendation Award in recognition of their accomplishments, dedication to their community and the State of Tennessee.

The plaque acknowledges Crye-Leike's founding in January 1977 by co-founders Harold Crye and Dick Leike and commemorates the company's dedication, during its first 25 years in business, to the growth and development of local communities and the real estate industry.

Through the vision and leadership of Harold Crye and Dick Leike, Crye-Leike grew to become the 10^th largest real estate company in the nation and No. 1 in the Mid-South during this 25-year period. "Looking back, our company was built upon a mutual respect for each other's talents and a desire to succeed," said Dick.

"When Harold and I first decided to start a real estate company, I don't think that we wanted to be the biggest company, but we did have a sincere desire to provide the best real estate sale services around," said Leike." Our growth was a result of just that. Since ours was a true service business, providing the best service fostered our company growth."

"With 25 years of service behind us, we have developed a customer base that has come to know and trust the name 'Crye-Leike,' " said Harold Crye. "Our loyal customers and the strength of our dedicated sales associates and staff have made Crye-Leike No. 1 and we are eternally grateful."

 
In the first 25 years, Crye-Leike went through significant growth and expansion:

• Crye-Leike became the largest real estate firm in Memphis within three years of its establishment in 1977.
   
• Harold and Dick took the company to new heights with their full service approach to customer service and further became known as innovators in commission structure and marketing, credited for bringing order and consolidation to an unstructured industry. They opened a relocation division, a commercial property division, a property leasing and management company, an insurance agency, a mortgage division, a home improvement division and an auction division.
   
• 1988 marked a first Crye-Leike found itself ranked #34 among the Top 500 real estate companies in the nation.
   
• In the early 1990's Harold and Dick determined it was more cost efficient to move into new markets rather than continue seeking a bigger share of the hometown business. The company opened its second regional office in Nashville, Tenn. in 1992 and became the No. 1 provider of real estate services in Middle Tennessee within one year.
   
• In 1993, Crye-Leike passed the $1 billion mark in annual sales volume for a one-year period.
   
• 1995 was a pivotal year for Crye-Leike when its national ranking jumped from No. 31 to No. 15 among the Top 500 real estate companies, with a sales volume of $1.58 billion and 14,356 transaction sides.
   
• Crye-Leike opened its third regional office in Chattanooga, TN in 1997 and four years later, became the No. 1 market leader in the number of closed transactions. Agent growth and sales volume more than tripled.
   
• In 1998, Crye-Leike surpassed the $2 billion mark in sales volume and ranked nationally as the 10^th largest real estate company. The very next year, Crye-Leike surpassed the $3 billion milestone at $3.02 billion in annual sales volume.
   
• In 1999, Crye-Leike further expands its southern footprint by opening a 4th regional office in East Tennessee, Johnson City. In 2000, Crye-Leike entered Georgia, broadening its Mid-South presence. The company's 5th regional office was established in Little Rock, Arkansas. in June 2002.
   
• Real Estate Franchising was yet another expansion strategy used. Since 1999, introduction of the franchise concept has allowed Crye-Leike to broaden its market presence into an eight state southern region of Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Georiga, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, and North Carolina.