| CORONADO, CA -- Art Bartlett, the influential businessman who co-founded and built CENTURY 21 into a real estate franchise giant, died on Dec. 31, 2009, at his home in Coronado, Calif., after a long illness. He was 76.
"Art was a legend whose actions helped to write the very history of real estate and franchising," says Century 21 Real Estate LLC President and CEO Tom Kunz. Bartlett created the concept of regional franchising and has been deemed the "father of conversion franchising" -- converting existing small businesses into franchises.
Today, Century 21 Real Estate LLC is the world's largest residential real estate franchise company comprised of 7,700 independently owned offices in 67 countries and territories with more than 120,000 sales staff. It is a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation.
In 1971, Bartlett and his partner Marsh Fisher founded Century 21 in Santa Ana, California, when real estate franchising was a new concept and there were only two real estate franchisors at the time, CJS and Red Carpet.
"Art had an uncanny ability to take a new idea and develop it beyond anyone's wildest dreams. His marketing and sales approaches were very aggressive," says Jim Cummings, former Century 21 International president chief executive officer. "The vision of Art and Marsh was to create synergy by persuading extremely successful local real estate people that they would have more success by marketing, advertising, training and selling together under one Century 21 umbrella," adds Cummings.
Prior to real estate franchises, most companies were "Mom and Pop" shops. "They didn't have the resources or the know-how to do everything needed. One could do sales well, maybe the other accounting. Art offered his franchisors affordable expertise and tools in all aspects of business like recruiting, sales, marketing and accounting," says former Century 21 Senior Vice President and General Counsel Jim Mitchell.
He joined the International Franchise Association during the mid 1970s. Each year Century 21 reported it doubled its franchises, which was unheard of. Bartlett had become the pioneer of conversion franchising. Instead of recruiting retirees from other fields with little experience and a large learning curve, the partners tapped people in the real estate industry and existing real estate company owners, which resulted in dynamic growth.
When he saw the value of Bud Schultz, the national franchise sales director for rival Red Carpet who conceived the idea of his sales staff all wearing red jackets, Bartlett didn't just steal the idea, he stole Schultz. Bartlett, Fisher and Century 21 Executive Vice President Bill McQuerry met with Schultz and wouldn't let him leave until he came over to Century 21. He agreed on condition that Century 21 staff adopt and wear the now famous mustard gold jackets, turning thousands of real estate sales professionals into walking, talking business cards. Although Bartlett initially wanted a more subdued brown version, he saw the wisdom of Schultz's actions.
The name Century 21, despite Web myths that it came from the Century 21 moniker given to the Seattle World's Fair, actually came from a brainstorming session. The first suggestion, Twentieth Century Realty, was virtually impossible to get registered. That was followed by 21st Century, but Bartlett didn't like that. The words Century 21, though futuristic, were available for trademark and the partners soon incorporated as Century 21.
After going public, Century 21 was purchased by Transworld Corporation in 1979. Bartlett remained until 1980 as chairman and chief executive officer.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his name to Camp Able in Coronado, Calif. (619) 594-4044.
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