From start to finish, the evening of June 5th was a well-planned, memorable evening. All the details added to the overall ambiance of the event. Yet one of the lasting highlights was guest participation in creating an interactive, one-of-a-kind piece of artwork.
During the course of the evening, guests were encouraged to visit an artist station with a blank canvas where they could draw an image they felt illustrated the identity and persona of Next Realty, its business and the characteristics of its founder and overall team. At the end of the evening, the canvas was filled with a variety of graphic images that demonstrated the guests’ impressions of and respect for Andy and the Next team.
Some highlights include:
- Next spelled in Hebrew along with the number 25 to underscore the commitment Andy has to his heritage and a lifetime of service to the Jewish community around the world.
- A shopping cart filled with real estate properties to depict Next’s core business.
- Numerous pieces of sports equipment, an obvious reference to SportMart, the family business founded by Larry Hochberg and led by Andy before he founded Next.
- Depictions of marketing philosophies and slogans that have been central to Next’s branding over the years, such as:
- A Burtle®, the Next icon, that is quick like a bunny but also diligent like a turtle
- The acronym PAD, a reference to the firm’s focus on Patience, Agility and Diversification
- A megaphone with 3 Ls to signify Andy’s slogan “Location, Liquidity, Luck®”
- Other images depicting thoughts and memories of Next and its people were Chicago buildings and skylines, cars (for parking garages), and airplanes (for all the travel Next and its people do).
Following the event, artist Roni Golan took the canvas back to his studio to add additional elements to the artwork and create one cohesive piece. The final piece of art (measurements) now hangs in the Next Realty lobby for everyone to enjoy, and to reflect on the last 25 years as the firm charts its future course.
