It’s been some 25 years since Caroline Ruhl’s workday actually involved selling homes, but she’s relishing time spent these days mentoring others who are following that same entrepreneurial path.
“The good thing is you’re really touching people’s lives,” said Ms. Ruhl, co-owner and CEO of Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors. “It’s not like selling widgets, technology or whatever. You’re really helping people.”
At the helm of the fifth generation family business, she recalled how her path led back home. “I was in corporate training at Rockwell (International in Dallas), which I loved. But I always thought it would be fun to own my own businesses.”
But this fourth generation leader’s rise to the top was not pre-determined. In fact, early on she had to break a few glass ceilings.
“My dad always wanted my brothers (Chuck and John Ruhl) to be in the business, but it never crossed his mind that I could do this, or should do this,” she said. “But when I wanted to raise a family, I thought this is a good place to be, it’s close to family and a good place to raise kids.”
Early in her career, being a woman in real estate had its obstacles. “It was a different time,” she said, recalling how her uncle tried to block her from joining Rotary Club and a private Davenport business club tried to deny her membership. The organization, she said “called my brother Chuck and said ‘Could you please have Caroline apply in her husband’s name?’ Then they conveniently kept losing my application.”
Ms. Ruhl also broke the mold in community leadership, including as one of first QC women to serve on the chamber of commerce board. “Mary Junck (Lee Enterprises) and I were usually the minority in the room,” she said. “I’m happy for the women now, because I think it’s much easier to be part of the whole industry, and the business community. You’re not discriminated against.”
The daughter of Charles and Phyllis Ruhl (both deceased) said she was guided by her father’s work ethic and her mother’s adage to be nice to everybody you meet.
“When I took over, my father was very proud and thankful,” she said, adding, “I think he was happy to have a family member who wanted to lead the residential business.”
While he didn’t live to see his grandson, her own son Chris Beason, in his role as president of Ruhl&Ruhl Real Estate and NAI Ruhl Commercial Co., Ms. Ruhl said he did recruit him.
“This is a job that is totally all encompassing … and I didn’t want either of my boys to work that hard. But my father was adamant that he wanted another family member to come in and be the fifth generation. And I’m very thankful he did.”
Today, she and her two sons (Chris and John) are majority owners in the residential and commercial real estate firms; partners with Quad-City Bank & Trust in Ruhl Mortgage; and minority owners in Nelson Brothers Insurance. John Beason also has his own real estate career in Denver, Colorado.
In nominating her boss as a Woman of Influence, Elizabeth Clark, Ruhl&Ruhl’s marketing director, wrote that Ms. Ruhl’s “unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and leadership has transformed our organization and inspired those around her. She navigates challenges with poise, builds lasting relationships, and consistently seeks innovative ways to elevate the company and the agents she leads.”
While she most enjoys working with the new agents, Ms. Ruhl said “Finding the talent and recruiting the talent is probably always the hardest (challenge) because we’re picky.”
“I thrive on seeing all of our agents become successful and happy and making good money, and it just makes me happy,” she added. “But then we really focus on customer service and impress upon them what a difference they can make in people’s lives because housing and investing in real estate are hugely impactful for people.”
WORDS OF WISDOM
“One thing I encourage the women around me to do is to take care of themselves. It’s so easy to get caught up in the number of hours you’ve got to work and all the responsibilities. They just have to take care of their own health and their own mental health … If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of everybody else.”
Bio
Residence: Bettendorf
Family: Married to John Thompson. Two sons, John Beason (wife Jenny) and Chris Beason (wife Stefanie). Grandchildren: Ella, 13; Caroline, 9, Charlie, 8, and Teddy, 2; and 6-month-old Abigail.
Education: Bachelor’s degree, DePauw University; and MBA, Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University. She is a licensed Realtor in Iowa and Illinois.
