Veteran Real Estate Executive William Bacqué Retires
Jul 06, 2018 04:09PM ● By Staff Writer
William "Bill" Bacqué, President of Van Eaton & Romero Realtors®, an ERA Powered Latter & Blum Company, announced his retirement last month at the company’s weekly sales meeting.
Van Eaton & Romero Broker/Owners Nancy Van Eaton Prince and Gail Romero reflected on Bacqué's career describing his impact on the firm as pivotal. "Bill's keen insight and ability to absorb, assimilate, and analyze layers of statistical data helped arm our agents with information and confidence. His leadership role in our company will no doubt continue to resonate within these walls for decades," Prince and Romero jointly stated.
Latter & Blum Chairman of the Board, Robert "Bob" Merrick was on hand for the announcement and praised Bacqué's role within the company. "Bill became the de facto real estate authority in Acadiana because of his tireless passion for following the numbers. He has devoted his entire career to the betterment of the real estate industry and we will be forever grateful."
According to Lafayette Economic Development Authority CEO Gregg Gothreaux, "Bill's in-depth analysis of our local real estate market was particularly valuable from an economic development perspective. The banking community, the construction industry, and anyone interested in that aspect of our economy, routinely turned to Bill's monthly market report."
Bacqué's real estate career began in 1973 in Lake Charles, but he was tempted back to his hometown of Lafayette in 1980 with the offer to manage another real estate agency. He later founded the Acadiana School of Real Estate, teaching courses around the state and across the nation.
Bacqué joined Van Eaton & Romero in 1990 as sales manager, a title he held for ten years, until he was named CEO and partner. Later when the firm merged with New Orleans-based Latter & Blum, Bacqué assumed the title of President. Under his leadership, along with Prince and Romero, the firm grew from 50 agents and staff to nearly 300.
As for retirement, well, Bacqué plans to start a consulting firm. He will continue to produce his monthly market report, and also make himself available in an advisory role to both brokers and agents for education and guidance.
Bacqué became known industry-wide for writing a weekly motivational email distributed not only to agents, staff, and friends, but to real estate industry professionals around the country. That weekly message garnered the attention of Lore Magazine, a national trade publication that produced a profile on Bacqué in 2013.
During his career Bacqué served in leadership roles with the Louisiana Real Estate Commission and the Realtor® Association of Acadiana. He also donated his time among various civic organizations including Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Salvation Army.
In 2015, in recognition of their generous donations to educational, cultural and social service organizations, Prince, Romero, and Bacqué were recipients of the Community Foundation of Acadiana's Corporate Philanthropy Award.
