Frank DeCicco, who with his wife Jean, founded RE/MAX of Texas in 1977, passed away peacefully at his home on December 11, 2004.
An intuitive entrepreneur possessing uncommon vision, DeCicco was among the first to embrace RE/MAX® pioneer and founder Dave Liniger’s radical concept that agents are the heart of the real estate industry, and as such, should reap the rewards of retaining the maximum commission.
“We’re the greatest untold story on the face of the earth, because this is a program that should not have worked,” DeCicco was fond of saying. In fact, the concept worked so well that the Region he founded now encompasses 4,700 Sales Professionals in 220 independent RE/MAX offices throughout Texas.
RE/MAX of Texas CEO Richard Filip, a licensed Broker since 1969, began his association with DeCicco in 1979 in a marketing capacity, eventually purchasing the company in 2002.
“When we look at the industry’s evolution over the last 25 to 30 years, and see how far our company has come since Frank’s original vision, we can give thanks for the tenacity, determination, and perseverance that Frank & Jean demonstrated in the early years to make this company a reality,” said Filip.
“Things were anything but rosy in convincing people to get on the RE/MAX bandwagon in 1977,” Filip continued. “Frank flew all over the state signing up one or two Realtors® at a time back then. But all his hard work and conviction paid off for all of us who are now carrying on the work he began, and reaping the benefits of the opportunity he created.”
DeCicco is survived by his wife, Jean and daughters, Becky, Ellie, Debbie, Angela and Jessica, as well as numerous grandchildren.
The family has requested that remembrances be made in Frank’s name to:
The University of Texas Health Science Center
c/o Heart Institute
7000 Fannin St., Suite 1200
Houston, TX 77030
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Cancer Research Fund
P.O. Box 4486
Houston, TX 77210
St. Bartholomew the Apostle Catholic Church
Youth Building Fund
5356 Eleventh Street
Katy, TX 77493
|