SOMER REAL ESTATE CELEBRATES 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS
SOMER REAL ESTATE CELEBRATES 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS
Somer Real Estate
618-532-5263 and 618-548-5123
1303 N. Elm Street, Centralia, IL and 907 W Main St, Salem
Celebrating its milestone 50th anniversary in 2025, Somer Real Estate looks to continue its legacy as one of the longest standing real estate businesses in the area.
Owner and broker, Stacey Russell, said she and her brokers aren’t resting on their laurels, and are currently looking at how to continue growing the business into the next five decades along with keeping up with changes in the real estate market to serve their clients.
“We would like to expand, and we have looked at different communities,” said Russell. We want to continue moving forward in the right direction that we have been moving in and adding additional agents as well.”
Currently operating out of Salem and Centralia, Somer Real Estate presently has a team of 10 agents.
“Along with Jim Somer's 50 years of experience; Rhonda Mulvany just just ventured into her 41st year while Chris Tanner is currently celebrating 30 years." Stacey also noted “ Penny Crain is working on her 27th and I have 17 years of Real Estate myself. Add in the rest of our wonderful brokers including Anna Lange, Christy Gillett, Crystal Squibb, Ryan Gambill and Carla Smith; that gives us over 194 years of real estate experience within our office!"
“Our agents work together to help each other,” said Russell. “We are very family oriented. Our agents aren’t just out there on their own. We conduct a lot of training and work on staying on top of changes in the market and the real estate industry. We have a very solid foundation.”
As the years have passed there have been many changes in the industry.
Designated managing broker Penny Crain reflected back to the time that photos were taken on a camera and pictures took a few days to process because the film had to be developed. She also developed the yellow signs with the sun logo coinciding with the name Somer, pronounced summer.
Technology has drastically changed however community involvement has remained an important part of Somer Real Estate with the business contributing to several local events, programs, and projects.
“We are very involved with the community; our brokers are very active,” said Russell. “Our agents are active in the Centralia Balloon Fest, the Salem and Centralia Chamber of Commerce events, community and school events and fundraisers. Being out there and doing what we can in the community is very important to us.”
Russell, along with husband, Mike Russell, purchased the business in 2019 from founder Jim Somer. Somer opened the business in Salem in 1975 after returning from the US Air Force, with the Russells later opening a second branch office in Centralia in 2022.
