Last Updated on September 1, 2022
Drive down just about any street in Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, or Greenville, S.C. (or many points in between) and you’re sure to see them: the iconic burgundy-and-gold Allen Tate Realtors® yard signs.
For more than 58 years, the name Allen Tate has been synonymous with real estate excellence in the Carolinas.
People sometimes ask “Is there a real Allen Tate?” And there most certainly is.
I say is – rather than was.
H. Allen Tate Jr., our founder, chairman and CEO, died this week, on Monday afternoon at his home in Charlotte. He was 84. His services will be held today, at the church where he was a longtime member and deacon, Myers Park Baptist.
While Allen (aka Mr. Tate) is gone from this earth in body, he is very much here with us.
He is here in the foundation he has laid in the real estate industry – providing exceptional customer service; together, with the best leadership team in America, growing the Allen Tate Company to #1 in the Carolinas and #7 in the nation; and helping to create the world’s largest network of independent real estate brokers, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.
He is here in the infrastructure he has created as a planner, developer and transportation advocate – from neighborhoods and shopping centers, to the location of the “outer belt” of I-485, a stretch of which now bears his name.
He is here in the service he has given throughout his entire life, from president of the Jaycees and Charlotte Chamber, to chairman of the Home Builders Association and Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Commission, to the boards of organizations, foundations and community institutions.
He is here in the contributions he has made to education, from the Allen Tate Great Hall in the Harris Alumni Center at UNC Charlotte to the Allen Tate Tower and Barbara and Allen Tate Hall at Central Piedmont Community College, and service to Queens University.
He is here in our support as a Family of Companies of Tate Cares, for causes that make a difference in quality of life in our communities: public education, the arts and United Way.
He is here in the wisdom he imparted, to give your best, honor your commitments, don’t wait to be asked and make a difference in your community.
He is here in the legacy he has left, in the thousands of individuals he has taught, mentored, inspired, challenged, praised and loved.
We will miss his physical presence but his contributions will continue to benefit future generations. I will miss him dearly as my mentor, my inspiration, my business partner and my second Daddy.
More than 20 years ago, Allen moved into the role of a strategic advisor. He had complete confidence in the Allen Tate Companies leadership team, entrusting them to carry out his vision each day. Together, we will continue to lead the company far into the future.
When you see the yard signs, don’t think of the man who is gone, but rather, what he has given and will continue to give.
In Allen’s own words, “The journey will never end.”
Pat Riley
President and Chief Operating Officer, Allen Tate Company
