John R. Wood* was president of the National Association of REALTORS® in 1981. As the Association's first vice president, he traveled nearly 100,000 miles discussing the problems of availability and affordability of adequate housing for all Americans. He urged support for the REALTORS® “2 Percent solution” for reducing inflation and the implementation of tax incentives to stimulate savings and interest.
Owner of John R. Wood and Associates, a full service real estate firm in Naples, FL., he was active with the National Association of REALTORS®, and served on its executive committee from 1973. He was a regional vice-president for the southeast and was a member or chairman of more than a dozen Association committees. Wood was a designated member of the Farm and Land Institute, the REALTORS® National Marketing Institute, and the International Real Estate Federation.
At the local level, he held every office in the Naples Area Board serving as president for two terms. He was named “REALTOR® of the Year” in 1969 by his local board and the Florida Association of REALTORS®, and was president of the Florida Association in 1971.
He received his bachelor’s degree in economics in 1951 from Henderson State Teacher’s College in Arkansas, and earned a law degree in 1954 from the University of Arkansas. He practiced law in Arkansas until 1957 when he moved to Florida, entering the real estate business as a sales associate. In 1958, he opened his own real estate office.
Active in community affairs, he was a director of Citizens National Bank in Naples from 1975. He served as director of such civic organizations as the Collier County Conservatory, Big Cypress Nature Center, Naples Chamber of Commerce, and the United Front. In addition, he was chairman of the YMCA Capital Fund drive, a member of the Naples Zoning Board of Appeals, and a member of the Collier County Emergency Medical Service Board. He also held membership in the Arkansas, Florida, and American Bar Associations.
He served in the U.S. Navy and achieved the rank of Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He was active with the First United Methodist Church and served as lay leader and administrative board chairman of the church.
While the president of the National Association of REALTORS®, John Wood headed the “Unlock the Economy” campaign by urging REALTOR® members to send keys to the president, their Congressmen, and Chairman Paul Volker. The three main points addressed were to urge the President to keep the budget deficit at the $43 billion level initially projected, increase the money supply by one percent to two, and appoint a small business representative to the Federal Reserve Board so that those who were being harmed the most by the policies of the Board would have input and representation.
On October 6, 1981, the Home Builders and the National Association sent a joint letter to Donald Regan, Chairman of the Depository Institution Deregulation Committee (DIDC), expressing concern for the need to provide a more efficient reporting system with respect to the All Savers Certificate’s housing tie-in mandated by the Economic Recovery Tax Act.
In addition, Senators Lloyd Bentsen, (D-Texas), and John Danforth, (R-Maryland), the authors of the All Savers program in the U.S. Senate, wrote to the DIDC on behalf of the National Association expressing their support of NAR's stance. The discrepancy in the law and regulations were corrected in accordance to the National Association of REALTORS® request and that of the Senators.
John Wood also spearheaded a delegation of 11 state presidents and other officers in meeting with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Bob Dole (R-Kan.) and other Senators to discuss the possibility of postponing the July 1982 ten percent tax cut and the importance of the home mortgage interest reduction.
John Wood testified before the Senate Banking Committee on the bill that was proposed by the Chairman, Jake Garn of Utah, which would broaden the power of thrifts and would have a Federal preemption on due on sale.
He died August 4th, 2021, six weeks shy of his 92nd birthday. He is survived by his son, Phillip, who has been associated with his father’s firm for several years.
*Deceased
Source: Presidents of the National Association of REALTORS®, (Chicago: NAR, 1980).