Alumnus Sam Baydoun earns Century 21 Dick Loughlin International Hall of Fame Award
HFC alumnus Sam Baydoun – Wayne County Commissioner and real estate agent for Century 21 Curran & Oberski – recently became the 40th person to receive Century 21’s exclusive Dick Loughlin International Hall of Fame Award at the Century 21 annual convention in Florida.
“This is the ultimate honor for any Century 21 agent,” said Baydoun. “My friends and family dragged me to Florida. I didn’t know I was going to receive this prestigious award. It was a big surprise and a big honor.”
Leader and mentor
The Dick Loughlin International Hall of Fame Award is presented to the most elite independent sales professionals among the 135,000 real estate agents worldwide who work for Century 21. To be considered, a sales associate must be affiliated with Century 21 for a minimum of 10 years with several years at the Centurion level.
Baydoun has earned more than a dozen Centurion Awards – which he called the “Academy Awards of the real estate industry” – the most recent in 2022. A real estate agent since 1986, Baydoun achieved the Grand Centurion status in 2021 and has been inducted into the Centurion Hall of Fame. Baydoun was the only Century 21 real estate agent selected for the Dick Loughlin International Hall of Fame Award this year.
"Sam is truly an amazing individual who has dedicated his life to serving others, from the extraordinary experiences he delivers to his real estate clients to the efforts he makes supporting those in need throughout his Michigan community," said Century 21 president and CEO Michael Miedler. “He exemplifies what it means to be an integral member of the communities he and his team serve every day."
Century 21 Curran & Oberski co-owner Adam Oberski agreed.
"There is no better Century 21 brand ambassador than Sam," said Oberski. "He serves as a leader and mentor to not only the affiliated agents throughout our company but to the broader Dearborn community. I could not imagine anyone more deserving of this honor and look forward to watching him achieve even more success in the future."
Immigrating from Lebanon to Dearborn
Born in Lebanon, Baydoun is one of nine children. He immigrated to the United States in 1978 when he was 15 and settled in Dearborn, where he still lives. He is married and has four children – two sons and two daughters – and one grandchild.
Baydoun graduated from Fordson High School, where he played soccer for the school's first organized team. He attended HFC (then Henry Ford Community College) on a soccer scholarship and earned his associate degree in liberal arts. He transferred to the Detroit College of Business (now Davenport University) and attended on a soccer scholarship, earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing. He is fluent in English, Arabic, and Spanish.
“My decision to attend HFC was very simple: I had a scholarship to play soccer. HFC was very affordable and centrally located in Dearborn. It was five minutes away from my house,” said Baydoun.
Three of his children attended HFC. His youngest, who will graduate from Dearborn High School in the spring, will attend HFC in the fall.
“Going to HFC has become a tradition in the Baydoun family,” he said. “It’s a great college. People can attend classes there for affordable rates. I salute the College for all it does to help the new generation coming up.”
37 years in real estate
After finishing his undergraduate work in 1986, Baydoun joined his older brother Gary’s real estate company in Dearborn. In 1990, Baydoun joined Century 21. At first, the Dearborn Heights-based Century 21 office was Curran & Johnson, then Curran & Christie, and is now Curran & Oberski.
“When I started, there were only two Arab-American real estate agents in Dearborn. Times have changed,” said Baydoun. “Being in real estate has allowed me to put my marketing degree to good use because it requires good communication skills. I love working with people. I’ve had a very rewarding career in real estate. I enjoy making a difference in people’s lives; it gives me a sense of gratitude and fulfillment.”
Throughout his career in real estate, Baydoun has served as President of the Dearborn Area Board of Realtors in 2003 and 2016, as well as Realtor of the Year in 2003 and 2016. He attributed a lot of his success in his real estate career to his days playing soccer.
“Soccer teaches you discipline and patience,” he said. “It helps you develop analytical skills and leadership skills, making you a team player.”
The ultimate honor
In 2018, Baydoun successfully ran for Wayne County Commissioner, serving the 13th District of Dearborn and Allen Park. He is currently in his third term.
“Public service is the ultimate honor for any individual to give back,” he said. “I am a public servant, not a politician.”
Baydoun also serves as the Federal Political Coordinator for U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell.
“We went to Washington, D.C. to advocate for the real estate industry in front of Congress,” he said. “I serve as the link between Debbie Dingell and the National Association of Realtors.”
Baydoun plans to remain in Dearborn to serve the community he loves so much.
“Real estate allows me to give back,” he said. “I plan to stay local. This is not a launching pad for me. I am not going to Lansing or Washington. I am very content where I am. Dearborn has greatly contributed to my success and I want to give back to this city. For me, that is the ultimate honor.”