Continuing to serve her customers, Mary Black wows her clients through her property expertise and vast experience. Black, a real estate broker with RE/MAX Suburban, is licensed in Illinois, Florida and Wisconsin, serving buyers, sellers and investors in all three states.

Her dream had always been to find a career that she was so passionate about that it didn’t feel like work. “As a broker and real estate investor, I can say that I’ve manifested that into a reality,” she says, noting that after 29 years in the field, she works almost exclusively with referrals, sellers and repeat clients. “I love the bonds that I’ve been able to form through this process and being able to nurture these relationships as my clients’ lives and real estate needs evolve over time.”

While Black earned her license in 1994, she received an early real estate education from her father, Joe Fragale, who began his own career as an agent and investor nearly 60 years ago after immigrating to the United States from Italy. “He taught me to see past the mess and see its potential — put aside the colors and finishes … he said we can fix that later,” she remembers. “He has always instilled the value of sweat equity.”

Appreciated for her candor and willingness to get her hands dirty, Black embraces every opportunity to commit to a project, whether it be flipping her own investment property or negotiating on behalf of her clients. “In the end, it all pays off when the magic happens,” she says. Taking a “work hard and play harder” approach to her career, she remarks, “I like to have fun and keep it light, but when a difficult situation arises, I am up for the task.” Black can be found supporting local businesses, from restaurants to furniture design and anywhere in between.