Carlsbad Business Journal, September 5, 2004

KCEO Radio Extends Contract of Popular Host

The "Real Estate Professor" creates informed consumers.

George W. Mantor, founder, president, and CEO of The Associates Financial Group, Inc recently agreed to terms of a contract extension with the Astor Broadcast Group that will see him continuing on AM 1000, KCEO Radio as the "Real Estate Professor," hosting "Keepin' It Real," a consumer education program for the small real estate investor.

Billed as, "real talk about the real thing, real estate!" the live call-in program airs Tuesdays at 7:00 a.m.

"With real estate such a hot topic and so important as part of an overall financial strategy, we felt like there would be a void in our programming if we couldn't renew the program," said Peri Corso, general sales manager for the Astor Broadcast Group

KCEO Radio has long followed a business talk format, with an emphasis on local issues and business.

"George brings the background and experience to make it valuable to our listeners. He's a proven businessman in a tough industry. Plus, he's independent. We won't be getting some company line, but the original insights of a seasoned real estate veteran," Corso continued.

With over a quarter century in the Southern California real estate industry, Mantor has been igniting some controversy with his straight talk about the shortcomings of the entity known as "organized real estate."

Mantor agreed. "Certainly the greatest failing of this enormous industry has been the failure to educate the consumer. The emphasis has been placed on hitting sales goals, not providing counseling to the consumer. Even the consumer has come to question the value of what we do."

Asked why he had returned to the airwaves after nearly 15 years, Mantor replied, "It's an extension of our mission to create informed consumers. It seems like there are some barriers to becoming informed and we wanted to lower those barriers. We have a 33 foot Mobile Real Estate center, a series of workshops, an informative web site, and now radio. Combined, these create many access points for the consumer."

Mantor's radio background includes working as a newscaster, doing voiceovers, producing a daily talk show and hosting a prior real estate program.

Mantor has been active within the real estate community since 1978, serving on virtually every committee related to the real estate business including a term as director of the California Association of REALTORS. Mantor's vision and leadership are responsible for the creation of an annual technology fair for local real estate agents and the establishment of a speaker's bureau to advance consumers’ understanding of the changes occurring within the real estate industry.

The Associates Financial Group is an independent, locally owned, full service real estate and mortgage brokerage operating in San Diego, Orange, and Riverside Counties.