Steve Tufts

About Steve Tufts

Steve is an experienced business leader and a dedicated educator with success as a corporate executive, an entrepreneur and a teacher. Steve received a Doctor of Business Administration degree from the University of Florida, an MBA from the University of Virginia and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Florida. After receiving his DBA in 2017, Steve joined the faculty of UF\'s Warrington College of Business as a Clinical Professor teaching classes in marketing, entrepreneurship and real estate. His areas of academic interest include salesperson performance, salesperson influence, entrepreneurial strategy and residential real estate market analysis. He received the 20••••20 Undergraduate Teacher of the Year Award and the 20••••23 Student Organization Advisor of the Year Award from the UF College of Business. He was elected to the UF Faculty Senate and appointed to the UF President\'s Title IX Committee for Intercollegiate Athletics. He also serves as a Faculty Adviser to the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the American Marketing Association, as well as several other student organizations. He recently co-authored a textbook on consultative selling. Steve is not a typical university academic. Prior to joining the UF Faculty, Steve spent almost 40 years in both corporate and entrepreneurial business pursuits. He continues to be a semi-active Licensed Real Estate Broker as the founder and owner of the Atlantic Partners Group at Keller Williams Realty, recently ranked in the Top 100 brokerages nationally. As a member of the prestigious KW International Master Faculty, he is also known for his upbeat style of executive education in the areas of personal performance, business development and financial management. Previously, he has owned companies in the title insurance, food manufacturing, disaster restoration, and mold abatement industries along with several commercial investment properties. Prior to venturing out on his own, Steve’s corporate career included senior executive positions at well-known companies such as Progressive Insurance Co, Anthem, Inc, and Great American Insurance Co. Much earlier, as his corporate career was accelerating, he held positions in marketing/sales management and engineering. He is a Florida native, the proud father of 3 successful daughters and a grandfather of 6 (so far). He and his wife Barbara reside in Gainesville, Florida. They enjoy travel, boating, music, cycling, Gator sports, and anything that puts them near blue water or snow-capped mountains.

Experience

1. Founder Owner Broker, Atlantic Partners Group at Keller Williams Realty

   Keller Williams Realty, LLC

   Aug 2003 — Present · Jacksonville, FL, US

   Founding Operating Partner, currently Broker/Owner of the Atlantic Partners Group of Keller Williams Realty offices. Through a combination of new office launch, organic growth and strategic acquisition of affiliated distressed entities, we built a successful operation with over 1200 Realtors and 9 locations serving Northeast Florida. Offices are located in Amelia Island, Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Jacksonville Southside, St. Augustine, Ormond Beach, Daytona, Melbourne and Gainesville. Member of the International Master Faculty for Keller Williams University and Licensed Real Estate Instructor in Florida.Prior to becoming an Operating Partner, was the Co-Founder/Owner of Tufts Realty Associates at the Atlanta-Sugarloaf office of Keller Williams, consistently one of the Top 3 real estate teams for KW in the state of Georgia. Received numerous awards for being among the Top Realtors in the Atlanta area.

Education

• University of Florida - Warrington College of Business

  Doctor of Business Administration

  2014 — 2017

• UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering

  BSChE, Chemical Engineering

  1974 — 1976

• Eastern Florida State College

  Associate's Degree, Pre-Engineering

  1971 — 1973

• University of Virginia Darden School of Business

  MBA

  1978 — 1980