Nancie Bottmeyer

Two & a half years after joining Frank Howard Allen Realtors in Greenbrae, a company-wide contract dispute motivated Nancie Bottmeyer to gather other agents to start their own real estate brokerage in 1977. They opened their office at 848 College Ave, Kentfield in June 1978... one week after her second son, Alex, was born. BTW, The Madison Company is still the longest running real estate brokerage in Kentfield.

What path lead her to real estate? It was an Oregon country road she journeyed down to find herself in San Francisco and Marin County. Life began on a humble Oregon farm for Nancie Rayson (Bottmeyer) with three brothers, cattle, chickens, pigs, horses, dogs, cats, potatoes, wheat and alfalfa. She loved the animals and knew them by name. Her brothers made her tough and competitive.

In addition to all the responsibilities of the farm and family, her mother was a 4-H Club Leader teaching gardening, cooking, and husbandry, which led her to compete in the County Fair with flowers and Guernsey cows. Among the prizes won at the fair with her entries was admission to summer camp at Oregon State University in Corvallis for middle school 4-Hers.

No one in her family had gone to college. The 4-H summer camps inspired her to do well in high school and go to OSU when she graduated. She was the first in the family to earn a college degree. 4-H involvement provided college tuition in a most convoluted way. At 12 years old, she obtained her first registered Guernsey calf that grew to be a mother to her second Guernsey, and her morning and evening feed and milking chores spanned a herd of five milk cows by her senior year in high school. She was so proud when Nancie earned Grand Champion Dairy Showman with my second cow, Twinkle. at the Yamhill County Fair.

Nancie's cows made college happen for her, since her parents had no extra money to help, but they did have unconditional love and good advice. Dad said to all four of the kids, "BE YOUR OWN BOSS!” She learned early about earning her own money and being her own boss.

Real Estate was a perfect fit. And continues to be after 40+ years. She is a 20 year member and Past President of Rotary Club of Mission San Rafael and Broker/Owner of The Madison Company Realtors since 1978.