McGowen-Hall Real Estate Services
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT | 2023 VETERANS DAY SPECIAL EDITION
STORY BY DAVE DANIELSON | PHOTOS BY SHAWNA McDUFFIE, PEAK RES
Putting All the Pieces Together with Service
As you know, each transaction you undertake with your clients is like a box filled with puzzle pieces. It can be hard balancing the job of assembling those pieces and, at the same time, bringing in more business.
That’s why it helps to have a partner on your side who can help you make everything fit.
That’s where McGowen-Hall Real Estate Services comes into the picture with experience and expertise to put all of the pieces together.
Diana McGowen is owner of the company and a Licensed Transaction Coordinator. It’s easy to see her passion for what she does.
“We are a full-service leveraging company … providing services such as transaction coordination, data base management,” Diana says. “We also cover inspections and a full range of a la carte services.”
Diana moved to the area in March 2020 from San Diego, where she had also excelled in delivering transaction services.
Life of Service
As Diana grew up in California, she joined a Job Corps program and joined an electronics program, and she was encouraged to join the military.
“When I was 20, I joined the Navy in January 1994 as an Electronics Technician and was in until 1998,” she remembers. “I was in charge of UHF satellite communications … handling things such as ship-to-shore communications. We worked a lot with the Marines and the Navy Seals.”
Diana left the service in 1998, and soon entered the entertainment business — working in Casting and as an Assistant Production Coordinator. Through time, she worked on a number of independent films, as well as on The Steve Harvey Show.
Embracing Her New Oklahoma Home
In the meantime, she met Daniel, the man who became her husband. He also served in the Navy — retiring after a stellar, 20-year career serving the nation.
“Daniel was born and raised in Moore, Oklahoma and retired from the Navy. We knew this is where we would come back to,” Diana says.
“Our sons were approaching high school age, and we made the decision to come here and get settled. The downside of that is that Daniel and I were separated for a little over two and a half years until he retired in 2022. When I moved here in March 2020, I worked with a team for a year and a half and then worked as a technical trainer at a brokerage. I launched my own business in April 2023.”
Today, Diana leads a team of five, including two seasoned Transaction Coordinators and two Trainees. In turn, Diana is proud of the way the business has continued to grow rapidly.
Supporting Freedom
Another well-deserved point of pride for Diana is her military service. As she looks back on her time serving the country, she says it gave her the discipline and direction she needed.
“The upside is the friendships I made and the places I’ve seen between my traveling and my traveling with Daniel. I still stay in touch with friends from boot camp in 1994. The community you get with the military is so important,” Diana remembers.
“That has been very important with my kids being special needs. It was a struggle being apart from Daniel at various points. For example, I was in Gulf Port, Mississippi and we had no family or support there. During the time, Daniel served as a hospital Corpsman during the fall of Fallujah.”
Military families face challenges all the way around. After Diana had been honorably discharged and started her family with Daniel, she found out firsthand how challenging it can be for the spouses of active-duty military members to find work.
“There is a military spouse employment crisis. Sometimes employers don’t want to hire spouses because they know they will be gone in two years,” she says.
Taking Action
While in California, Diana started Military Spouse Transaction Coordination Services.
“I started that because I wanted to train spouses on this career. My aunt is an agent in San Diego for over 30 years. She had trained me to be her Transaction Coordinator and then I branched out and started my own business,” she recalls. “I had a lot of friends who asked me how I did this. I realized this is a very portable career that military spouses can take with them when they move. Plus there is a low barrier to entry to get into financially and very flexible.”
Away from work, Diana treasures time with Daniel, and their children — Devyn and Dylan.
In their free time as empty nesters, Diana and Daniel enjoy movies and like having theme nights at home with special food items and movies … nights like Western Wednesdays. They also have a passion for exploring Oklahoma, taking pictures and finding new establishments to try.
When it comes to giving back, Diana likes to support the Santa Fe Family Life Center, including helping them to coordinate their annual gala event.
“They have a gym-like facility with adaptive equipment, including basketball for those in wheelchairs, and providing sports and fitness programs for all abilities,” she points out. “They have adaptive tennis, swimming, basketball.”
Diana also puts her volunteer energy into helping veteran causes. In fact, while in San Diego, she served as Programs Coordinator for the USO. Her energetic contributions have been honored through time. In fact, in 2016, she earned the Navy Sea Services Spouse of the Year. She also served as a Navy Compass Mentor, and she created the Chief Petty Officer organization to support military spouses and children.
Congratulations to Diana and Daniel McGowen for their tireless service and efforts to help those around them. When you’re looking for a partner who can help you put all the pieces together, look to McGowen-Hall Real Estate Services.
Contact McGowen-Hall Real Estate Services Today!
Phone: 619-508-3100
