Tommy Brigham, ARC Realty’s Founder and Chairman, had been in the real estate business for four decades by the time he 
decided to take a little break. “After I stepped down as CEO of RealtySouth, I wanted to take my time to try some different things,” he says. “Birmingham was in a new season, and I could feel that things were shifting in my hometown.” For several years Brigham had visited the Bethel Baptist Church, a church famed for its role in the civil rights movements, but it was during his break from real estate that he had begun to really explore and foster his friendship with the historic church’s pastor, Dr. Thomas L. Wilder, Jr.
“Dr. Wilder and I had a number of transformational conversations around that time. All roads kept leading us to being called to break through racial boundaries and stereotypes. Through my friendship with him, I began to feel this strong sense of calling to create a new type of real estate business—one that could be diverse and relationship-based and reflective of the Birmingham community,” said Brigham.
According to Brigham, he—a white man from Mountain Brook, Alabama—knew that he wanted his next venture to have a greater purpose, and a wider representation of his community. He also knew that this vision could be realized by working with Dr. Wilder’s wife, Mechelle Wilder, an African American woman from Montgomery, Alabama. The two had become friends and colleagues at RealtySouth, and Brigham knew that Wilder was the woman who could help him build a business founded on Christ’s teachings, great friendships, and a heart for service.
“He reached out to my husband and asked if he could take me out to lunch to discuss his vision,” says Wilder. “He looked at me and just said, ‘Imagine the opportunities ahead of us—let’s see how we can use our differences and our partnership to grow something great while strengthening race relations in our community.’ I’m so appreciative that Tommy listened to the voice of God, because today ARC Realty is able to glorify God through our diversity and our treatment of each other and of our clients.”
What started off a small operation in the basement of an office park has grown to the largest privately-owned real estate company in the State of Alabama. Today, ARC Realty has over 400 agents, representing a multitude of neighborhoods and clients.
“Whether it’s Woodlawn or Homewood or Montgomery or Mountain Brook, we want to help people find a good home for themselves and their families,” explains Wilder. She is passionate about homebuying being the first step to a great life. “No matter where you 
come from, if you buy right, you essentially have an automatic savings account. Buying a home builds generational wealth—it’s the pathway to that positive future.”
For Wilder, owning a home provides options, a sense of pride, and a way to impact future generations. “It wasn’t that long ago that Blacks and other minorities were unable to get home loans. I’m such a proponent of home ownership because it’s something that’s all yours—whether you hold on to it, sell it, or pull equity out of it when you need money. It gives you such an important foundation, so I love being able to teach people about the power of purchasing real estate.”
Beyond the representation of several different types of homes and neighborhoods, ARC Realty’s own team is a rainbow of different races, religions, and cultures. Brigham believes that it is the agents’ differences and even the differences among the clients they represent that make the company stronger. “Every human being wants to feel important and loved—that’s our commonality. So I believe you’ve got to be intentional about finding a way to walk in other people’s shoes—if you don’t do that, you’re missing a really important opportunity to experience the tapestry of life in all its full richness. Being open to others and their different perspectives and backgrounds creates a better world because we’re growing and learning from one another,” he says. “There really is so much to learn, and I’m so blessed to be part of a company that can represent the diversity of our city through service.”
Wilder marvels at the way ARC has managed to hold firm to their commitment to diversity every step of the way. “Since the company’s inception in 2012, we’ve celebrated different strengths and worked together to be a complete, functioning body. Our culture is diverse, and our office environment is inviting and helpful. It’s a proud moment when you hear from your agents that they feel supported and loved, and it’s humbling that we’ve maintained this level of teamwork and camaraderie as we’ve continued to expand our reach,” Wilder says.
Today, nearly every neighborhood in the Birmingham area has an ARC Realty sign posted in the yards where homes are for sale. From million-dollar listings to quaint bungalows, the homes available in the Magic City are as diverse as the people who will inhabit them. Tommy Brigham, Mechelle Wilder, and the rest of the ARC Realty team are proud to provide their special brand of relationship-based assistance to Birmingham’s beautifully multifaceted, sundry population.
If you’re interested in joining the ARC Realty rainbow of relationship-focused realtors, please click here today.=
