BOARDMAN, Ohio – There is no longer a Burgan in ownership at Burgan Real Estate, but the firm is remaining in the family, its co-founder said.
Sue Filipovich, who became co-owner of Burgan Real Estate with Patrick Burgan in 2016, recently assumed full ownership of the real estate company. She is the daughter of Leon Turek, who co-founded the company with John Burgan in 1977 after leaving Del Realty.
Filipovich started with Burgan in 2004 after getting her real estate license and securing her broker’s license a few years later. She left Burgan for a time and managed commercial property for another company, then rejoined Burgan.
The opportunity to take full ownership of Burgan Real Estate materialized when Patrick Burgan became involved in another real estate venture in Florida and “came to the decision that it was time for him to focus on that more,” Filipovich said.
“We’ve had such a good partnership through the years, and really worked and built this business based on what my dad and John already started,” Filipovich said. She and Patrick Burgan worked to make the transition as smooth as possible, “which it has been,” she said.
“For me, this is more than a business decision – it’s deeply personal,” Filipovich said.
“My dad helped build this company alongside John Burgan. While he passed away in 2020, his values, his work ethic and his commitment to people are still at the core of everything we do.”
Filipovich said stepping into ownership is about honoring that foundation while building forward.
“I feel a responsibility, not just to grow the company but to carry on what they started in a way that would make him proud,” she added.
Patrick Burgan has signed on as chief operating officer of Sovera Realty Group, a venture-backed real estate brokerage based in Longwood, Fla.
“Our goal is to make our mark on the real estate industry and eventually be nationwide,” he said.
The elder Burgan said he and Turek had “hit the ground running” after establishing Burgan Real Estate in August 1977. One month later, Youngstown Sheet & Tube announced it was closing, one of the early challenges they faced. People at the time expressed concerns about the area’s fate.
“It was hard to do anything for about six months. Then people started realizing, ‘Hey, we’re still here. We’ve got a decent economy and we can make it,’” he said. As other challenges including higher interest rates developed, Burgan and other businesses adapted.
“We’ve prospered from our being in Youngstown,” he said.
The agency also has expanded into property management and commercial real estate and has its own title company.
John Burgan said he is proud of his son as he takes on this new venture and sees full ownership of the agency transferring to the daughter of his late business partner as remaining with family. The transaction closed Feb. 13.
“Sue is family,” he remarked. “Patrick and Sue [are] equal family, and she’s doing a fantastic job.”
Filipovich said she doesn’t anticipate making major changes to Burgan Real Estate. Any changes likely would involve upgrades to events and training for agents, community involvement and “building on what we already have,” she said.
“What we have here is already such a great culture and a great foundation,” she remarked. If something isn’t broke, there is no need to fix it.
The transition also comes as the real estate brokerage prepares to mark its 50th year in business in 2027. “Being part of the community for that length of time is something that really, even here in the office, there is just so much energy and positivity that we can only go up from here,” she said.
Both Burgans intend to remain affiliated with Burgan real estate, each confirmed. Patrick Burgan, who said he retains his Ohio and Pennsylvania real estate licenses, acknowledged that stepping away from ownership of the business that his father co-founded is bittersweet, and he will miss interacting with “the Burgan bunch,” as the agency’s employees are affectionately called.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better partner. She truly was the perfect compliment to my personality,” he said. “We had different management styles, different creative styles, and they really balanced perfectly.”
He also called Filipovich one of the best brokers that he has ever met and said the agency is in the best possible hands.
“It’s ready for the next chapter,” he said.
Pictured at top: John Burgan and Sue Filipovich.