Mokena, IL (November 11, 2014) – Starting a business is not easy. Entrepreneurs commit countless hours to see their dreams realized. For three local real estate investors, steadfast perseverance has been met with a prestigious award.
John and Janelle Swiercinsky, Mokena, and Kirby Atwell, Frankfort, were inducted into the Rich Dad Education 2014 International Hall of Fame in Las Vegas last month.
Atwell and the Swiercinskys are owners of the Mokena-based real estate investment company, iCandy Homes. iCandy Homes specializes in redeveloping neighborhoods and improving communities all around Chicagoland by buying, fixing and selling houses. It empower buyers, sellers and investors to realize their dreams through education and real estate. The owners have achieved exponential growth since iCandy Homes was formed in 2012. In just two and a half years, the start-up has participated in the purchase and renovation of more than 60 single family homes, and has launched a successful real estate training and JV program.
Rich Dad Education, the namesake of world famous Rich Dad, Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki, provided the training from which Atwell and the Swiercinskys built their real estate investment careers. Truly a capstone moment for these young professionals, the award serves as a springboard into greater accomplishments.
“Rich Dad Education provided the foundation upon which iCandy Homes has been built. We are honored by this award and look forward to continued growth locally and expansion into new markets,” said John Swiercinsky, Founder of iCandy Homes.
Induction into the Rich Dad Education Hall of Fame is a prestigious award given to a select few investors every year. The winners are carefully chosen from a pool of thousands of Rich Dad Education students, proven to have successfully applied the tools from Rich Dad Education Elite Training.
Kirby Atwell and John Swiercinsky are both Lincoln-Way Central graduates. Friends since the 1990’s, their lives took separate paths and then recently joined back together. Nine years ago, after graduating from West Point Military Academy, Atwell picked up his first real estate investing book and has been hooked ever since. He was especially drawn to the Rich Dad Poor Dad Series. Atwell had a feeling that this information could change an old friend’s life. He sent a set of the books to his friend John Swiercinsky.
In addition to serving as an Officer in the US Army, Atwell began acquiring and managing rental properties. Working closely with other investors and real estate experts throughout the country, he built a portfolio of rental property in several markets, including El Paso, TX, Honolulu, HI, and Chicago, IL. In 2011, he transitioned into real estate investing full time. He became one of the three founding members of iCandy Homes in 2012, filling the role of Head of Acquisitions. In 2014, he graduated from University of Illinois at Chicago with an MBA in Real Estate. Now Atwell is Chief Executive Officer of iCandy Homes, responsible for driving the ever-growing iCandy Homes team toward its goals.
John Swiercinsky graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. His family has deep roots in the Mokena/New Lenox area. Swiercinsky’s maternal grandparents, John and Stella Matasovic owned and operated OXO Welding Equipment Company in New Lenox for many years. The family was a major land owner in Will County, and currently owns one of the few buildable parcels of land remaining between Mokena and New Lenox.
At iCandy Homes, Mr. Swiercinsky provides the overall vision for the company and develops strategic relationships all over the world to create mutually beneficial business opportunities. Never forgetting where he started, Mr. Swiercinsky highly regards continuing education, personal development and proper business training. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Chicagoland Real Estate Connections Club, a premiere resource for local real estate investors. He works alongside his iCandy Homes partners and international experts to develop unique educational products and to provide coaching and mentoring services.
Janelle Swiercinsky graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Kansas. As VP of Administration at iCandy Homes, Mrs. Swiercinsky manages the back office, tracks finances on multiple projects, coordinates and monitors direct mail and online marketing campaigns. An expert in marketing and branding, Mrs. Swiercinsky leads the iCandy Homes team in positioning the company as a market leader. Her thorough understanding of the digital age and traditional media, and how to marry the two, sets iCandy Homes apart from the competition.
iCandy Homes is proud to be a part of the Mokena community. The team plans to use the notoriety from their award to affect the lives of even more people. If you would like to learn more about the services provided by iCandy Homes, call 708-995-7367, or visit www.icandyhomes.com.