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Professional and Personal Profile
Greg “Jazzman” Chako
Realtor, Keller Williams Greater Rochester/Musician and Businessman
585-219-7699 | jazzman@kw.com | jazzman.kw.com
585-654-7088 | jazzman@gregchako.com| gregchako.com
Greg “Jazzman” Chako is an entrepreneur who brokers deals and strives to bring people together, which
in turn creates synergy, something The Jazzman lives for!
As a life-long musician, real estate agent, and teacher, Greg’s genuine desire to help others, and his passion
for communication, has driven all of his professional pursuits. He has built bridges that successfully span
the worlds of music, business, and community.
Not one to be forever satisfied with just a good job in a congenial setting, Greg has always had more
ambitious plans. His professor for an Entrepreneurship course, Ian F. Jacobs, said, “He [Greg] has started
several business ventures, each one successful yet each one more so than the previous. He understands how
to navigate all aspects of entrepreneurship.” Indeed, what began for Greg over 30 years ago selling candy
door-to-door and teaching private guitar lessons in a hometown church, grew into a prosperous real estate
sales profession in New York City, and a full-fledged arts management corporation that was a major player
in the lucrative entertainment industry of South East Asia.
Greg’s real estate experience began in his hometown of Cincinnati, more than 20 years ago, when he
purchased (for little money down) a group of four-to-eight-family apartment buildings and a single-family
house for investment. Moving to New York City in the 1990's, he became a licensed real-estate agent
working industrial and commercial property throughout the borough of Brooklyn for Kaplon-Belo
Associates, Inc. (KBA), one of NYC’s leading industrial brokers. With KBA, he set a first-year earnings
record for the company with higher sales results (six figures) in subsequent years, liaising with a wide range
of industrial and commercial business clients and the Brooklyn Office of Economic Development. He also
became involved with volunteer work, serving on Brooklyn Community Board 1 (nominated by Brooklyn
Borough President Howard Golden); The Parks and Recreation Committee; The Steering Committee of the
local Block Association, where he was an activist fighting garbage “transfer stations;” and he led an early
morning yoga class for businessmen.
In 2011, Greg was accepted to a three year Doctor of Music program (DMA) at the famed Eastman School
of Music, which prompted his move to Rochester, NY. The formal completion of his doctorate degree is still
in process, but after five years and 105 completed credit hours in graduate school, he decided in 2016 to
return to real estate. He interviewed real estate brokerage firms in Rochester, NY.
Only one company matched his own high standards of moral, ethical, and enlightened business practices:
Keller-Williams of Greater Rochester (KW). Unlike the brokers who told him, “You’re on your own,” KW
said, “You’re not alone.” KW told Greg that he was a partner of a team created by brokers for brokers, in
which all have a vested interest in the others’ mutual success. From founder Gary Keller’s national
bestseller, “The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, It’s Not About the Money . . . it’s about being the best you
can be!” to daily training classes, technical support, and inspirational self-help programs, KW provides a
veritable blueprint for success. By mirroring and adopting the actions and mindsets of the world’s best, and
taking full advantage of all that KW has to offer, Greg is following in the footsteps of millionaire agents. He
has also hired a professional business coach to assist with correct plans of action, strategy, and quality
control. In addition to KWCares.org, a nonprofit society that donates to the unfortunate who are most in
need, what impresses Greg most about KW is their corporate philosophy. It embodies exactly the same
imperatives that he envisions for himself, in the perfect hierarchy of importance:
1) Faith 2) Family 3) Business

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After witnessing KW’s admirable corporate values in place, and in action, Greg was not surprised that KW
is the world’s largest real estate brokerage company, poised to be #1 in worldwide sales volume very soon.
Always priding himself for being on a “winning” team, Greg is now bringing over 30 years of his own
customer service “to the table,” while being fully supported by the strength and corporate missions of KW.
His vision now aligned with KW’s, Greg is setting his sights on being the best person he can be, and earning
the respect and gratitude of all his clients, customers, and peers.
Prior to moving to Rochester, Greg demonstrated uncommon success in every venture he seriously
embarked on. When his ex-wife was recruited for a marketing position with FedEx based in Hong Kong,
they moved there from NYC in 1992. Lacking adequate bi-lingual skills, Greg was ill equipped to continue
in real estate, so he turned his entrepreneurial expertise to the realm of music business and performance.
Greg managed regular entertainment series and created innovative events for Hong Kong’s prime venues.
Relocating to Singapore in 1994, he incorporated Chako Productions and served as its CEO. Within three
years of its inception, he was managing a daily roster of 30+ artists, monthly budgets of $50K+, and over
one million Singapore dollars in annual income by organizing all kinds of entertainment for local venues
and special events. While in Singapore, he also did some volunteer work counseling grief and alcohol-abuse
victims, and served on a judge’s panel for the Yamaha Music School’s band competition for youngsters.
After his second wife (Japanese) died from breast cancer, Greg taught English (ESL) full-time for Berlitz,
Japan, a language school established over 100 years ago. He taught 5,000+ lessons. There too, Greg quickly
learned and excelled, earning the following comment from his instructional supervisor, “Greg is gifted and
excellent; he shows an intense interest in the personal development of his students and a great sensitivity to
their individual needs and cultural background.”
During 16+ years in Asia, Greg really honed his interpersonal and business skills. He also published 9
critically acclaimed CD recordings. His customer service expertise can be exemplified by the stellar
reputations of his clients, such as: Toyota; Tiffany; Cartier; Starbucks; Coca Cola; Citibank; Merrill Lynch;
CNN; Ritz-Carlton; Hyatt; Hilton; Four Seasons; Imperial Hotel; Mandarin Oriental; US Navy; etc.
Having lost his wife and weary of always being a foreigner, Greg returned to the USA in 2009, where he
earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (multi-disciplinary focus in music and business; 3.92 GPA), and a Masters
of Music degree (3.9 GPA), before relocating to Rochester, NY.
Greg ultimately found his soul mate and remarried in Singapore January 8, 2013. United with his wife in
Rochester on January 24th
, 2015, “The Jazzman” enjoys playing jazz (of course!); spending time with
his wife and family; cooking/entertaining/Culinary Arts; tennis; scuba diving; meditation/yoga; networking;
writing, researching and conversing; loving pets (3 dogs and a cat); and working tirelessly in his real estate
profession towards the fulfillment of their dreams together.
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