Owner and President

Lou Baldwin joined The Baldwin Companies in 1986 and has been the owner and President since 1989. Lou has established himself as a leader in the Winston-Salem community through his civic and professional involvement. Lou’s involvements include: Past President of the 40,000 member North Carolina REALTORS. Lou currently serves as Economic Development Committee Chairman and on the Board of Directors and Past Presidents Council.  Lou chairs the Consumber Communication Committee of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), which oversees a $42 million consumer advertising campaign. Lou also serves on NAR’s Member Communications Committee. Lou serves as a National Association of Realtor’s Federal Political Coordinator (FPC), the Association’s primary liaison to United States Senator Richard Burr. Lou was recognized in 2017 with NAR’s FPC Meritorious Service Award, granted annualyy to two FPCs nationally who have demonstrated exceptional service. 

Lou has served in the past on the Board of Directors of North Carolina Baptist Hospital and on the Board of Trustees of the Forsyth Technical Community College Foundation. He is the Immediate Past President  and Board Chair of Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County, where he still serves on the Board of Directors. Board of Directors of the Stepping Stones Ministries of the Triad, LLC, a Christian ministry placing homeless families in supportive housing. Lou is on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Real Estate Education Foundation.

Lou received the first “Beacon Award” from the Bethesda Center for the Homeless in 2009 “for helping Bethesda carry out its mission to move homeless men and women from streets to housing.” In 2005, Lou became the first recipient of the North Carolina Association of Realtors “Federal Political Coordinator of the Year Award.”

Lou has been recognized for his service:  

• “Outstanding Young Leaders Award” presented by The Winston-Salem Jaycees, 2004

• “40 Leaders under 40″ in the Triad, 2003 by The Business Journal

• Named one of the “50 Most Influential People in the Triad” by the Business Journal, 2004 and 2016

• Named as a “Top 50 Triad Entrepreneur” by Business Leader Media, 2010

• Named as a “Triad Mover and Shaker” by Business Leader Media, 2010

• Winston-Salem Regional Association of Realtors Thomas W. Lambe, Jr Hall of Fame Award (2015)

• Named the 2001 REALTOR OF THE YEAR by the Winston-Salem Regional Association of Realtors (WSRAR)   

• Also recognized by the Winston-Salem Regional Association of Realtors with:

• WSRAR Property Management Division’s “President’s Award” (2012)

• A.R. Tuttle Memorial Award (2007)

• D. June Dinkins Political Affairs Award, (2000)

• President’s Award (1999)

• Citizenship Award (1998)

• Property Manager of the Year Award (1997)           

• North Carolina REALTORS Awards:    
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• North Carolina REALTOR of the Year (2017)
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• Regional Service Award (2005)
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• Federal Political Coordinator of the Year Award (2004)
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Lou chaired “Realtors for Burr” in 2004 and 2010, a statewide effort supporting the Senator’s campaigns. Lou served from 2007-2010 on the “10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness” Commission”, appointed by Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines. Previously Lou served on the “Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Panel” that wrote the 10 Year Plan. Lou is very involved in issues of homelessness through a number of church and community efforts. Lou has served the Winston-Salem Association of Realtors (WSRAR) in various leadership capacities including:

• President (1997) President-Elect (1996) Past President (1998)

• Vice-President (1992-1995) 4 terms

• Secretary-Treasurer (1991)

• Property Management Division President (1990-1991) 2 terms

• Lou has served on many of WSRAR’s committees and has chaired the following committees: Administrative, American Home Week, Budget and Finance, Constitution and ByLaws, Habitat for Humanity, Political Affairs, Realtor Political Action Committee, and the Joint-Legislative Committee.

Lou is very active in the North Carolina Association of Realtors (NCAR)

• Immediate Past President (2013)

• President (2012)

• President-Elect (2011)

• Chairman, NCAR Legislative Committee (2010); Vice-Chairman (2009)

• Chairman, NCAR Issues Mobilization Committee (2010), Member (2009)

• NCAR Budget and Finance Committee (2008-2010)

• Trustee, Realtors Political Action Committee (2010-2011)

• Strategic Planning Committee (2006-2012), Chairman 2011

• Realtors Partner Committee (2010)

• Regional Vice President, Region 6 (2007-2008)

• NCAR Regional Service Award (2005)

• Member, Presidential Advisory Group on Finance (2010-2011)

• Chairman, NCAR Presidential Advisory Group on Issues Mobilization (2008)

• Member, NCAR Presidential Advisory Group on Structure (2008-2009)

• Chairman (1993) and Governor (1992) of NCAR’s Property Management Division

• NCAR Director for 10 years

• NCAR’s Executive, Strategic Planning, Professional Standards, Legislative, Issues Mobilization and Legal Action Committees.

• Board of Directors Member, N.C. Homeowners Alliance

Lou is active in the National Association of Realtors (NAR)

• Board of Directors, 2011-2016

• NAR Leadership Academy (2010-2011)

• NAR’s Realtor Political Involvement Committee (2009-2012) – Lou was the appointed representative for North Carolina on this prestigious national committee.

• Lou serves as NAR’s Federal Political Coordinator (FPC) to United States Senator Richard Burr. Previously, Lou served as NAR’s “5th District Federal Political Coordinator”, NAR’s primary liaison to Congressman Richard Burr throughout Burr’s 5 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

• Chairman of NAR’s Consumer Communications Committee (2017)

Lou is a Graduate of the North Carolina Realtors’ Institute which earned him the GRI designation. He was the first recipient of the CRS Scholarship, recognizing him as the outstanding graduate of the Realtors’ Institute for 1989.

Lou has been very involved in the Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce. He has chaired the Local Issues Committee in 2001 and 2002 and served as Chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee in 2003 and 2004. He has served on the Governmental Affairs Executive Committee since 2001.

Additional involvement in our community has included:

• North Carolina Baptist Hospital, Board of Trustees, 2012-

• Forsyth Technical Community College Foundation, Board of Trustees, 2011-

• Stepping Stones Ministry, Board Member of Christian ministry placing homeless families in supportive housing, 2007-

• Ardmore Baptist Church- Deacon (2006-2008) (2014-2016)

• Piedmont Triad Partnership, Board of Directors, 2005

• “10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness Commission”, appointed by Mayor Allen Joines (2006-2009)

• Winston-Salem Blue Ribbon Committee to End Chronic Homelessness, appointed by the Mayor 2005

• Founding Member, The Committee for Biotechnology in the Piedmont Triad (2004-2005), Governmental Affairs Chairman 2005

• President and Board Chairman of BoysCamp, Caring Adventures Mentoring Program (2002-2003), Chairman (2004)

• President and Baord Chairman,Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County (2016-2017); Board of Directors:1998-2003, 2007 – 2009, 2013-19), Executive Committee: Board Secretary (2008-2009) Vice Chair (2015-2016), Chair (2016-2017)

• Board of Directors, Downtown Winston-Salem Association (2001)

• Leadership Winston-Salem, Class of 1999

• Appointed by the Mayor in 1990 as a Founding Board Member of the Winston-Salem Downtown Development Corporation (1990-1996)

Lou and his wife Leslie have 2 sons. Lou is a Graduate of Forsyth Country Day School, and is a 1986 Graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics. Lou’s wife Leslie is the Foreign Language Program Specialist for the Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County School System.