318Central.com took a drive to Marksville to visit with Catherine Roy, owner and broker at Roch Michael Real Estate on the Courthouse Square in downtown Marksville. At first glance, you feel as though you already know her. She’s warm and gracious and greets us with a big smile and hug.
Known affectionately to many as “Cat”, this real estate maven blazed a new trail in 1976 when she became the first licensed female realtor in Avoyelles Parish, later becoming the parish’s first female broker when she opened Roch Michael Real Estate in 1985.
Forty plus years later, there’s no sign that this lady has any plans of slowing down. In fact, to the contrary, Roy is hard at work on a new development in addition to overseeing operations at the office.
Like many of her peers, her agency is enjoying a banner year. In addition to selling residential and commercial properties, Roy also has a property management division of Roch Michael.
“You’re as young as you feel, and I’m blessed to be feeling the best I’ve ever felt. I’m also a firm believer that work keeps you young,” says Roy.
Roy began the Roch Michael agency as a divorced mother of five young children, oftentimes challenged with what seemed like insurmountable odds. The challenges apparently only fueled the dream of being a successful entrepreneur.
Through the journey, she has been a fierce advocate of many causes, including, but not limited to, being on the founding board of the Avoyelles Wildlife Federation, where she served as its president for five years and hosted a morning radio show for the federation for many years on KAPB. She helped mobilize the first Spring Bayou clean up effort in 1987 and has been named Businesswoman of the Year by the Marksville Chamber of Commerce. Roy has also served on the board of the Central Louisiana Board of Realtors.
She is a woman of strong faith and a member of the Marksville’s St. Joseph Church. She is often credited as being at the forefront of the early efforts to revitalize downtown, where she owns several buildings, including the historic Bailey’s on the Square and the Montgomery Building.
318Central.com reached out to Rod Noles, recognized widely as one of Louisiana’s most distinguished realtors for his decades of service, and he had this to say about his friend and colleague: “I’ve known Catherine for years and have always been impressed with her boundless energy and love of community. Don’t try to tell Catherine something is impossible, you are just wasting your breath.”
Surprised and humbled, she muses, “I’m truly touched. That coming from Rod means the world to me, as he is someone whom I’ve looked up to for many years.”
She has been a guest speaker at several forums for women in business and often imparts, “With the resources available today, anyone can accomplish anything they set their mind to. Anything is attainable.”
We cannot think of a better note to close on.
Roch Michael Real Estate will be launching a new website Fall 2021.
Visit us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RochMichealRealEstateInc
