The Huntsville Area Association of REALTORS® and ValleyMLS.com have hired two interns who will support staff this summer in our shared missio to inform, influence and empower a thriving real estate market by focusing on education, advocacy and connections.
Meet Zach Cole and Abbie Katie Hancock below and don’t forget to say hello when you visit the office!
HAAR Marketing Intern Abbie Kate Hancock
Abbie Kate Hancock is a recent graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations.
Abbie Kate is an Alabama native, growing up in Cullman, and has a passion for economic development, community growth, and all things public relations. She will be joining the Huntsville Area Association of REALTORS® as the Marketing and Communication Intern for the summer.
Hancock has served in multiple roles during her time at Mississippi State University, including interning with the Bagley College of Engineering and with the Department of Communication, and holding the title of President of the Public Relations Society of America during her senior year.
A fun fact about Abbie Kate is her massive sweet tooth. She would choose sweet over savory any day and can’t start her day without a Diet Mountain Dew in hand! Her skills will go a long way to support HAAR’s outreach, advocacy, communications, marketing, and event coordination efforts this summer.
ValleyMLS.com Consumer Research Intern Zach Cole
Zach was born in Texas and later moved to Huntsville when he was in elementary school. After High School, Zach served 7 years in the military, 4 of which were in special operations in the Marine Corps.
After separating from service, Zach worked as a security consultant, a real estate investor, and eventually as a REALTOR® in 2018 to assist property management operations at his firm, Astro Property Management, LLC., which he co-founded.
After building his real estate portfolio and growing his company, Zach transitioned from consulting to become a full-time student in 2019. He is simultaneously pursuing a BS in Economics & Computational Analysis, and a Masters of Business Administration from UAH.
Through his research through UAH, Zach works on projects analyzing the impacts of new businesses on the local economy, and examining the impact of COVID-19 on industries in Alabama and Madison County. He is currently beginning work on an economic history of Latin America.
Zach credits his wife Allison with the main reason he is able to focus on so much. In addition to being his partner in life, she is also his business partner. The couple welcomed their first child at the end of 2019, which has been a completely different experience for the two, but a great one.
Zach has competed in all types of sports and events; from team and individual sports to Olympic Weightlifting and hiking long sections on the Appalachian Trail. He competed in his first 24-hour endurance event in 2020.