For Amy DeRango and Kelly Baysinger, real estate is as much about friendship and looking out for each other as it is about business. It’s how they operate their team, The PAK Group, and it’s how they treat their clients.  

 

Consisting of fellow agents Samantha Lipinsky, Leanna Hill, and Sarah Bonk, plus admin Sara Barber, The PAK Group is a team of like-minded women who all had a connection with each other outside of real estate prior to joining Amy, Kelly, and their late business partner and mentor, Patty Lucas.

 

“We truly are a family, and we make sure we all have a great work-life balance—raising our little humans while being full-time, high-producing REALTORS®,” shares Amy. “Our clients’ best interests are always top of mind, and we value the reputation we have created in the industry.”

 

Amy and Kelly’s friendship goes all the way back to their days at John Hersey High School. They both grew up in Arlington Heights yet were quite the opposites: while Amy was a competitive athlete throughout childhood, Kelly was into in dance and theatre.

 

A natural leader even as a kid, Kelly recalls running her own day camp for all the younger kids in her neighborhood. She planned to be a social worker and obtained her degree in human development and family studies from the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign. Instead of going directly into a master’s program, however, she decided to take a break from school in 2008 and took a position as an unlicensed assistant for her friend's dad, who was a long-time REALTOR® specializing in REOs.

 

“Once I got my feet wet in the real estate world as an assistant, my interest grew and I wanted to start selling homes myself. Helping family and friends with their real estate goals was really fun and felt extremely fulfilling,” explains Kelly.

 

While Kelly enjoyed real estate, she ultimately decided to go back to school in 2010 to get her master’s in elementary education with plans to become a teacher. Upon graduating in 2013, however, she was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor—acoustic neuroma—which, after surgery, left her deaf in one ear. Realizing life in a classroom would be extremely difficult with single-sided deafness, she decided to continue in real estate, where she could use her experience to educate buyers and sellers.

 

Just as Kelly was fully committing to real estate for the long run in 2014, Amy was entering the business for the first time. She had been working at a plastic surgeon’s office in North Shore, and though she loved the industry, she felt rather stuck and bored in her career. Her mother, who worked in real estate at a large brokerage, encouraged her to get her license because she knew Amy would excel and thrive in real estate. “Boy, was she right!” Amy says, laughing.  

 

Amy joined Baird and Warner in 2014, which is where she first met and started working with Patty Lucas. It was Amy’s idea to bring Kelly on board to form an official team. Although it took some convincing one summer night in 2015, during one of Amy and Kelly’s girls’ nights in the city, Kelly took the leap of faith and joined Amy and Patty. Thereupon, The PAK Group (Patty/Amy/Kelly) was formed.

 

The three women banded together to build the team they have today—up until last year, when, sadly, Patty passed away. “Patty was like a second mother to me and the other ladies on our team,” Amy shares. “As a successful veteran agent, she took us all under her wing and showed us so much about the business and about life. She battled so many health obstacles during our time with her, and [we saw how] she never gave up. She was the definition of a warrior.” 

 

“She was extremely ethical; built strong, genuine, long-term relationships with people; and always had so much fun while doing her job,” adds Kelly. “She was so inspiring!” 

 

Amy and Kelly maintain the same fun, family-like environment at The PAK Group today. Amy is known as the creative one who is always staying on top of real estate trends. She enjoys taking risks, trying new things, and getting everyone out of their comfort zones. Natural leader Kelly is always there to support and give advice, and follows through for everyone on the team.

 

When she’s not working, Amy enjoys spending time with her husband, Andrew; their two kids, Jillian and Vivian; and two dogs, Sheila and Karl—whether dining outside, attending outdoor concerts, or vacationing in the winter. She is also a huge Bravo and Dancing with Stars fan with a deep love for dancing and chocolate chip cookies.

 

Kelly and her husband, Ryan, stay busy with their two kids, Annie and Beau. But in her downtime, you can also find Kelly enjoying a cold beer outside, listening to music on a warm summer evening, or traveling to Wisconsin, her favorite state.

 

As Amy and Kelly continue growing The PAK Group together, the bonds they form with their team members and clients will continue to deepen and strengthen their already stellar reputation as women of great integrity, professionalism, and care. “We are just getting started!” say Amy and Kelly. The energy, youthfulness, and passion for the industry that shines through in their performance will undoubtedly continue for years to come.