In Memoriam 11/15/1943 – 4/30/2025
Sharon was a full time REALTOR® in St. Petersburg, Florida, from 1986 to 2025. She started with Merrill Lynch Realty which became Prudential Florida Realty, which became Arvida Realty, which was bought by Coldwell Banker. Sharon then moved to RE/MAX Metro for 5 years before starting her own real estate company, ALVA International, Inc. in 2009. In January 2014, she merged ALVA into Coastal Properties Group.
Sharon specialized in waterfront homes and downtown condos. (Originally from Newport, Rhode Island, she was always a water person.) She actively marketed properties and represented buyers. In addition, she coordinated the Team, advised them, and utilized her negotiating skills, as well as her experience in hundreds of transactions.
Recognized as an industry leader in using technology to maximize her effectiveness, Sharon was named one of the top 100 most influential women in real estate in 2008. An active blogger at that time, she also earned the distinction of being one of the top ten women bloggers in real estate. She was a frequent panelist and speaker at conferences nationwide.
Sharon held the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and Resort/Second Home Property Specialist (RSPS) designations. She was an active member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, the CyberProfessionals, CyberStars International and Real Estate Vision real estate organizations.
In her life before real estate, Sharon was a financial advisor, oil company executive (handling oil and gas leasing, investor relations, contracts and managing the office staff), teacher, innkeeper, and was in hotel sales in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Sharon is a graduate of Salve Regina College (now University) with a major in English, and has done post-graduate work in German at the University of California (Berkeley), the University of Wisconsin, and Middle Tennessee State University.
She was married to the late George Simms for nearly 50 years, had six children and two grandchildren. Her involvement in the community over the years included service to the Florida International Museum, the St. Petersburg International Relations Committee, the Tampa Bay Council for International Visitors, The Tampa Bay International Trade Council and the Tampa Bay Area Committee on Foreign Relations. She was a member of the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club’s “Salty Sisters,” and the Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College (ASPEC).