2016 ANNUAL REPORT 1
Dear RACM Members: It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve as your 2016 President. It has been a very rewarding year for me personally having this responsibility. Colleen and I have been out in the community promo ng our REALTOR® brand which I believe in so much. I have communicated the importance of it at the RACM orienta ons encouraging new members to become involved and educated. We have had an amazing 218 new members come through orienta on and join our board this year. I believe our REALTOR® brand will be what keeps our industry alive. With so much technology out there now and coming down the road, we need to keep our value central with buyers and sellers. The REALTOR® “R” raises the bar in our profession. We have a Code of Ethics to abide by with regards to our ac ons and treatment of our clients and peers. It is essen al we are held accountable to this Code. If you see something, say something. We are the only ones who can keep a posi ve image in the public eye. Communicate to your clients the difference between being a REALTOR® and not just an agent. Our successes this year have been amazing. We are a fiscally sound board ready to take on new challenges and grow. One way we are going to achieve this is through our new website. The website will be the top resource for our members as well as for the public. We plan on having the best local board website in the state. Keep an eye out for it! In a busy market many of us lose sight of the common goal with our colleagues of closing the transac on. I have promoted kindness to each other throughout the year. Real estate can be challenging. Being kind is not. I thank you for this opportunity and look forward to the future of our associa on. We have more great leaders for 2017 and beyond that will bring our members and brand to the next level Kris Koliss, 2016 RACM President
2016 marks my 30th year with the Associa on with the past 7 years as your Execu ve VicePresident. Through the years I have had the privilege of working alongside many of you to achieve the collec ve goals of the Associa on and have had the honor of represen ng the REALTOR® Associa on of Central Massachuse s as I travel throughout the country. I am always struck by the professionalism, integrity and dedica on that our members exhibit. As you can imagine, I have seen much change in my 30-year career. Back in 1986, we were s ll known as the Greater Worcester Board of REALTORS ® and Mul ple Lis ng Service (yes there was NO MLS PIN back then) and the lis ngs were actually displayed in book format, as there was no website to access! Most of our daily ac vi es revolved around the MLS opera ons. Who knew that when MLS PIN was formed in 1997 it would allow the local associa ons to flourish as we were free to engage in ac vi es that were more directly in-line with the needs of our members? But flourish we have. We have now been at our Auburn Headquarters for 10 years and the Associa on has seen tremendous growth in all aspects of opera ons. Year a er year we have exceeded membership numbers and have been successful in adding tangible value to both our REALTOR® members and our Business Partners. We were able to expand our parking lot so that we could offer even more seminars from our loca on. Our leaders are excited to be part of the progress and have a singular mission to raise the level of professionalism and integrity in our industry. We are fortunate that we have had, and con nue to have, many dedicated individuals that have helped raise the bar for this Associaon. Through their commitment and sacrifices, the Associa on has been able to thrive in an ever changing world. Our pledge to you is that we will con nue to protect the REALTOR® trademark and the values that it represents and will always put the needs of the many ahead of the needs of the few. You should all be proud of being a REALTOR®! I know I am proud to be your leader and we will con nue to be true and honest stewards of your associa on. Colleen Pappas, RACM Execu ve Vice President 2
RACM INITIATIVES •
As reported last year, your Leadership Team pe oned NAR for a name change from the Worcester Regional Associa on of REALTORS® to the Central Massachuse s Associa on of REALTORS®. This ini a ve was developed as a result of our members telling us that the inclusion of the City of Worcester in our name did not accurately reflect the geographic region that we represent. The process to change the name was a tad daun ng, as we were challenged by the North Central Massachuse s Associa on of REALTORS® who felt that the new name was too close to their name. Brad Roberts, 2015 President presented our case before a tribunal of NAR Directors and we were ecsta c when we were granted the rights to the new name.
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No sooner did we get comfortable with the new acronym, CMAR, when we were advised by our new marke ng company that surveys demonstrate that a name should have the primary func on first. That meant a quick redirect for the name change and the Directors approved the new (and final) name in May of 2016. We once again pe oned NAR for the new name and were granted our new name of REALTOR® Associa on of Central Massachuse s (RACM) in June.
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The new name also brought about a need to invest in a marke ng/branding company that would help elevate the associa on to a new level. The Communica on and Public Rela ons Task Forces combined their efforts and, under the leadership of Director Lee Joseph, embarked on a journey of rebranding and website development. In August the Directors approved the new logo and invested in a new website and marke ng strategy. The new site is currently under construc on and we are excited to announce the new look in 2017.
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As introduced in 2015, the Na onal Associa on of REALTORS® con nued their charter requirement that all local and state associa ons annually meet NAR’s Organiza onal Alignment Core Standards, a set of requirements that fall into six categories: Code of Ethics; Advocacy; Consumer Outreach; Unifica on Efforts and Support of the REALTOR® Organiza on Technology; Financial Solvency. As discussed in 2015, the purpose of the new standards is to raise the bar for REALTOR® associa ons and ensure high-quality service for REALTORS®. RACM once again had no issues mee ng all six categories and completed the core standards months before the deadline.
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The Associa on partnered with the city of Worcester to help facilitate their Healthy Housing Grant. The grant is available to qualified property owners to assist with the cost of healthy housing improvements such as de-leading, asbestos abatement, mold remedia on and related repairs for single and mul -family proper es in the city of Worcester, MA. We were approved as a Partner Organiza on to facilitate submission of applica ons and has commi ed to facilita ng a minimum of 40 applica ons by the end of December, 2017. We will con nue to educate and empower our members to raise awareness among property owners and prospec ve property owners about the availability of funds and the grant applica on process.
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2016 showcased the value of our VIP Sponsorship Program as we entered our third year with a record number of Business Partners. Both the business partners and our members have benefi ed from this program with an increase of educa onal sessions presented by the sponsors.
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RACM once again invested in RPAC as a Sterling Member with a $1,000 dona on to the Na onal Associa on of REALTORS® Poli cal Advocacy Fund (NARPAF) to demonstrate our local understanding of the importance of the advocacy efforts on the state and na onal levels.
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All REALTOR® members must complete mandatory Code of Ethics training every four years as a condi on of membership. December 31, 2016 marks the deadline for all members to complete this requirement. To date, we have trained over 600 members this year through our real estate school, CREST. Star ng in 2017, this requirement will be every two years rather than every four. This policy highlights the commitment of the REALTOR® Associa on to the principals of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics.
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Adopted a $1.182 million budget for 2017 with annual REALTOR® and Designated REALTOR® membership dues remaining stable. We will con nue to invest in the professionalism of our members by offering ongoing con nuing educa on classes at no cost to our members.
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REALTOR ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS TREASURER’S MESSAGE & 2017 BUDGET 2015 was a break out year for the Associa on. Each year your Finance Commi ee does its best to balance the scales between Revenue and Expenses to accurately forecast where we need to be from year to year. However, no one could have predicted that we would actually exceed our budgeted revenue goals by approximately 13% while also reducing our budgeted expenses by approximately 5%, ne ng the Associa on an 18% +/- gain over budgeted es mates. We can a ribute much of this growth from a rise in membership, an increase in sponsorships, and for the very successful educa onal and membership events held. In addion, by doing more with less, we incurred savings within our management and occupancy categories. For 2016, we are once again trending towards exceeding our budgeted amounts, primarily within our dues categories. Our 2016 budget included a total of 1,415 REALTOR® membership and we are currently at 1,496 ac ve REALTOR® members. A 6% increase over budget with over 100 ac ve affiliate members, 41 life members and 10 REALTOR® Emeritus members. Following the trend into 2017, we increased our budgeted REALTOR® members to 1,487. The Finance Commi ee reviewed the Associa on’s performance from past years to forecast future trends in both Revenue and Expenses. We budget conserva vely due to the cyclical nature of the industry, but aggressively look to exceed expecta ons. You will also no ce that the budget for 2017 includes an increase in funding for marke ng and public rela ons to support the Associa on’s new branding efforts. In addi on, 2017 is our tenth anniversary at Washington Street so we have also allocated funds within the general maintenance fund for facility improvements.
Mike Meurant, RACM Treasurer Annual Budget 2017
Annual Budget 2016
Annual Budget 2015
Association Dues
950,952.00
893,758.00
850,024.00
Legislative Breakfast
2,500.00
2,000.00
2,000.00
Golf Tournament
25,000.00
24,000.00
23,500.00
New Member Orientation
20,000.00
20,000.00
25,000.00
Leadership Functions ( DR )
3,000.00
3,500.00
3,500.00
Membership Meetings Annual meeting Awards Dinner Installation Dinner Professional Development Affiliate Appreciation Education Programs MLS Pin Service Fees Ͳ Receipts Lock Box Key Income Forms ReSale Income Sponsorships Conference Room Rental Other (website/newsletter/misc) Professional Standards Filing Fee Interest from Investment Accounts Total
n/a 3,000.00 17,000.00 9,000.00 16,750.00 1,000.00 59,000.00 17,844.00 3,500.00 5,000.00 40,000.00 1,000.00 1,750.00 Ͳ 6,500.00 $1,182,796.00
1,500.00 3,000.00 12,000.00 9,000.00 2,000.00 1,000.00 48,650.00 16,980.00 4,000.00 10,000.00 30,000.00 1,000.00 4,500.00 3,000.00 8,000.00 $ 1,097,888.00
1,500.00 3,000.00 9,000.00 9,000.00 2,000.00 n/a 61,150.00 16,464.00 5,000.00 10,000.00 20,000.00 1,000.00 4,500.00 3,000.00 8,000.00 $ 1,057,638.00
Income
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REALTOR ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS TREASURER’S MESSAGE & 2017 BUDGET Expense Dues Distributions (MAR/NAR) Day on the Hill Legislative Breakfast Government Affairs Golf Tournament Education New Member Orientation Leadership Functions ( DR ) Membership Meetings ( YPN ) Annual Meeting Awards Dinner Installation Dinner Professional Development Affilate Appreciation Office Visits Leadership Development (Chamber etc) Strategic Plan Forms Resale Professional Standards Filing Fee Professional Standards Training Social Media Expenses (NEW) Marketing (NEW) Newsletter Miscellaneous Expense Administration Occupancy Expense General Maintenance Expense Tenant & Content Insurance Utilities Business Equipment & Software Telephone/Communication Postage Outside Professional Services Taxes & Filing Fees General Supplies Expense Public Relations & Marketing Past Presidents Council Subscriptions & Memberships Meetings & Conventions Credit Card Fees LOC Interest Expense
469,892.00 1,800.00 1,500.00 250.00 19,000.00 42,125.00 4,250.00 3,000.00 Ͳ 2,500.00 16,000.00 8,000.00 16,750.00 3,500.00 500.00 700.00 Ͳ 2,500.00 Ͳ 500.00 4,000.00 40,000.00 Ͳ 925.00 288,612.50 127,176.00 20,000.00 1,150.00 8,600.00 10,990.00 9,250.00 2,000.00 9,875.00 518.50 12,500.00 11,800.00 1,000.00 500.00 30,000.00 10,800.00 200.00 $ 1,182,664.00
432,990.00 1,800.00 1,500.00 250.00 19,000.00 37,975.00 4,250.00 1,500.00 1,500.00 2,500.00 13,000.00 9,000.00 1,000.00 3,500.00 500.00 800.00 5,000.00 5,000.00 400.00 500.00 n/a n/a Ͳ 925.00 313,859.72 127,176.00 500.00 1,150.00 8,600.00 10,990.00 9,250.00 2,000.00 8,875.00 518.50 12,500.00 14,000.00 1,000.00 Ͳ 29,250.00 10,800.00 Ͳ $ 1,093,359.22
417,996.00 1,800.00 1,000.00 500.00 19,000.00 35,800.00 5,750.00 2,100.00 1,500.00 2,500.00 8,000.00 8,000.00 1,000.00 250.00 500.00 Ͳ Ͳ 5,000.00 1,200.00 500.00 n/a n/a 250.00 800.00 318,000.00 127,426.00 3,915.00 1,000.00 6,900.00 8,500.00 8,850.00 3,000.00 11,675.00 850.00 15,000.00 1,500.00 1,000.00 600.00 24,900.00 10,800.00 200.00 $ 1,057,562.00
Net
$ 132.00
$ 4,528.78
$ 76.00
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COMMITTEE ACCOMPLISHMENTS MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE PURPOSE: The purpose of the Membership Commi ee is to maximize the involvement of real estate professionals in the REALTOR® Associa on of Central Massachuse s through recruitment, recogni on and reten on ac vi es that are dedicated to helping individuals understand why we exist and why membership is crucially important. Led by Chairperson Sarah Gustafson and Co-Chair Judy Pa erOur newly inducted REALTORS® at one of two New Member Orienta ons son, this year’s Membership Comheld in September mi ee con nued their mission, through their office visit ini a ve, of reminding members of the value in the REALTOR® brand. Their goal is to visit as many offices as possible to update members on the importance of being a REALTOR® as well as introducing some of the newer benefits that are being offered. 2016 introduced a new format for the new member orienta on. Rather than devote the en re program to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, the Membership Commi ee wanted the new members to apply the Code to everyday prac ce and enlisted the services of Kimberly Allard-Moccia, 2012 President of the Massachuse s Associa on of REALTORS®. Within this new format, the new members complete the Code of Ethics training PRIOR to a endance at the new member orienta on, which allows Kimberly to spend me with the new members establishing sound business prac ces as well as highligh ng REALTOR® only products such as RPR (REALTOR® Property Resource) and realtor.com. If the number of new members in 2016 is any indica on, the new format has been a success. In 2015 we welcomed a total of 159 new members. Through October of 2016, we have already surpassed that number with 218 new members and another 100 non-members awai ng their turn. In March we again honored our Business Partners with our Annual Affiliate Apprecia on Night held at the Worcester Club. Over Kristen Walther, Lisa Sprague, Colleen Pappas 100 members a ended an evening of celebra on and thanks for all they and Donna Grasseschi do to help our Associa on and members suceed. Another tremendous report this year was the Membership Commi ee’s efforts with our annual Awards and Top Producer Banquet held on April 14. We had another record year with over 350 REALTOR® members and Business Partners joining to celebrate each other’s success. This event has become a sell-out and demonstrates the importance of peer to peer recogni on. The Commi ee is also responsible for the Annual Mee ng venue and program.
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The Scholarship Task Force, under the direcon of Pam Crawford was able to distribute three $1000 scholarships to gradua ng seniors and college students as well as two $250 scholarships to REALTOR® members looking to pursue a designa on. In total, this year we granted $3500! Congratula ons to our 2016 winners: Samantha Creamer - Mom is Erika Creamer with RE/MAX Execu ve Realty; Drake Meurant – Dad is Mike Meurant with Meurant Real Estate; Amy Evanoski – wife of Michael Evanowski with Mass Realty Consultants; Jeff Brodeur with ERA Key Realty and Lisa Caron with Exit Real Estate Execuves. Please help support the scholarship fund throughout the year. We are looking forward to another year of growth and prosperity.
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
2016 Scholarship Winners, Amy Evanowski, Drake Meurant, Samantha Creamer and Scholarship Commi ee Chair Pam Crawford
their Healthy Homes Ini a ve. We applied to be an agent for the city to submit grants for lead removal, lead abatement and other environmental concerns. The GAC hosted an investment forum in March to update our members on the ini a ves from the City as well as to educate them on investment property opportuni es. The goal of the event was for RACM members to have a be er understanding of the investment climate in Worcester, including legal issues and management principles. Members were equipped to Linda Laney and Kathleen McSweeney discuss the Healthy Housof the Government Affairs Commi ee ing Grant with current and prospec ve property owners and to connect them to appropriate resources.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the Government Affairs Commi ee is to maintain an effec ve government affairs program which will enhance members’ awareness of local, state and na onal legisla ve issues affec ng the real estate industry and to meet the RPAC goals established by the Na onal Associa on of REALTORS®. This year’s commi ee was led by Chairperson Kathy McSweeney and ViceChair Linda Laney and they quickly got to work, with the assistance of MAR Legal Counsel Ashley Stolba, educa ng the commi ee members on current state legisla on.
The Commi ee was excited to have A&E’s “Flipping Boston” Star Peter Soulheris as the keynote speaker of the event. The event was so successful that the commi ee is planning on a fall event in conjunc on with the annual Home Show. One of the best aspects
The Commi ee had a full agenda this year with annual events and goals. However, they also embarked on a new partnership with the City of Worcester and
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of this ini a ve was that the commi ee was able to offer this amazing program to our members for no cost as a result of their success in applying for and receiving an NAR REALTOR® Party grant. RACM is passionate about bringing dollars back to our local community through these NAR grants and is always looking for new ini a ves. If you have a local project that needs some assistance, please let us Par cipa ng Senators & Representa ves at the conclusion of the RACM Legisla ve Breakfast. know. In 2015, RACM became In addi on to member awareness on issues, the commi ee the pilot associa on for MAR’s “SPC” (State Poli cal Coordina- also focuses on an Annual NAR RPAC goal. This numbers is set tor) Program and under 2016 Task Force Chair Erika Hall, once by NAR and is based on the mumber of members in the assoagain con nued to iden fy members with an interest in devel- cia on. The goal for 2016 was $ 22,340.00 and 424 par cipatoping a personal rela onship with their local legislators to help ing members (29% of membership). communicate the “REALTOR®” message. Our SPC’s spent the year forming new bonds and/or reestablishing old ones with In May, the Commi ee hosted its 5th Annual Major Investor their local representa ves and made it a priority to inform the Night at the Worcester Art Museum. We were excited to wellegislators of our annual events including REALTOR® Day on come back to the 2016 Sterling “R” Club (one that contributes Beacon Hill and our Legisla ve Breakfast. Their efforts were over $1000 annually) our 2015 members: successful as evidenced by this year’s Legisla ve Breakfast, at which we had a new panel format with 3 State Senators and Andrew Abu, Jeffrey Burk. Jane Fine, Tracey Fiorelli, Sarah 3 State Representa ves par cipa ng. The Commi ee is in- Gustafson , Leona Joseph, Kris Koliss, Kathleen McSweevested in this program and is excited to see where it may lead. ney, Janice Mitchell, David Stead, Leslie Storrs, REALTOR® Associa on of Central RACM Cons tuency with Senator James McGovern in Washington DC Massachuse s . And we welcomed new members to the Sterling” R” club this year: Lisa Bradley, Diane Dabrowski, Mike DeLuca, Deb Flot and Lorraine Herbert.
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Thank you to all who invested in RPAC. Through your generosity, we were able to meet the NAR RPAC fundraising goal once again, with a total of $27,730.00, represen ng 427 members. In June, the Government Affairs Commi ee once again filled the bus to Beacon Hill for the annual REALTOR® Day on Beacon Hill. Over 40 RACM members made their way to Boston to carry the REALTOR® message to our Senators and Representa ves. As always, this day demonstrates the strength of the REALTOR® Organiza on as our Representa ves and Senators an cipate this annual event and welcome us to their halls. In July, the power of the REALTOR® Brand was once again on display as the legislators were wrapping up their legisla ve session with a flurry of bills that would adversely impact the real estate industry including energy scoring and zoning. MAR issued 2 State “Calls to Ac ons” to alert the members of the impending legisla on and was successful in defea ng these measures. Efforts such as this demonstrate the power of the REALTOR® message as both federal and state lawmakers have come to respect that the Na onal Associa on of REALTORS® has a singular mission as stated in the first paragraph of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics – “Under all is the land. Upon its wise u liza on and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free ins tu ons and of our civiliza on. Realtors® should recognize that the interests of the na on and its ci zens require the highest and best use of the land and the widest distribu on of land ownership. They require the crea on of adequate housing, the building of func oning ci es, the development of produc ve industries and farms, and the preserva on of a healthful environment.” The Government Affairs Commi ee con nues to pursue grant money that NAR has allocated for special projects and is always looking for new project ideas. Please keep that in mind when working within your communi es.
Sue Tolley, PeterSoulheris, Maribeth Lynch
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PURPOSE: The purpose of the Professional Development Commi ee is to increase opportuni es for professional growth through educa onal opportuni es for all members which special a en on to new members; broker/owners and young professionals. 2015 Chair Maribeth McCauley Boisvert and Co-Chair Sue Tolley took the helm again and tackled the important job of developing a series of classes in 2016 designed to make our members more educated, profitable and professional. With the RACM calendar in full swing, the commi ee determined that there are many ways to educate our members and rather than compete with our current offerings and overburden the calendar, the commi ee focused on crea ng a way for our members to learn on their schedule. They developed a Podcast series en tled “Growth on the Go” and plan to release a new session every two weeks in 2017.
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The commi ee partnered with the Government Affairs Commi ee with their Spring Investment Summit and was instrumental in securing the Keynote Speaker, A&E’s “Flipping Boston” Star Peter Soulheris. They also hosted seminars on Disc Training, REALTOR® Safety, RPR (REALTOR® Property Resource), ZipLogix training, a Top Producer panel and Solar. In addi on, the commi ee con nues to offer a quarterly breakfast series for Brokers and Managers. This series was once again chaired by Leif Rosseland, and his task force planned four powerful Risk Reduc on sessions for our brokers. Also, the commi ee offered designa on courses on Nego a on, Buyer Representa on and Diversity. The a endance at our prelicense classes was a record this year as we trained over 75 new agents and over 200 new members.
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE PURPOSE: The purpose of the Community Ac on Committee is to engage in community service and charitable fundraising ac vi es that will provide the membership with an avenue to give back to the communi es we serve and that demonstrates our members’ commitment to the region. In 2016, the Community Ac on Commi ee was chaired by Tracey Fiorelli. One of the tasks of the Community Ac on Commi ee is to research and interview poten al local chari es to “adopt” for the year. Once the chari es are chosen by the commi ee, their efforts are directed to helping them with their immediate needs. The Commi ee also assists the chari es in applying for the grants offered by MAR’s Charitable Founda on and they are the recipients of the proceeds from our Annual Golf Tournament.
Keith Pentz, Tracey Fiorelli & Kris Koliss with Bridge of Central Mass. representa ves
Last year, our two chari es received over $3,000 each in addi on to baby supplies and gi card for veterans. This year, our Commi ee has selected The Boys and Girls Club of Worcester and the Bridge of Central Massachuse s.
A li le about the Chari es: The Boys & Girls Club of Worcester serves 6,000 of the most disadvantaged children in our city. Every year, approximately 500 Club kids are at-risk, proven-risk, special needs, and/or homeless or housing-insecure. Our Family Support core area provides basic needs like shelter, food, winter clothing, even holiday presents for our Club families.
Keith Pentz, Kris Koliss & Tracey Fiorelli present a check to the Boys & Girls Club
Headquartered in Worcester, The Bridge offers 50 programs in 17 ci es and towns (located primarily in Central Massachuse s) that serve individuals with complex life challenges including serious and persistent mental illness, developmental disabili es, acquired brain injury and substance use disorders. Services include residen al programs, supported housing, flexible in-home and community-based supports, a suppor ve program for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth, as well as supported employment and educa on.
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Community Ac on Commi ee preparing items for the Backpack Drive
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The commi ee hosted quarterly drives to help raise supplies for the chari es. Through their efforts, we were able to donate over 100 toys, games and books; Red Sox ckets and back packs. In addi on, we are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Founda on, to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and dona ons to these worthwhile causes. The highlight of the commi ee’s year is always our annual Back Pack Drive. This year the Task Force was chaired by Jayne Diliberto who was successful in rallying the members to surpass last year’s efforts by filling and delivering 339 filled backpacks to area schools.
GOLF TOURNAMENT TASK FORCE Our 18th annual golf tournament was chaired by Vice President Judy Pa erson and once again was Susan Shea and Darlene Eager at a sell-out. Over Habitat’s “Women Build Day” 150 members and guests enjoyed a fabulous summer day on the course. The event was such a success that we were able to present checks to our 2 chari es for $1000.00 each. Congratula ons to our winning teams: FIRST PLACE: Jo-Ann Szymczak, Chuck Szymczak, Ron Gagner & Jan Gagner SECOND PLACE: Steve Cavallo, Andrew Burton, Mark McCabe & Aram Kalashian THIRD PLACE: Kevin Holloway, Lisa Shaw, Nancy Shaw-Morley & Anne Marie Rafferty
COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC RELATIONS TASK FORCE The major ini a ve of the Associa on in 2016 was the rebranding of our new name: the REALTOR® Associa on of Central Massachuse s. With the new name, also came the immediate need for a new website. Due to the scope of the Kelly Provost, Jess Albino, Lisa D’Elia and Vee Hill project, the Directors combined these task forces and appointed at the Annual Golf Tournament Director Lee Joseph to oversee the task of researching and interviewing marke ng and website development companies in order to make a recommenda on to the Directors. A er extensive work, the Task Force endorsed the company Envision Digital Group and they were hired to rebrand our Associa on, which included crea ng a new logo and website. The Task Force con nues to work with Envision to develop an interac ve, informa ve site and will be unveiling it in early 2017.
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PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS Professional Standards Chair David Stead and Grievance Commi ee Chair Mary Tavolieri have had an interes ng year as we have introduced a new method of resolving disputes: The Ombudsman. In 2016, The Na onal Associa on of REALTORS®, as part of their Core Standards, required all local associa ons to offer, either directly or as part of a coopera ve enforcement agreement, ombudsman services to members, clients, and consumers. An ombudsman is an individual appointed to receive and resolve disputes through construc ve communica on and advoca ng for consensus and understanding. Ombudsman procedures are intended to provide enhanced communica ons and ini al problemsolving capacity at the local level. Many “complaints” received by boards and associa ons do not expressly allege viola ons of specific Ar cles of the Code of Ethics, and many do not detail conduct related to the Code. Some “complaints” are actually transac onal, technical, or procedural ques ons readily responded to. It is the belief of the Na onal Associa on’s Professional Standards Commi ee that many ethics complaints might be averted with enhanced communica ons and ini al problem-solving capacity at the local level. These ombudsman procedures are intended to provide that capacity. The ombudsman’s role is primarily one of communica on and concilia on, not adjudica on. Ombudsmen do not determine whether ethics viola ons have occurred or who is en tled to what amount of money, rather they an cipate, iden fy, and resolve misunderstandings and disagreements before ma ers ripen into disputes and possible charges of unethical conduct. Since introducing this service in 2016, the Professional Standards Commi ee has seen a drama c shi in the number of complaints that it resolves through the Grievance Commi ee/Hearing Panel process. Although our case load in 2016 is actually higher than 2015, we have not had a hearing due to the success of the Ombudsman Process. This process also allows for our members and consumers to con nue to file charges and appear before the Hearing Panel if the Ombudsman Process is not successful. The following members have completed extensive training by NAR on the Ombudsman Process and have been appointed by the Directors to serve as Ombudsman: Lee Joseph, Kathy McSweeney and Tracey Fiorelli. We will con nue to train addi onal members to assist with this vital service of the Associa on.
FINANCE COMMITTEE The Finance Commi ee was once again chaired by Treasurer Mike Meurant. Their task is to oversee fiscal ma ers at RACM, including recommending fiscal policy, monitoring fiscal condi on, and overseeing development of the Annual Budget for recommenda on to the Board of Directors. Within this commi ee also lies our Investment Commi ee chaired by Ed Levine. Ed and his task force make sure that our investments meet the guidelines established by the Board of Directors. With his oversight, we have a very diverse por olio that con nues to produce a posi ve income flow on a monthly basis from our dividends and overall long term gains from the remaining por olio. The Finance Commi ee also oversees our other investments, which are our Associa on headquarters at 492 Washington Street and the adjacent property at 32 Coolidge Street, Auburn. Combined, these income proper es help to offset the opera ng expenses of the Associa on.
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NOMINATING COMMITTEE The purpose of the Nomina ng Commi ee is to study, inves gate and present to the REALTOR® members a slate of eligible candidates duly qualified to serve as elected officers or members of the Board of Directors for the ensuing year. This year’s Nomina ng Commi ee was chaired by Immediate Past President Brad Roberts and they are pleased to present the following slate for 2017: RACM BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Term Expires
MAR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Term Expires
President: President Elect: Vice President: Secretary: Immediate Past Pres.:
Sarah Gustafson Judy Pa erson Tracey Fiorelli Erika Hall Kris Koliss
2017 2017 2017 2017 2017
Leslie Storrs Tracey Fiorelli Erika Hall Judy Pa erson Kathy McSweeney
2017 2017 2017 2018 2018
Directors:
Kathy McSweeney Lee Joseph Leslie Storrs Mike Deluca John Vaillancourt Lorraine Herbert Andrew Abu Leif Rosseland Nathan Stewart
2017 2017 2017 2017 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019
Central MA VP: Sarah Gustafson
2017
Alternates: Leif Rosseland Nathan Stewart Kris Koliss
2017 2017 2017
Maribeth Lynch
2017
Alternate:
RACM Nomina ng Commi ee Kris Koliss, Chair, Past President Sarah Gustafson, President Judy Pa erson, President-Elect Rochelle Jonswold Mark Balestracci
Mary Stolarczyk Dave Stead Mary Tavolieri Andrew Abu Jayne Diliberto
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AWARDS AND RECOGNITION RACM REALTOR® OF THE YEAR The REALTOR® of the Year Award is awarded annually to one outstanding REALTOR® member who has made the greatest contribu on to the advancement of the real estate profession and the community at large during the past year. Ericka Hall, agent with Keller Williams Realty, Worcester, was chosen as the 2016 RACM REALTOR® of the Year. Erika, a member of RACM since 2009, is a current member of the RACM Board of Directors, past chair and current member of the Government Affairs Commi ee, current Task Force Chair of the State Poli cal Coordinators, Chair Healthy Homes Task Force and member of the 2016 Strategic Planning Commi ee. Erika was a past president of the local Women’s Council of REALTORS® chapter and a past Director and Treasurer at the State Level. Erika was also the 2013 REALTOR® Choice Award winner.
REALTOR® of the Year Erika Hall
Con nuing educa on con nues to be of utmost importance to her as it enables high standards of prac ce and quality of service to clients. Toward this end, she has a ended numerous state and na onal conven ons, obtained the Cer fied Nego aon Expert (CNE) designa on and facilitated and a ended numerous local, state and na onal educa onal seminars.
This spring was busy for Erika as she and her husband Dan welcomed a beau ful new addi on to their real estate dynasty when she gave birth to her daughter Ivy Rose.
NATALIE QUINLAN DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Mary Gale, agent with Coldwell Banker Worcester, was the recipient of the 2016 Natalie Quinlan Dis nguished Service Award, which was established in 1982 to honor a member who has made the greatest contribu on to the associa on and the community at large throughout the years. Mary joined RACM in 1994 and became a member of the Finance Commi ee in 2008. In 2012, Mary accepted the posi on of Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Commi ee and held that posi on for two years. During her tenure as Treasurer, Mary was instrumental in revamping our financial repor ng, and her deep understanding of the financials helped restore integrity and transparency in the financials. Mary con nues to be a valued member of our Finance Commi ee.
RACM REALTORS® CHOICE AWARD Jim Black, Keller Williams Realty, Worcester was chosen at the 2016 REALTOR® Choice Award winner. This award recognizes a RACM REALTOR® member for outstanding ethics and professionalism; for courtesy and coopera on in the lis ng and selling of real estate. Service on an Associa on commi ee is not required. This is the only award we have where the winner is chosen by member vote. Jim has been an ac ve member with RACM since joining in 2010 and is a current member of the Professional Standards Commi ee. Dis nguished Service Mary Gale
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REALTORS® Choice James Black
RACM ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Chris Brown, Keller Williams Westborough, was chosen as the 2016 Rookie of the Year. This award recognizes a REALTOR® member who is new to the business and who embodies the REALTOR® culture by focusing on professional development and professional growth. Chris joined the Associa on in 2015 and quickly became immersed in his educa onal pursuits achieving the Cer fied Military Residen al Specialist, and also joined both the Membership and YPN Commi ees. Chris is also ac ve in the community by fundraising through the Keller Williams founda ons.
RACM AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR Kristen Walther, with Norcom Mortgage, received the 2016 Affiliate of the Year Award, which recognizes an outstanding Affiliate Business Partner of RACM who has made the greatest contribu on to the Associa on and the community at large. Kristen joined us in 2014 and has been an ac ve member of Rookie of the Year the Membership Commi ee ever since. Kristen has Christopher Brown ac vely par cipated in our mortgage panels at new member orienta on and supports many of the RACM events.
RACM LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP Life me Membership is available to individuals with a current real estate salesperson or broker’s license from the Commonwealth of Massachuse s who have held membership in the REALTOR® Organiza on for a minimum of 30 years, who are at least 65 years of age and are able to demonstrate at least 10 years of volunteer service to RACM. In 2016, we were honored to welcome the following members to this elite category: Roz Levine, Roz Real Estate; Judy Reynolds, Evergreen Realty; Deb Richards, RE/MAX Vision; Denise Oosterman, Denise Oosterman Realtor. Life me Membership Honorees: Rosalind Levine, Roz Real Estate; Judy Reynolds, Evergreen Realty; and Deb Richards, RE/MAX Vision
Affiliate of the Year Kristen Walther
Diamond Level Top Producers Andrew Abu, Andrew Abu REALTORS®; Lee Joseph, Coldwell Banker, Worcester; Tracey Fiorelli, Janice Mitchell Real Estate; Caryn Gorczynski, Century 21 Center Home Team
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The REALTOR® Associa on of Central Massachuse s
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers
Directors
Kris Koliss, President Sarah Gustafson, President Elect Judy Pa erson, Vice President Tracey Fiorelli, Secretary Michael Meurant, Treasurer Brad Roberts, Immediate Past President
Diane Dabrowski Erika Hall Lee Joseph Leslie Storrs
Mike DeLuca Lorraine Herbert Kathy McSweeney John Vaillancourt
Alternates: Andrew Abu Nathan Stewart
Leif Rosseland
COMMITTEES & TASK FORCES MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Sarah Gustafson, Chair Judy Pa erson, Vice Chair Sarah Gustafson, Chair Judy Pa erson, Vice Gretchen Antonelli Chris Brown Marcia Canter Pam Crawford Shannon Curll Michael Duffy Oneida Fuentes Kelly Gaumond Elizabeth Hanson Rocco Leone Angela Mann John Miller Tina Southerland Leslie Storrs Kristen Walther
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Kathy McSweeney, Chair Linda Laney, Vice Chair Kevin Bergin James Brooks Emily Degray Tony Economou Jane Fine Tracey Fiorelli Mar n Green Erika Hall Patrick Kennedy Vanessa L’Heureux
Michael Meurant Maria Navedo Duane Pape Keith Pentz Erika Sullivan Ma hew Stewart Nathan Stewart Thomas Walsh
Bill Murphy Jasmine Randhawa Karina Robles Sarah Taylor
DR Task Force
State Poli cal Coordinators Erika Hall, Chair Kevin Bergin Jane Fine Sarah Gustafon Kris Koliss Linda Laney Mike Meurant Janice Mitchell Maria Navedo Duane Pape Judy Reynolds Dave Stead Ma hew Stewart Erika Sullivan Tom Walsh
Leif Rosseland, Chair Andrew Abu Stephanie Bayliss Lorraine Herbert Kim Hines James Kelleher John Morte Cheryl Taylor
COMMUNITY ACTION
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Maribeth Lynch, Chair Sue Tolley, Vice Chair Cherie Benoit Kathleen Goneau David Hill Steve Hubbard Maribeth Marzeo
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Tracey Fiorelli, Chair Lee Abdella Nigel Belgrave Karen Butland Lisa Caron Ada Cimpeanu Ariane DaSilva Jayne DiLiberto, Backpack Brendan Dion, Golf Jessica Fromm Afaf Gerges Deb Jordan, Golf Elisha Lynch Judy Pa erson, Golf Keith Pentz, MAR Grants Karina Robles
PR/COMMUNICATIONS
Grievance
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Lee Joseph, Chair John Vaillancourt, Chair Lee Abdella Diane Dabrowski Mike DeLuca Tony Economou Leif Rosseland Ma hew Stewart Leslie Storrs
Mary Tavolieri, Chair Maureen Benoit Cherie Benoit Dayle D’Amico Tracey Fiorelli Ma eo Gen le Stacey Hamel Barbara Hines Frances Koliss Susan Kronlund Kathleen McSweeney Michele Miller Kevin O’Connor Susan Sachs Dorothy Stone Jean Storrs John Vaillancourt Mary Wood
Mike Meurant, Treasurer, Chair Conrad Allen Sue-Anne Bock Michael Deluca Randall Devries Tracey Fiorelli Mary Gale Sarah Gustafson Marcia Hastbacka Rochelle Jonswold Kris Koliss Edward Levine Judy Pa erson Gary Premo Brad Roberts Joseph Sama
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS David Stead, Chair Conrad Allen Sheri Barre e Marianne Belanger James Black Sue Ann Bock Jeffrey Burk Lisa Caron Carol Carter Eugene Check Pamela Crawford Thomas Davis Michael Deluca Ella Denault Linda Eknaian Robert Falter Jane Fine Amy Gerrish Jeffrey Hall Lorraine Herbert Rochelle Jonswold Leona A Joseph William T. Lee Lucie M Lemke Rosalind Levine Gordon W MacPhee Kevin Maher Janice Mitchell Denise Oosterman Judy Reynolds Deborah G Richards Theresa Sannicandro Cynthia Spellane Mary Stolarczyk Jo Ann Szymczak Crystal Tropeano
Investment Commi ee Ed Levine, Chair Conrad Allen Sue-Ann Bock Michael Deluca Marcia Hastbacka Michael Meurant Judy Reynolds
Ombudsman Tracey Fiorelli Lee Joseph Kathy McSweeney
Mediators Tracey Fiorelli Jeff Hall Lee Joseph Kathy McSweeney Deb Richards Cindy Spellane
NOMINATING COMMITTEE Brad Roberts Chair, Past President Kris Koliss , President Sarah Gustafson, President-Elect Andrew Abu Mark Balestracci Jayne Diliberto Rochelle Jonswold Dave Stead Mary Stolarczyk Mary Tavolieri
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2016 Installation of Officers & Directors Thursday, December 1, 2016 Mechanics Hall, Worcester 361 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 5:30 pm - Registration & Cocktails 6:30 pm - Dinner Stations & Program Ticket Price: $35
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hilton Garden Inn, 35 Major Taylor Blvd., Worcester (508-753-5700). Please mention that you are with the REALTORÂŽ Association of Central Massachusetts to receive the special rate.
Thank you to our Sponsors: Platinum Sponsors The Law Office of Jessica Albino * Cahn & Barron, LLC, Attorneys at Law * Fairway Mortgage Movement Mortgage * Norcom Mortgage * People's Home Loans * Prestige Home Mortgage Residential Mortgage Services * Southbridge Savings * Wintrust Mortgage Gold Sponsors Bank of Canton * Fidelity Bank * MLS PIN * The Law Offices of Scott Wrenn, PC Security First Mortgage
Registration closes November 18, 2016. Parking fees may apply.
Return this form to Jacki D’Innocenzo via fax 508-832-6620 or via email jdinnocenzo@cmarealtors.org
Contact Name:___________________________________________________ Company:__________________________________ Billing Address:____________________________________________________ City/State/Zip_______________________________ Phone:___________________________________________ Email:____________________________________________________ No. of Tickets: __________ Amount Due__________
____Check
____American Express
____Discover
____MasterCard
____Visa
Card No________________________________________________________________________ Expiration___________________ Signature__________________________________________________________________________________________________
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OUR VIP SPONSORS PLATINUM The Law Office of Jessica Albino Cahn & Barron, LLC, A orneys at Law Fairway Mortgage Movement Mortgage Norcom Mortgage People’s Home Loans Pres ge Home Mortgage Residen al Mortgage Services Southbridge Savings Wintrust Mortgage
GOLD Bank of Canton Fidelity Bank MLS PIN Security First Mortgage The Law Offices of Sco Wrenn, PC
SILVER Law Office of Harry P. Kotseas Commonwealth Enviornmental Services Peoples United Bank
BRONZE Country Bank Forward Financial Services, Inc. The Law Office of David R. Rocheford, Jr, PC
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The REALTOR® Associa on of Central Massachuse s 492 Washington Street, Auburn, MA 01501 508-832-6600 www.realtorscentralma.org
MISSION STATEMENT The purpose of the REALTOR® Associa on of Central Massachuse s is to: • Provide REALTOR® members with the resources that enable them to serve the public in an ethical and professional manner • Take an ac ve role regarding issues affec ng sellers, buyers, tenants and landlords.
RACM STAFF Colleen Pappas Lisa Sprague Jacki D’Innocenzo Amy Murray
Execu ve Vice President Office Manager Marke ng Manager Execu ve Assistant
Like us on facebook: h ps://www.facebook.com/RealtorAssocia onofCentralMass/
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