RealtyCenter/GMAC honored the company’s agents and staff members at the 21st Annual Awards Day held recently at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
A crowd of over 300 filled the ballroom at the center as company President Brian Kelly thanked those present for their dedication and professional service to the community and real estate industry. In 2005,
RealtyCenter/GMAC once again led all area Real Estate companies with a market share of over 23 percent in sales volume in the Tennessee Valley/North Georgia area, according to statistics from the Chattanooga Association of REALTORS® (CAR).
“The 21st Annual Awards Day is a family celebration. We are here to celebrate the successes of each one of you,” said Mr. Kelly.
The Awards Day concluded with the announcement that Linda Brock is the 2005 Agent of the Year. Ushered to the stage by a standing ovation from her peers, this marked the 7th consecutive year Ms. Brock, a real estate professional in the RealtyCenter/GMAC East Brainerd office, earned the award. Agent of the Year is awarded to the real estate professional with the highest gross commissions. Steve Lamb, a real estate professional in the RealtyCenter/GMAC Cleveland office was named #2 Agent of the Year, with Pam Gilbertson, a real estate professional in the RealtyCenter/GMAC Hixson office receiving #3 Agent of the Year.
Greg & Sue Shaw & Associates, real estate professionals in the RealtyCenter/GMAC East Brainerd office were honored with the 2005 Real Estate Team of the Year. This mother and son real estate team earned the highest gross commissions in 2005. The Paula McDaniel team, also from the RealtyCenter/GMAC East Brainerd office, earned the #2 Team of the Year Award, while the Cherie Welsh team took the #3 Team of the Year Award.
RealtyCenter Mortgage and RealtyCenter Insurance participated in the awards celebration. Berry Carroll was named Originator of the Year as the loan officer who achieved the largest gross commission income during 2005. Daniel Collins received the QSC Award and Rosa Belcher received the Mortgage Rising Star Award as the new loan originator who demonstrated the greatest gain in loan capture ratio in 2005.
Listing and Sales Awards were given to those real estate professionals in each office as well as the Commercial and New Homes Divisions. From the Central Office, Bobby Colvin received the Top Listing Award and Julie Wheland received the Top Sales Award. From the Cleveland office, Steve Lamb received both the Top Listing and Sales Awards. Gina Burnette was the Dalton office’s Top Listing and Sales Agent. In the East Brainerd office, Top Listing and Sales Awards went to Linda Brock. From the Fort Oglethorpe office, Sandy Bowman was awarded Top Listing and Ann Dendy was named Top Sales Agent. Pam Gilbertson was honored with both the Top Listing and Top Sales Awards from the Hixson office. Al Massey received the Top Listing Award and David Schenk earned the Top Sales Award from the Riverfront office. Earning the Top Listing Award from the Shallowford office was Saundra Newman, while Sally Bush took home the Top Sales Award. The Signal Mountain office awarded both the Top Listing and Top Sales Awards to Sue Gee.
The New Homes Sales Award went to Sharon Clark-Combs, while G.K. Madan earned the Commercial Sales Award.
Team Spirit and Most Professional awards were presented to agents in each office as well as the New Homes and Commercial Divisions. These two categories were somewhat unique as the agent’s peers at each office chose them. The Team Spirit Award honors the Realtor deemed the most encouraging, enthusiastic and positive, while the Most Professional Award recognizes the Realtor voted as representing and upholding the highest standards of character and integrity of professional conduct in business and life.
The Team Spirit Award for the Central office went to Julie Wheland. Judy Johnson was named from the Cleveland office, while Barbara Crowe was named the Team Spirit Award from the Dalton office. Amy Winchester was honored with East Brainerd’s Team Spirit Award, and Brenda Harden took home the award from the Fort Oglethorpe office. Mark Blazek was presented with Hixson’s Team Spirit Award. The Team Spirit Award for the LaFayette office was given to Denise Lindsey and Jack Deaton. The winner of the Team Spirit Award for the Riverfront office was Rhonda Tribble; the winner from the Shallowford office was Sally Bush. Signal Mountain named Burke Norton their Team Spirit Award winner.
The New Homes Division honored Clay Warren with the Team Spirit Award, and Reid Sisson received the Team Spirit Award for RealtyCenter Commercial.
The Most Professional Awards was also announced for each office, Commercial and New Homes Divisions. Lang Montague received the Most Professional Award from the Central office, followed by Phyllis Murphy, who received the award at the Cleveland office. Dalton’s Most Professional went to Gina Burnette, while East Brainerd’s Most Professional was Elgin Smith. The Most Professional in the Fort Oglethorpe office went to Jan Spencer and Derryl Harkleroad. Anne Davis was honored with Most Professional for the Hixson office and Jack Deaton was honored for the LaFayette office. The Riverfront office honored David Schenk with Most Professional and Grace Edrington received Shallowford’s Most Professional. The Most Professional at the Signal Mountain office was Sue Gee.
Sharon Clark-Combs was named Most Professional for RealtyCenter New Homes and RealtyCenter Commercial’s Most Professional was Ed Fisher.
The Rising Star Award recognizes the new agent who achieved the largest gross commission income during 2005. Rising Star recipients were named from each office location, including the New Homes Division and RealtyCenter Commercial.
The Rising Star was awarded to Julie Wheland in the Central office. The Cleveland office’s Rising Star Award went to Carole McGraw. Sandra Ballew was named Dalton’s Rising Star. Rhonda Reynolds in the East Brainerd office received the Rising Star Award. Fort Oglethorpe’s Rising Star went to Treva Rhinehart, while Hixson’s award went to Donna Lee. Jack Deaton received the Rising Star Award for the LaFayette office, while David Schenk took home the Riverfront office’s Rising Star. Signal Mountain’s Rising Star went to Burke Norton.
The Rising Star from the New Homes Division went to Jackie Hogue. RealtyCenter Commercial agent Donna Cagle-Nalley received the Rising Star.
The overall Rising Star of the Year Award went to Shallowford agent Grace Edrington.
This year’s recipient of The Orchids For Service Award was Chris Davis. The Orchids For Service Award is given to a team member who exhibits exceptional service that goes above and beyond expectations.
“Chris is a wonderful member of the RealtyCenter/GMAC family,” said Brian Kelly, RealtyCenter/GMAC President. “It is with support and leadership such as Chris that RealtyCenter/GMAC continues to be number one in the Tennessee Valley and North Georgia regions,” said Kelly.
Mr. Davis is currently managing broker for the RealtyCenter/GMAC LaFayette office and has worked in the real estate industry for over seven years. He holds the Graduate REALTOR Institute (GRI) designation from the National Association of RealtorsÒ and the as well as the Certified Tennessee Real Estate Graduate (CTG).
Each year, during the Annual Awards Day, one RealtyCenter/GMAC family team member is honored with the President’s Award. The President’s Award is given to the team member who provides great leadership and service to the family team.
Kathie Kopcsak was honored with this year’s President’s Award. Ms. Kopcsak has been a valued member of the RealtyCenter/GMAC family for seventeen years.
“Kathie has been a tremendous asset to our company over the years. It is my pleasure to announce that she is this year’s recipient of the President’s Award,” said Brian Kelly, RealtyCenter/GMAC President. “Kathie shows wonderful leadership and service to the family team members and outside community,” said Kelly.
The announcement of this year’s Circle of Excellence, those real estate professionals who represent the real estate industry’s most successful and professional Realtors, was a highlight of the Awards Day. Those named as Circle of Excellence provide leadership within the community and the real estate industry. “The RealtyCenter/GMAC family applauds the more than 80 members of our Circle of Excellence,” said RealtyCenter/GMAC President Brian Kelly. “These individuals have achieved the highest levels of professionalism and success in the real estate industry.”
From January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005, RealtyCenter/GMAC had more than 23 percent sales volume in the Tennessee Valley/North Georgia region, according to statistics compiled by the Chattanooga Association of REALTORS®. In 2005, RealtyCenter/GMAC’s sales volume outpaced its nearest competitor by nearly $50 million.
RealtyCenter/GMAC is the largest locally owned real estate company in the Tennessee Valley/North Georgia area. As the Tennessee Valley’s hometown real estate leader, RealtyCenter has more than 400 agents and staff, and 11 offices throughout Chattanooga, North Georgia and Cleveland. RealtyCenter/GMAC has been the number one real estate company in the Tennessee Valley and North Georgia in sales volume since 1985.
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