Earlier this month, I attended the Texas REALTORS® Winter Meeting, and I am still blown away by Williamson County’s accomplishments at both the board and member levels in 2023. Numerous leaders were recognized state-wide for setting the PACE for real estate in Central Texas. Our strategic plan can be broken down into a simple acronym: promote, advocate, connect, and educate. When our members come together under this common goal, we set the pace of the industry for our community. Our current, past, and future leaders made a huge impact on our industry this year and deserve all the recognition that they can get.
Advocacy is one of the main focuses of our association, and we are proud to have three individuals recognized for their contributions and passion for TREPAC. Jack Stapleton, 2015 WCREALTORS President, was awarded the Platinum R Award and recognized for becoming a RPAC Hall of Fame member with a lifetime contribution of $50,000 or more. Tami Baker, 2024 Advocacy Committee Chair, was awarded the Spirit of TREPAC Award, which is given to Texas REALTORS® who have exhibited excellence on one or more of the P.A.C. criteria at the local level during the year. Renée Damron, an active member of both the Advocacy Committee and the Community Service Committee, was awarded the Heart of TREPAC Award, which is given to TR Affiliates P.A.C. criteria at the local level during the year. We are so proud of these three for continually advocating and dedicating their time to serving our industry.
We were also recognized for our efforts in professional development. Education is at the forefront of our values at WCREALTORS, and we are pleased to have received two recognitions. Alisha Austin, our Professional Development Chair, serves on our Board of Directors and was awarded the Texas REALTORS® Educator of the Year. This award recognizes an instructor who’s made the most significant contributions to real estate education in Texas. Anyone who has ever taken a class instructed by Alisha Austin knows how much passion she puts into her teaching, and there is no better recipient of this award. Our Selling the Suburbs: WCSPECIALIST Certification Course, created by Darian Rausch, received the Texas REALTORS® Education Program of the Year for the Series or Shorts category. This series goes over anything and everything that a REALTOR® should know to sell real estate in Williamson County. The courses are offered twice a year, and I highly encourage you to check them out.
These past and present leaders continue to pave the way for our association. I am looking forward to where our future leaders will take us.
