Each year, the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR) honors a member that most personifies REALTOR® in spirit and ethics, through service to his or her profession, peers and the REALTOR® association. For 2015, Rob Cook, with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties, was selected as the most deserving to be so honored.
You most likely recognize his name, as Rob proudly served as HAR chairman back in 2007. Or you may have heard him weekends on the radio. Since 2013, Rob has co-hosted The Real Estate Rat Pack radio show Saturdays at 9 a.m. on KKHT (100.7 FM) in Houston, a program designed to educate consumers, promote the use of a REALTOR® and build community. He was named “The Godfather of Real Estate” by fellow REALTOR® Bobby Bryant, and the name has stuck.
Rob has dedicated more than 30 years to real estate, and he wouldn’t still be at it if he didn’t have a genuine passion for the profession. He sat in stunned silence when HAR Chair Nancy Furst announced that he was this year’s recipient of the REALTOR® of the Year Award during the December HAR Board meeting. Afterwards, we asked him what that means to him. “There is no greater honor than being recognized by my peers, all of whom I hold in the highest regard,” said Rob. “It’s a huge validation for me.”
“Rob works tirelessly to promote, educate and grow this incredible Houston real estate market,” wrote Willow Bend Mortgage Regional Manager Christopher Kelso in nominating Rob for the honor.
In addition to his past HAR chairmanship, Rob has served as a director for Houston REALTORS® Information Service (HRIS), regional VP for the Texas Association of REALTORS® (TAR) and director for the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).
Rob is immediate past chair of TAR’s Professional Standards committee and 2016 chair for TAR’s Risk Management committee. Rob has previously chaired HAR’s MLS, Technology, Risk Management, Information and Communication advisory groups and various task forces. He has also been a member of TAR’s Governmental Affairs, MLS and Data Aggregator Committees and serves as a TAR mediator. Rob holds the ABR, CNE, CRS, CSP and GRI designations and is a TREC-certified instructor teaching Legal/Ethics, Broker Responsibility, Professional Standards and Contracts.
“Rob is a source of knowledge for many real estate issues,” said Kelso. “He provides this information freely to members of our community and is constantly helping improve agent training and education. In 2015 alone, Rob taught over a thousand real estate professionals in my presence and mentored many others.”
“I don’t look at others as competitors,” said Rob. “I look at our ‘family’ from 35,000 feet. The radio show, the events, my public speaking and teaching are all about raising others up and building relationships that last.”
Kelso cites Rob as a champion of community service. “Rob lead the charge in 2015 to implement and design the Power Women of Real Estate calendar to benefit The Sunshine Kids Foundation, raising over $20,000 for this important charity,” said Kelso. “He also works every year to support the Depelchin Children’s Center, where for the last two years, he has raised over $10,000 to equip the facility with beds, bedding, TVs, game consoles and holiday gifts for the many orphans that otherwise might not have seen their lists come true.”
“I’ve had the privilege to touch the lives of so many clients and REALTORS® alike,” said Rob. “There is no higher calling than to be in the service of people.”
His philosophies, achievements and continued dedication to the real estate industry and community service are clear evidence of why Rob Cook is the obvious choice to be 2015 REALTOR® of the Year.
Congratulations, Rob!
