HAR’s biggest event of the year, REALTOR® Celebration, was held on December 9 at the Houston Country Club and featured the much-anticipated swearing in of the 2016 HAR Board of Directors and incoming Chairman, Mario Arriaga, of First Group. Conroe Mayor Webb Turner, a good friend of Arriaga’s, administered the oath of office for the new board members while HAR President and CEO Bob Hale swore in Arriaga.
Along with Arriaga, the 2016 HAR Executive Committee is comprised of Chair-elect Cindy Hamann, Vice Chairs Kenya Burrell VanWormer and Shannon Cobb Evans, Secretary/Treasurer John Nugent and Immediate Past Chair Nancy Furst. Serving as members of HAR’s 2016 governing body are Marilyn Arendt, David B. Atkins, Christi Borden, John Braun, Michael Clapp, Wanda Deveraux, Pamela Harris, Katie Maxwell, Jenifer Duguay Mikeska, Richard Miranda, Ronnie Miranda, Veronica Mullenix, Ignacio Osorio, Chuck Poteet, Tim Surratt, Jennifer Wauhob, Lorraine Abercrombie and Rob Cook.
REALTOR® Celebration also honored two outstanding real estate professionals for their exceptional dedication and community stewardship. 2007 HAR Chairman Rob Cook, with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties, was honored as 2015 REALTOR® of the Year and Ronnie Matthews, broker-owner of RE/MAX Legends, received the 2015 John E. Wolf Community Service Award.
Hale saluted outgoing HAR Chair Nancy Furst for her tireless commitment to the Association and the real estate industry throughout 2015. He narrated a retrospective about her year of service featuring slides from events she attended around the country on behalf of HAR.
Guests were also treated to a video about Arriaga’s personal and professional journey, culminating with his distinguished career as a commercial REALTOR® and, soon, chairman of the 32,000-member strong HAR.
