SMDRA’s Annual Presidential Inauguration

SMDRA’s 2006-2007 Inaugural Celebration and Awards Event was recently held at the Inverness Hotel and Conference Center in Englewood.   Many came to celebrate the installation of the 2006-2007 Board of Directors and congratulate the winners of this year’s awards.

Steve Olson to Lead SMDRA
REALTOR^® Steve Olson, Prestige Real Estate Group, was installed as the President/Chairman of the Board of the South Metro Denver REALTOR^® Association (SMDRA) at the celebration.

A member of SMDRA since 1992, Olson was first elected to the SMDRA Board of Directors in 2003.  He has held the title of Director continuously since 2003 and he was the 2005-2006 President-Elect of SMDRA.  He is both a licensed broker and appraiser in Colorado (since 1985 and 1991 respectively). 

Olson has served on numerous committees for SMDRA.  He was a founding member of the Columbine Foundation Steering Committee (an Ad HOC committee formed within days of the Columbine tragedy by members of SMDRA and JCAR).  This foundation has now been renamed as the Colorado Association of Realtors® Disaster Relief Fund which has been instrumental in helping Colorado families who face tragedy. He has also served as the Governmental Affairs Committee Co-Chair as well as serving on the Candidate Interview Committee and the Issues Mobilization Committee.

Currently, Olson is focused on equal opportunity, diversity, and attainable housing. He was the 2005 Co-Chair of the Equal Opportunity Committee.  He is a member of the Attainable Housing Committee and he is also a member of the Keys to Homeownership Festival. 

A native Coloradan, Olson attended Kent High School and was a Business/Economic major at the University of Puget Sound.  He also received an International Business Diploma from the Netherlands School of Business.

He married his wife Julie in 1983.  They have two children. Brooke, their daughter, attends Arapahoe High School and their son Jeffrey attends Littleton High School. Steve is the announcer for the Arapahoe High School girls swim team and his neighborhood swim team.

Actively involved in his church, he has volunteered his time to build homes for the less fortunate both here and in Mexico.  He is also involved in Project CURE which supplies Medical Supplies to those in need.
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REALTOR^® Association Leadership Installed
The following 2007 Officers and Directors for SMDRA will join Olson in leadership roles for SMDRA this year: 

REALTOR^® Jim Wanzeck, RE/MAX Masters, will serve as Chair-Elect; REALTOR^® Kaeti Bancroft, Metro Brokers-Bancroft Properties, will carry out the responsibilities of Secretary; and REALTOR^® Rohn Goldstein, Keller Williams Realty Success, will serve as Past President.

Assuming the responsibilities of Directors for SMDRA are the following REALTORS^®:  Laurie Anderson, Metro Brokers-Signature Properties; Dana Bennett, Prestige Real Estate Group; Roger Evans, Prestige Real Estate Group; Michael Marcus, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage; Stew Meagher, Metro Brokers-Commonwealth Realty; Rita Mills, RE/MAX Professionals; Scott Scribner, Metro Brokers-Scribner & Associates; and Sandy Trujillo, Metro Brokers-Hope Enterprises.

Also installed were the following SMDRA REALTORS^® who will serve as Directors for the Colorado Association of REALTORS^® (CAR): Okie Arnot, Keller Williams Denver Central as Metro District VP-Elect; Kati Harken, Prestige Real Estate Group; James Hatfield, RE/MAX Professionals; Mary Ann Hinrichsen, RE/MAX Masters; and Steve Stazel, Keller Williams Realty DTC.   Scott Matthias, Prestige Real Estate Group, will serve as the 2007 Treasurer for CAR.

REALTORS^® Scott Matthias, Prestige Real Estate Group; Kay Watson, Metro Brokers-Kay Watson Properties; and 2006 Treasurer for NAR, Bruce Wolf, the Prestige Real Estate Group, LLC were installed as Directors to the National Association of REALTORS^® (NAR).

REALTORS^® Gary Morton, Metro Brokers-1st Real Estate Group; and Larry Swenson, Swenson Real Estate Company, will continue their responsibilities as Metrolist Directors for SMDRA.
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SMDRA 2006 REALTOR^® of the Year Award
Several awards were presented during the event and the award with the highest honor, the 2006 REALTOR^® of the Year, was presented to Gary Morton, of Metro Brokers-1st Real Estate Group.  This annual award is bestowed on a member of SMDRA who has provided exemplary service to both the Association and the community. 

Morton, a REALTOR^® since 1973, was the 2004 President/Chair of SMDRA.  He is a current Metrolist Director for SMDRA and was appointed to serve in this capacity for another two years.

He is also serving as trustee for MDRF (Metro Denver REALTOR^® Foundation) an organization that supports projects that promote affordable housing and neighborhood improvements in the metro Denver area.  He has volunteered his time as Chair of CARHOF (Colorado Association of REALTORS^® Housing Opportunity Foundation), a charitable foundation created for the purpose of promoting safe, decent and affordable housing to Coloradans.

Morton has provided exemplary community support with his three year involvement in the Keys to Homeownership Festival, a festival that fosters public awareness and understanding of the rights, opportunities and benefits of homeownership.  He is also a weekly visiting “Angel” at Littleton Hospital.

Morton, a second generation REALTOR^®, started selling real estate at Stanley T. Morton Realty, his father’s real estate company.  He spent many years at Cherry Creek REALTORS^® where he multi-tasked as acting Broker, manager and owner.

A native Denverite, Morton graduated from George Washington High School.  He has three children - Dustin, Brooke and Tiffany, and five grandchildren.
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SMDRA 2006 Rising Star Award
REALTOR^® Mary Jane Ogle, from RE/MAX Alliance DTC was presented the 2006 Rising Star Award in memory of Don B. Weist, at the celebration. This award is presented to a member who has provided outstanding service to the Association and to the community during the first five years of their real estate career.

Ogle joined SMDRA in 2002. She has served on the BRC (Builder Realty Council) for two years with her first year as a liaison for SMDRA and the past year as a board member.  The BRC is a non-profit organization whose board is equally represented by REALTORS^®, builders and affiliate members.  Their purpose is to foster harmony between builders and REALTORS^®, resulting in more new home sales, and elevation in professional excellence and public acceptance of the real estate industry in general.

Ogle has been married to her husband, Jeff, for 26 years.  They have four children who have gone through the Douglas County school district.  She has served on many volunteer committees at the elementary, middle, and senior high schools in Douglas County. 

She has also served as the president of a young women’s organization for her church where her responsibilities included training leaders and planning activities for around 500 girls, ages 12-18 in the Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree area. This included weekly activities, service projects, retreats, leadership training, youth conference, and annual summer girls camp events.  
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SMDRA 2006 Affiliate of the Year Award
Lea Ann Brown was this year’s recipient of the Affiliate of the Year Award from SMDRA.  This award recognizes an Affiliate of SMDRA who has given outstanding support to the Association and has shown a willingness to serve on the Association’s numerous committees for special events and functions.

As an active member of SMDRA for six years, Brown served as the Affiliate Council President, Vice President and Chairperson.  She has served on several committees including the Charities Task Force, the Food Drive, the Holiday Breakfast, the Bowling Tournament and CARHOF.

As acting Affiliate President in 2005, Brown initiated the Affiliate “Lunch and Learn” educational program to help benefit the real estate community.

Originally from Hutchinson, Kansas, Brown graduated from Nickerson High School and attended Hutchinson Community College.  She started her career in the real estate industry at RE/MAX International Headquarter Companies, where she was Regional Administrator for seven years.  Later she moved into advertising sales in the real estate industry.

In addition to SMDRA she is a member of the Women’s Council of REALTORS^®, Builder Realty Council, Denver Field Ornithologists, and the National Audubon Society.   She loves to gourmet cook and is an avid birdwatcher with her husband, Robert.  They have two sons – Shawn and Mark.
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SMDRA 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award 

SMDRA CEO Carol Vieira was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award in memory of Mary Ellen Marx. This award is presented to an individual for their significant and ongoing contribution to the Association and the community.  This award recognizes longevity of service to the association along with notable REALTOR^® spirit.  This is the first time that this award was presented to a non-REALTOR^®.

 Vieira first started in the real estate industry in 1973 as a REALTOR^® for SMDRA’s Past President Rex Garrett’s Company.  The year she agreed to be library Chairman for the Association she left real estate sales to accept a position as the receptionist/secretary for the Association under Executive Vice President Jim Irvin.  Within a few months she moved into the accounting position and by 1978 she was the Administrative Assistant for the Association.

In 1986, Vieira became the Executive Vice President of the Association.  It was in this same year and under Vieira’s direction that the Association was recognized by NAR for excellence in the Medium Board Publication Category. The Association was recognized again in 1987 for the same award.

She was the Association Executive representative to CAR (Colorado Association of REALTORS^®) in 1992 and has taught the Fair Housing/Legal Awareness program at the NAR Executive Officer Institute. In 1996, then SMDRA President Dick Sly presented her with the Distinguished Service Award.

In 2000, Vieira completed the Program of Nonprofit Management from Duke University and in 2001 she completed the Professional Standards Administrative Program from NAR.  She also earned her RCE (REALTOR^® Association Certified Executive) Designation in November of 2003 and the CAE (Certified Association Executive) Designation in 2004.

Vieira has seen her job title change from Association Executive to Chief Executive Officer as the Association directorship moved into the world of Policy Governance where the Board of Directors leads, visions and sets direction and policy for the Association while the CEO implements and manages.  Vieira continues to be recognized as one of the top Association Executives both locally and nationally.  Her knowledge of Professional Standards is legendary and local Association Executives often call her for advice and counsel.  SMDRA has grown from 600 members to over 3400 members under Vieira’s management and is well known as one of the leading Associations in the state.

Vieira, a native Coloradan, graduated from Wheatridge High School.  She married Phil Vieira who also graduated from Wheatridge High School.  They will be celebrating their 45^th anniversary this year.  Together they have two children, Lance and Cia and five grandchildren.

Past Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include Hank Edler in 2000, Larry Carr in 2001, Dave Cupp in 2002 and Cheri Barber Walker in 2003.
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SMDRA 2006 Community Service Award to an Individual

 Known as a “Renaissance Man” and also a “fun person to know,” Brian Vogt was presented with the distinguished Community Service Award presented to an individual from SMDRA.  This award recognizes an individual in the south metro Denver area who promotes “Community Spirit”.

Vogt, a native Coloradoan, attended Heritage High School.  He was class president three out of four years and served as Student Body President.  He graduated from the University of Colorado where he received his bachelor’s degree with a double major in Classical Antiquity and Political Science.  He spent his junior year at the University of Lancaster in England. 

In 1985 he became the Vice President of the Economic Development Group of the Centennial Chamber of Commerce and in 1989 he became President of the Centennial Chamber of Commerce, now known as the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce.

He is currently serving as Director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade and has done so since his appointment by Governor Bill Owens in 2004.  He is also a member of the Governor’s Homeland Security and All-Hazard Senior Advisory Committee.  He has the added responsibility of serving as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs.

An outstanding community leader in Littleton, he is the Co-founder and President of the Greater Littleton Youth Initiative, President of the Columbine Support Fund, Community Board Member for Littleton Hospital, Co-founder of the Haunts of Littleton Historic Walking Tours, Board Member of Hudson Gardens, member of the Littleton Schools 21^st Task Force, precinct leader since 1987 and campaign leadership roles at every level since 1976.

Vogt is the son of Roy Vogt, the former Arapahoe County Sheriff from 1963-1973 and Dorothy Vogt, the former Arapahoe County Treasurer from 1983-1995.  Community service has always run in the family.

Past individual Community Service Award recipients have included community servant Gene Koelbel, Dr. Frank Sargent, former District Attorney Bob Gallagher Jr., Executive Director Dave Lorenz from the South Suburban Park and Recreation District, Vern Hendrickson from Norwest Bank, former Littleton Mayor Vaughn Gardinier, Mary Bradford, President of Bradford Auto Body in Littleton, Bob Sweeney, publisher of the Villager Newspaper and Barbara Holthaus, founder of the Arapahoe County 4-H Foundation.
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SMDRA 2006 Community Service Award to an Organization
This year’s distinguished Community Service Award to an organization was presented to Western Welcome Week.  This award recognizes an organization in the south metro Denver area that is actively involved in the community, charitable work or civic activities.

Western Welcome Week is a not for profit organization from Littleton that provides an annual community celebration in the month of August.  It began in 1928 and was called “Homecoming Days” because it was a call for everyone who ever lived in Littleton to return home.  In 1962, it was renamed to “Western Welcome Week and has been held every year since.

Today, Western Welcome Week includes over 40 events benefiting dozens of local civic and charitable organizations.  Volunteerism and support from the business community make Western Welcome Week a success. The goals of Western Welcome Week are to nurture community spirit, bring the community together by involving many residents and businesses, create an opportunity for fundraising, support for service clubs and charities, and provide eleven days of fun and entertainment for Littleton area businesses and residents.

Cindy Hathaway, Western Welcome Week Director, and Susan Hill, the 2006 President of Western Welcome Week, accepted the SMDRA Community Service Award for 2006 and a check for $500 on behalf of Western Welcome Week.

Past Community Service Award recipients have included Doctors Care, the City of Littleton, Craig Hospital, the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol, the Cancer League of Colorado, the Sungate Child Advocacy Center, Advocates for Children, South Suburban Park & Recreation District, Littleton Town Hall Arts Center, and Interfaith Community Services.
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