Leadership Guide

Hello and Welcome to the 2023 Residential Real Estate Council Leadership Team!

Our theme for 2023 is INSPIRE. Each of you are in a leadership role because someone, somewhere along the way INSPIRED you to step up, get involved and make a positive impact on the members, the Council and the industry. You now can INSPIRE others to do the same. As leaders, it starts with us.

When I began my real estate career in 2001 it was because of a local real estate broker seeing something in me that I didn’t see in myself. He INSPIRED me and mentored me to be the best REALTOR® I could possibly be and to help others achieve their dreams, too.

As a 2nd generation REALTOR® I knew the importance of earning the prestigious Certified Residential Specialist Designation. My Mother was a REALTOR® and CRS President in Nevada who INSPIRED me every day. I learned from her that if I truly wanted to succeed in real estate, I needed to earn my CRS Designation. I truly believe it changed the trajectory of my life and my career.

I started my CRS leadership journey in 2007 because someone INSPIRED me to get involved in a big way. I wouldn’t be your 2023 President without her. I encourage each of you to reach out to your members and ask them to get involved. Reach out to your fellow REALTORS® and encourage them to become a member and earn their CRS Designation. Help them understand the impact being a CRS can have in their lives and careers. You too can make a difference in someone’s life!

I look forward to walking this path with you. For the first time ever, you have a fully member-elected 2023 RRC leadership team and board of directors that are here to help you and INPSIRE you to do more, be more and receive more!

Let’s have an AMAZING 2023 and INSPIRE others!

Pam Ruggeroli, CRS President

OUR PURPOSE

Helping residential real estate agents become more successful

Many REALTORS® find it hard to set themselves apart and take their business to the next level. RRC provides the tools, education and resources to help REALTORS® be more successful.

OUR MEMBERS

Top-producing agents that value community and continuous learning

The Council has grown to 28,000 members from all across the globe. They are constant learners who thrive on staying cutting-edge in order to meet their clients’ needs and see their business grow. A large percent of the membership base has achieved the CRS Designation which is the most prestigious designation a real estate agent can achieve.

RRC HISTORY

1960

1960’s - the National Institute of Real Estate Brokers saw a need for education in specialized areas of brokerage and established commercial-investment and residential brokerage divisions

1970

1974 - the residential division began to discuss training for agents that could lead to a designation

1977 – plans fully realized with the establishment of the Certified Residential Specialist designation

1985 – the Institute established the Residential Sales Council with its own bylaws and governing powers

1986 – the Council opened its doors to two new groups of members: general members and affiliate members

1999 – the organization’s name was changed to Council of Residential Specialists

2017 – the organization’s name was changed to the Residential Real Estate Council in an effort to minimize the confusion between the organization’s name and the CRS Designation (which did not change)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President-Elect

Bryan

First Vice President

Vivian Macias, CRS Hialeah, Florida

Outside Director

Hughes

Kaysville, Utah

Tricia Nekota, CRS

Honolulu, Hawaii

President

Pam Ruggeroli, CRS

Tucson, Arizona

Immediate Past President

Holli Woodward, CRS Owasso, Oklahoma

Chief Executive Officer

Jeff Hornberger Chicago, Illinois

Tonya Thomsen, CRS Brookfield, Wisconsin

Kurt Thompson, CRS Leominster, Massachusetts

Addie Owens, CRS Mount Dora, Florida

Debra Beagle, CRS Nashville, Tennessee

REGION 1: CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS

Kimberly Barnthouse, CRS REGION 6: IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND/SD

REGION 2: MD/DC, NJ/DE, NY, PA, VA

REGION 4: AL, FL, GA

REGION 5: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI

Rosemarie Doshier, CRS REGION 7: AR, LA, OK, TX

REGION 8: AZ, CO, NV, NM, UT

REGION 9: AK, ID, MT, OR, WA

REGION 10: CA, HI

Eloise Eriksson Martin, CRS

Alison Wisnom, CRS

Daniel Bifano, CRS

Corinne Geiger, CRS

Bonnie Metviner, CRS

Lisa Parenteau, CRS REGION 3: KY, NC, SC, TN

John Young, CRS

Teresa Pitt, CRS

STATE PRESIDENTS

Shelley Watkins, CRS Alabama

Emma Shibe, CRS Alaska

Tricia Lehane, CRS Arizona

Linda Ellen Anderson, CRS California

Tonya Parks, CRS Arkansas

Peter West, CRS Florida

Regenia Andrews, CRS Georgia

Raymond Kang, CRS Hawaii

Angie Uttecht, CRS The Dakotas

Joseph Newman, CRS Colorado

Marta Paulson, CRS Idaho

Fran Bixler, CRS Illinois

Tyler Simmons, CRS Indiana

Sunni Goentzel, CRS Kansas

Matt Law, CRS Iowa

Jessica Olevsky, CRS Maryland/D.C.

TBA Michigan Corey Stittsworth, CRS Minnesota

Sharon Bostwick, CRS Louisiana

Christine Morgan, CRS Kentucky

STATE PRESIDENTS

Liz Smith, CRS Missouri

John Carlson, CRS Montana

Kristen Reimers, CRS Nebraska

Mary Bianchi, CRS New Jersey/ Delaware

Debbie Tuttle, CRS Nevada

Kristi Ferguson, CRS North Carolina

Nora Lynch, CRS New England Region

Joanne Zettl, CRS Ohio

Craig Kaplan, CRS New York

Lorri Zumwalt, CRS New Mexico

Raul Azpiazu, CRS Pennsylvania

Valarie Frasier, CRS South Carolina

Ingrid Prather, CRS Tennessee

John Furrow, CRS Oregon

Cindy Rodgers, CRS Oklahoma

James Martin, CRS Texas

Carlye Webb, CRS Utah

Sha WilliamsHinnant, CRS Virginia

Leah Thorp, CRS Wisconsin

Becky Elde, CRS Washington

COMMITTEE CHAIRS & VICE CHAIRS

AWARDS COMMITTEE

Chair: Margie Medlin, CRS

Vice Chair: Shelley Watkins, CRS

ELECTION GUIDELINES IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE

Chair: Kim Kantrow, CRS

Vice Chair: Rory Dubin, CRS

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS SELECTION SUBCOMMITTEE

Chair: Angi Cline, CRS

Vice Chair: Jen Ward, CRS

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS COMMITTEE

Chair: Mark Shepherd, CRS

CODE OF CONDUCT COMMITTEE

Chair: Holli Woodward, CRS

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Chair: Vivian Macias, CRS

Vice Chair: Tricia Nekota, CRS

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Chair: Holli Woodward, CRS

Vice Chair: Vivian Macias, CRS

EDUCATION MASTERMIND DIVISION

Co-Chairs

Alexis Bolin, CRS

Gonzalo Mejia, CRS

REGIONAL MASTERMIND DIVISION

Co-Chairs

Fran Bixler, CRS

Joseph Newman, CRS

OUTREACH MARKETING MASTERMIND DIVISION

Co-Chairs

Kristie Ferguson, CRS

Mark Gordon, CRS

The Council’s network spans the nation, but sometimes you need a network closer to home. The states are crucial to making sure our presence is out there in the industry by bringing awareness to RRC.

MEMBER RECRUITMENT

Many RRC members were recruited by an agent that was an existing member. It’s important that our leaders and volunteers at the local level act as ambassadors for the Council to grow new members, new CRS Designees, and by expanding the Council’s presence in the industry at state-wide events.

HOW?

• Follow RRC on social media accounts

• Add CRS to your email signature

• Wear your CRS pin

• Plan a local event

• Leave flyers in office space

• Meet with broker/owners about benefits of RRC

• Update Your Find a CRS profile

• Recruit local brokerages to attend local events

• Connect with local sponsors

• Attend all state leader meetings

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

To increase the value of membership and build connections, get involved with your local and state RRC networks.

FINANCE LEADER

This position reviews and approves state financial transactions including deposits, payments, reimbursements and develops the state’s annual operating budget in conjunction with the State Leadership Team.

EDUCATION LEADER

This position serves as the point person for education and event questions. They organize and implement a broad range of programming including Network Group activities, RRC Courses, lunch and learns, etc.

MEMBERSHIP LEADER

This position is responsible for building member engagement within the State. They work with Network Groups on recruitment activities and be the point person for questions about RRC membership.

COMMUNICATIONS LEADER

This position serves as the “go-to” person for the state website and social media. They ensure these platforms are updated with fresh and accurate content.

NETWORK DIRECTOR

This position serves as the point of contact for the State Leadership Team in a local market. They work with other members to organize networking events or educational offerings.

BUILD YOUR BRAND AND BUSINESS

Photofy is more than just another photo editing app, it’s a powerful content creation tool that has everything you need to create beautiful, professional photos right from your mobile device.

RRC partnered with the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and the Photofy content creation tool to create a version of the app dedicated to CRS-branded content.The app allows you to easily personalize the social media graphics with your photo or logo and contact information; then share them on your social media accounts. It’s pre-loaded with ready-to-share videos and graphics with suggested copy to accompany them.

HOW TO GET STARTED

1. Go to photofy.com/nar Enter contact information and NRDS ID, only NAR members can sign up to receive the NAR version of the app.

2. Download the app, available for iOS and Android devices.

3. Sign into the app using the email address and password you created when you registered in step 1.

4. At the bottom of the welcome screen, find RRC

5. Fill in tokens on the welcome screen for RRC–CRS one time. This will populate that information later into the templates you choose.

6. Start designing.

7. Share your new content

CHECK OUT THESE SAMPLES

NETWORK WITH THE BEST

Make connections with other like-minded professionals by attending local and national events. Learn new techniques that impact your bottom line and take advantage of unparalleled education and networking opportunities with other CRS Designees.

SELL-A-BRATION: 35 YEARS OF INSPIRATION

February 8-10, 2023 | crs.com/SAB | Atlanta

FEB. 8-10

Sell-a-bration is RRC’s annual conference where the most successful REALTORS® in the industry come together to build relationships, learn new business strategies and obtain the latest resources aimed at growth and higher earning potential.

MAY 6-9

SEPT. 18-22

RRC MAY GOVERNANCE MEETINGS

May 6-9, 2023 | crs.com/MGM | Washington D.C.

This event is held for members who are involved in the governance of the Council and who volunteer on Committees and Mastermind Divisions. All other members are invited to attend the Open Meetings, Member Update and the Welcome Reception.

CRS WEEK

September 18-22, 2023 | crs.com/CRSWeek | Virtual

CRS Week is our annual event to increase awareness of the value of the CRS Designation. It is an opportunity for CRS Designees to share their experiences with other real estate agents and express how earning the designation transformed their careers.

NOV. 12-15

RRC NOVEMBER GOVERNANCE MEETINGS

November 12-15, 2023 | crs.com/NGM | Anaheim

This event is held for members who are involved in the governance of the Council and who volunteer on Committees and Mastermind Divisions. All other members are invited to attend the Open Meetings, Member Update, Welcome Reception and Installation of the of our National Officers.

GETTING INVOLVED

RRC OFFERS BOTH LOCAL AND NATIONAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES TO MEMBERS.

Whether it is 15 minutes a week, an hour once a month or an event once a year, volunteers are the backbone of RRC. Volunteering also connects you to other members and expands your network.

THE BOTTOM LINE NEWSLETTER FEATURE

The Bottom Line is a bimonthly newsletter that features a CRS Designee and their unique business practices they have that have made them successful. Email social@crs.com to be considered.

THE RESIDENTIAL SPECIALIST MAGAZINE SOURCE

The magazine is a member-sourced magazine, there are opportunities with each issue to be a subject matter expert and be featured in the various articles. Personal Perspective is a column that features a Q&A on a CRS Designee, email social@crs.com to be considered.

MENTOR PROGRAM

Each match is based on a multitude of criteria and relationships/ structure is flexible.

SPEAKER/PRESENTER

Opportunities to host a webinar or speak at RRC events.

NATIONAL COMMITTEES & MASTERMIND DIVISIONS

Applications are open yearly in August. Each has various eligibility requirements.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Applications open yearly in November. 2024 Board of Director position (2) and First Vice President application deadline is January 10, 2023.

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS COMMITTEE

This committee is responsible for coordinating the work of all RVPs by sharing ideas and best practices on providing assistance to states and regions.

CRS CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS

RRC INSTRUCTORS ARE THE BEST IN THE INDUSTRY AND ARE ACTIVE AGENTS.

Jack Cotton, CRS

Gee Dunsten, CRS

Mark Given, CRS

Chandra Hall, CRS

Craig Grant

Lee Barrett, CRS

Chris Bird

Alex Camelio

Dale Carlton, CRS

Kim Cameron, CRS

Nate Johson, CRS

Juanita McDowell

Gonzalo Mejia, CRS

Kim Knapp, CRS

James Nellis, CRS

Addie Owens, CRS

Monica Neubauer, CRS

Mark Porter, CRS

Matthew Rathbun, CRS

Rich Sands, CRS

Maurice Taylor, CRS

Debbie Yost, CRS

Pat Zaby, CRS

Frank Serio, CRS

Michael Selvaggio, CRS

Offering education and networking with RRC courses is a great way to stand out while providing your members and agents wonderful resources.

The Council is a recognized leader in delivering practical residential real estate education featuring professional techniques, systems, and real-world expertise that agents can immediately implement into their day-to-day business.

Licensing RRC content allows non-dues generated revenue for other organizations (as they set the tuition best suited for their budget), as well as being the source for high-quality real estate education for agents in a given area.

RRC Education offers interactive, collaborative education that compliments any curriculum and draws participants in at a deeper level.

QUESTIONS?

HOW TO LICENSE A COURSE:

1. Review the one-day and two-day CRS Course offerings: crs.com/ CourseOfferings

2. Identify which ones you would like to host for the upcoming year

3. Fill out the Course Request Form: crs.com/CourseRequest

4. Select Course

5. Select Instructor

6. Select Date

Contact the RRC Booking Coordinator: 312-321-4418 | crscourses@crs.com

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

As real estate markets have become more global, so too has the Residential Real Estate Council. demand for RRC education has increased worldwide. In response, RRC continues to design and curate courses based on proven skills and techniques for top producing agents to implement in their practices. This benefits not only professionals in those markets, but helps to build a global network of RRC-trained agents who can better serve their local clients with relocation, investment, and other cross-border home buying and selling needs.

LEARN MORE

The Real Estate Advanced Practices (REAP) program was created for real estate professionals living and working outside of the United States. The Council’s REAP Course content transcends borders and local customs by focusing on universal sales concepts, systems and sales strategies used by top producing real estate agents in the United States.

To sponsor or get more information on the REAP Program visit: crs.com/International

THE BEST WAY TO GIVE & RECEIVE REFERRALS

FIND A CRS

One of the best benefits of RRC is the network of qualified and trained agents. Find, connect with, and refer to CRS Designees through the Find a CRS search tool. This tool is the only way to officially verify you are sending a referral to another CRS Designee.

The Find A CRS Mobile App is the fast and easy way to search for a Certified Residential Specialist referral. Whether someone is a current CRS, a Realtor®, or consumer in the market to buy or sell a home, finding a CRS Designee is made easy.

Searches can be done by city, neighborhood, or agent last name to find all CRS agents specializing in a specific area. Once an agent is found, they can be contacted easily through the app with call, text, or email.

FEATURES INCLUDE:

• Search by City, Neighborhood, State, or Last Name

• Sorting and filtering of results by criteria such as language spoken, specialization, certifications & designations

• Streamlined view of member profiles including photo, contact information and bio

• One tap to connect to a CRS through 3 methods of communication (phone call, email, or text message)

• Automatic offline access for searching when data connectivity is not available

• Regular database updates to ensure you are always equipped with the latest list of designees and contact information

Once you log in to Find.CRS.com or the app you will be prompted with the search page.

• Click community tab to see special announcements, industry news, Council news, and updates from your state groups.

• Click your name on the top right for the dropdown menu with account options and referral management prompts.

ONLINE DIRECTORY

CRS Designees receive a complimentary listing in their primary office location and are searchable therein via Find a CRS, our online referral network and community. But there are additional ways to gain exposure:

Banner Ads

Featured Agent

Additional City Listings

ADVERTISE WITH RRC

PRINT DIRECTORY

All CRS Designees receive a complimentary listing in the Print Referral Directory, but if you want to stand out, purchase advertising in our directories and attract more attention to your listing (shown on the right).

Next Opportunity May 2023!

MarshallCaldwell CRS, GRI

TRS MAGAZINE

Advertising in The Residential Specialist print and online magazine exposes your business to more than 30,000 CRS peers, significantly increasing opportunities to receive referrals.

ACHIEVING THE CRS DESIGNATION

HOW TO EARN THE CRS DESIGNATION

STEP 1

Become a member of the Residential Real Estate Council.

STEP 2

Review the two different paths and determine the path that best fits your experiences.

Path 1 (60/30/30):

60 Transactions OR $30M in volume over the last 5 years AND 30 credits of RRC Education

Path 2 (Pro Program):

At least 10 years as a licensed agent, 150 transactions total OR $1M in gross sales per year with at least 40 transactions, AND 16 credits of RRC Education

STEP 3

Complete the required education.

All education required to earn the CRS Designation must be provided by RRC. We do not accept outside credits or courses towards either path.

All courses that are to count towards the earning the CRS Designation must be graded, and exams must be completed for credit to count. For this reason, we encourage the completion of self-paced eLearning or in-person classroom courses.

STEP 4

Complete and submit the official CRS Designation Application that includes documentation of Path 1 or Path 2 requirements.

The official CRS Designation Application can be downloaded online. It can be completed electronically and submitted via email. This is the quickest and easiest way to formally apply.

Applications are processed on a rolling basis, and typically take at most 5-7 business days to process.

The Affidavit of Required Transactions is the most important document of the application. This must be filled out completely and submitted in order for your application to be considered valid.

ARE YOU A MANAGER?

Contact us at crshelp@crs.com to learn more about our Manager’s Path (not depicted above).