Roth takes helm at PAR

The gavel was passed from 2009 PA Association of REALTORS® President Greg Herb to incoming President Don Roth at the January Board of Directors meeting in Harrisburg last week.

The board approved $16,000 to implement the recommendations from the PA REALTORS® Institute (PRI) Presidential Advisory Group. The funding will be used to help PRI be more competitive and better aligned with the needs of local associations.

Funding for a search for a new PAR executive vice president was approved. According to Chair Bob Hay, the Executive Search Task Force will begin considering options for using an executive search firm or facilitator to assist in the process. Costs of up to $60,000 were approved.

Treasurer Bette McTamney reported that although PAR ended 2009 with a deficit that was more than originally budgeted, the association’s financial health remains strong.

Stephanie Brown and Patricia Copeland of the graduating LeadershipPAR Class of 2009 presented the class project, a web page that gives information about the program and past graduates. Diplomas were given to: Brown, Copeland, Denise Rich, Ferne Silberman, Raul Azpiazu, Frank Renaldi Jr., Joslyn Dermer, Daryl Mikolay, Steven Bodner and Todd Polinchock.

The LeadershipPAR 2010 Class was introduced and includes: Derek Canova, Patricia Carey, Jonathan Coles, Brandy Fabry, Bill Festa, Russ Greer, Tiffany Hayward, Therese Kelley, Adrienne Loughery, Jane Maslowski, Kim Rickert and Mike Rotto.

In other business, the board:

• Approved funding for the national RPAC trustee to attend the NAR Mid-Year meeting in Washington, D.C. and the annual convention.
• Approved an operational policy for the Data Mining Services Committee which would require all association committees and task forces to use Strategic Guidance Systems (SGS) for all survey and polling work and would require any entity accepting monies from PAR in order to do survey work to provide raw data back to PAR if the work was not performed by SGS.
• Approved bylaws changes which included adding provisions for clarifying the role of alternate directors, conflicts of interest and meeting by telephone and web technology, as well as changes in punctuation, renumbering of sections and articles and bringing language into conformity.
• Approved contracts for the executive vice president and legal counsel.
• Approved REALTOR® emeritus certification for Jane Kopp, William J. Reed and Ruth K. Smith of Greater Wilkes-Barre and Bernard J. Skripek, Lehigh Valley.