DMAAR Gala

Annual DMAAR® Gala kicks off to honor 2019 winners.

It happens every January. Top-ranked competitors are announced, highlight reels are put together, and festivities are planned to celebrate the event.

No, we’re not talking about that football game.

The annual Des Moines Area Association of REALTORS® (DMAAR®) Gala also recently took place. Super Bowl 51, as it was dubbed, was held at Prairie Meadows Events Center on Friday, January 24. The evening recognized Association members for their sales and activities during 2019.

“The Gala is our way of honoring members for giving back to the board and the community, and we recognize the top sales leaders for the year as well,” says DMAAR® Chief Executive Officer Cindy Pelz. “We recognize individual members for their leadership and involvement and have a fun time socializing and networking, too.”

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail hour, this year’s Gala also included dinner followed by a Super Bowl/ESPN-themed program at 7:45 p.m. Officers for 2020 were installed, and new investors were highlighted.

Pelz says, “Sponsors are featured in fun video clips throughout the program, and sales winners are announced as well.” Super Bowl rings aren’t awarded, but all winners do receive a certificate of recognition (see 2019 DMAAR Winners).

Members are honored based on sales volume and units sold over the past year. A Rookie of the Year is also recognized.

One of the highlights of this year’s awards was REALTOR® of the Year, which went to Berkshire Hathaway’s Eric Webster. “Eric has been involved with the board and the Association for a long time, giving back to the community and the industry, and his leadership and involvement have been so valuable,” says Pelz.

As Chair of the Multiple Listing Service and Chair of the Forms Committee, Webster supervised the first-ever unified purchase agreement, which will be used by all REALTORS® in the Des Moines area beginning this year.

“This is just a huge step forward,” Pelz says. “Having a unified purchase agreement will make the process much easier for everyone involved. We’ve been working on this for quite a while, and it’s just wonderful to have it approved at last.”

Like all successful celebrations, the DMAAR® Gala takes a team of individuals. Pelz says, “Our committee is all volunteers. Some members are ‘nominated’ for the committee or are referred by another committee member, but we joke that once you’re on the committee, you’re on it for life.”

This year’s team will conclude its work in March with a final wrap-up meeting and assessment of Super Bowl 51 Gala. But there’s always next year. Like all of the best teams do, preparation for next season begins as soon as the last one ends.

2019 DMAAR REALTOR® OF THE YEAR

Eric Webster

2019 Rookie Award

Scott Rundall

2019 VOLUME WINNERS

(Individuals who sold over $11.6 million in 2019)

• Aaron Aackerlund
• Matt Adams
• Chris Albright
• Stephanie Anania
• A J Anderson
• Zac Bales-Henry
• Julie Baudler
• Daran Becker
• Karey Bishop
• Don Brown
• Brian Burgett
• John Brummett
• Jill Budden
• Rochelle Burnett
• Tom Butler
• Pennie Carroll
• Mark Charter
• Jenn Clark
• Kyle Clarkson
• Sarah Cowman
• David Crawford
• Andrew DePhillips
• Keaton Dreher
• Dawn Edwards
• Bob Eisenlauer
• Beth Ernst
• Jenny Farrell
• Kris Gardner
• John Gentile
• Emily Graeve
• Michelle Greene
• Justin Greenfield
• Rick Grubb
• Erika Hansen
• Michelle Hanson
• Tammy Heckart
• Joe Henry
• Michael Hidder
• Ethan Hokel
• Sara Hopkins
• Jared Husmann
• Jorge Ibarra
• Saatchi Kalra
• Matthew Karjalahti
• Sharon Klaus
• A J Kohles
• Kristina Leek
• Kalen Ludwig
• James Manderfield
• Michael Martin
• Matt Mauro
• Angela Meek
• Ou Meksay
• Amanda Mickelsen
• Megan Mitchum
• Julie Moore
• Travis Moulton
• Robert Myers
• Scott Myers
• Anita Nemmers
• Kim O’Connor
• Marc Olson
• Colin Panzi
• Sarah Pesek
• Cy Phillips
• Jason Rude
• Amber Salmon
• Nick Scar
• Kurt Schade
• Tim Scheib
• Danielle Seifert
• Michael Slavin
• Misty Soldwisch
• Donna Stall
• Jen Stanbrough
• Viki Stodden
• Sue Sutton-Ludwig
• Neil Timmins
• Diane Todd Brown
• Shane Torres
• Elizabeth Troyer
• Micole Van Walbeek
• Jill Veenstra
• Robin von Gillern
• Seth Walker
• Marcia Wanamaker
• Rick Wanamaker
• David Welch
• Scott Wendl
• Alex Wick
• Barb Wiedenman
• Amy Wiederin
• Darla Willett-Rohrssen
• Ingrid Williams
• Brandon Winn
• Heather Wright
• Stephanie Wright
• Andrew Zellmer

2019 UNIT AWARD WINNERS

(Closing 50 or more units)

• Steve Camerona
• Randle Chambers
• Kristin Coffelt
• Vicki Cowman
• Gilbert Gonzales
• Shane Guely
• Brent Kelso
• Ashlee Knickerbocker
• Angela McKenzie
• Liz Prue
• Susie Sheldahl
• Laura Slavin
• Tony Sly
• Audra Sypolt
• Gina Swanson
• Rachel Tiskevics
• James VonGillern
• Bryan York