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I began my real estate career in 1979. Practicing real estate requires a commitment of loyalty, obedience, confidentiality, care and skill. I believe that real estate is about providing people with the best information, advice and support to help them make a good decision and that the client must be in control of the process throughout.
Over the past 25 years, I have been fortunate to work with a variety of companies; from small independent firms to large franchise operations. I have worked as a salesperson and have owned and operated a number of real estate companies. This diversity has greatly broadened my experience base and has been instrumental in positioning me as the only realtor in the Grande Prairie market with this depth of knowledge. In addition, I have had the opportunity of representing almost every corporate relocation company operating in Canada. That along with studying and obtaining my Certified Relocation Specialist designation [CRS] allows me to provide a comprehensive knowledge base to my relocating clients.
 One measure of success in the real estate business is how much business the salesperson does in any given year. The Multiple Listing Service [MLS], recognizes the industry's top realtors with the MLS "Gold" Award. I have been the recipient of this award for the past 20 years in a row. In every company I have worked, I have been recognized as one of the top producing salespersons; the Re/Max "100% Club", the Coldwell Banker "Elite", "Top 50 in Canada" for Homelife and Century 21 "Centurian Producer".
Another measure of success is how a person's peers rate them. The Multiple Listing Service recognizes one individual each year whom the members have voted as the "Realtor of the Year". One of my most memorable and cherished achievements was to win this award.
Our industry has changed considerable over the years. The Internet in particular has provided us with an incredible tool. I have had a website presence since 1996 and have continually upgraded and expanded that site and the services I provide. Technology is a very big part of how I do business and how my clients like to do business. The future will see an even bigger push on my part to increase web based services.
Involvement has always been one of my priorities and over the years, I have served as president of the Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce, president of the MLS Board, a member of the Economic Development Committee for the City of Grande Prairie, a member of the Alberta Real Estate Association Board of Directors, a continuing education instructor for the Alberta Real Estate Association, a member of the Contaminated Sites Task Force for Alberta Environment and am now a current member of the MLS Board of Directors.
Continuing education is a very important component in the real estate profession. The Real Estate Council of Alberta [RECA] has required that all realtors have a minimum of eighteen hours of continuing education every two years. My commitment to the industry has always been to have far in excess of that minimum level. Most recently, I was successful in obtaining my Consumer Certified Real Estate Consultant [C-CREC] designation. One of only fifty in Canada. Also, I am a member of the National Association of Real Estate Consultants [NAREC].
What sets me apart is the way I do business. I have devoted my entire career to developing and maintaining a solid reputation. When I work with a client, I know it is a relationship based on trust. There can be no surprises. My commitment has always been to look after my client's best interests. I've known for years that if you do that, people will keep coming back and they'll refer their friends and family. Because of this, the vast majority of my business is composed of repeat clients and referrals from past clients.
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