| Announcing the 2008 MAR Awards of Excellence At this year’s Professional Awards and Recognition Dinner held on Tuesday at the DCU Center in Worcester, several REALTORS® were honored for their outstanding leadership abilities and volunteer efforts with the 2008 MAR REALTOR® of the Year Award, the Milton H. Shaw Distinguished Service Award, the Good Neighbor Award and the Educator of the Year Award.
 REALTOR® of the Year - Waltham Broker Mel MartocchiaAmleto “Mel” Martocchia, broker/owner of Martocchia & Company, Inc. in Waltham, was selected as Massachusetts REALTOR® of the Year for 2008.
The state’s REALTOR® of the Year is selected annually from among the nominees of the 16 local associations of REALTOR® and more than 21,000 REALTORS® in Massachusetts. Judging for the award is based on service to the local community, business accomplishments, and service to the REALTOR® organization on the local, state and national levels.
Martocchia, who was also chosen as REALTOR® of the Year for the Greater Boston Association of REALTORS® (GBAR), has held several positions at the state level. He is currently the MAR Greater Boston Region Vice President, a member of the MAR Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and the Government Affairs Committee. From 2004 – 2007 he was a member of the MAR Business Development Committee, which included a stint as chairman in 2006. He contributes to the Massachusetts REALTOR® Political Action Committee along with being a regular participant in MAR Legislative Day on Beacon Hill.
At the local Association level, Martocchia is currently serving as Vice President of GBAR, is a member of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Forms Task Force. He has been a member of the Business Development Committee and the Nominating Committee. In addition, Martocchia serves as the Association’s fund-raising chairperson for RPAC (REALTOR® Political Action Committee) and the Greater Boston Real Estate Board Political Action Committee. Martocchia also frequently serves as a spokesperson for the Association and the industry with the local media.
A resident of Watertown, Martocchia is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Watertown Historic District Commission and 2007 was a participant in the Watertown Pleasant Street Corridor re-zoning study working group. Martocchia is also active at public hearings on local housing and land use issues in Watertown and Waltham.
A REALTOR® since 1985, Martocchia has earned the Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB); Certified Buyer Representative (CBR); Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) professional designations; and is a graduate of the REALTOR® Institute (GRI).
 MHS Distinguished Service Award Winner – Corinne Fitzgerald of GreenfieldCorinne A. Fitzgerald, broker/owner of Fitzgerald Real Estate in Greenfield, has been named recipient of the MAR Milton H. Shaw Distinguished Service Award for 2008.
First presented in 1984, the Milton H. Shaw Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to one REALTOR member or staff executive who has demonstrated outstanding leadership abilities and volunteered countless hours of personal time to serve on state association committees and participate in MAR activities.
A REALTOR® since 1986, Fitzgerald is currently MAR Regional Vice President for Western Massachusetts and a member of the Executive Committee. A member of MAR Board of Directors since 1996, Fitzgerald has also recently served on the Professional Standards Committee and as the Chair of the Business Development Committee. In addition, Fitzgerald has served as MAR Focus Area Vice President overseeing technology, electronic forms software, and business development in 2005 and 2006.
Fitzgerald has also been very active at the local level. In 2000, she was President of the Franklin-Hampshire County Association of REALTORS® and in 2001 was named REALTOR® of the Year. She also served as the Association’s Treasurer in 1998, Secretary in 1996, and was a board member from 1995-2002. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the REALTOR® Association of Pioneer Valley (which merged with the Franklin-Hampshire County Association of REALTORS® in 2002). Additionally, she was 2004 chairperson of the North Central Mass. Association of REALTORS® Technology Committee and has been a member of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® since 1999.
On a national level, Fitzgerald served on the National Association of REALTORS® Housing Needs Committee in 2004.
Professionally, Fitzgerald has earned her Certified Buyer Representative (CBR), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) and Leadership Training Graduate (LTG) professional designations. She is also a Certified Home Marketing Specialist (CHMS), a certified home stager, and she recently earned her Loss Mitigation Certification.
 Educator of the Year - Gary Bourque of Lancaster Gary Bourque of Lancaster, a state-certified real estate training instructor and broker/owner of Central Mass. Appraisals, Inc. and Bourque Realty, Inc. in Leominster, has been named the recipient of the 2008 Massachusetts Real Estate Educator of the Year Award.
Established in 2003 and presented annually, the Massachusetts Real Estate Educator of the Year award recognizes REALTORS® for their voluntary contributions and participation in activities that promote the professional development and career advancement of fellow real estate practitioners.
A REALTOR® since 1987, Bourque is a certified and licensed Continuing Education Instructor by the Massachusetts Division of Licensure for Real Estate Sales Persons and Brokers. He is an instructor for the Graduate REALTOR® Institute and teaches continuing education classes at several local REALTOR® Boards. Bourque also has significant experience in course and curricula development through his involvement as member of the Professional Standards Committee and the Education and Events Committee on the state level.
At the local level, Bourque was Educator of the Year in both 2005 and 2006 for the North Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (NCMAR). He has been a member of the NCMAR Real Estate School and Education Committee for 10 years and served as chairman for eight. He has also developed several appraisal courses for NCMAR that are also used for continuing education credit in both New Hampshire and Maine.
In addition to being the broker/owner of Bourque Realty, Inc. and Central Mass Appraisals, Inc., Bourque is an associate-member of the Appraisal Institute, is a certified member of the Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Appraisers, and the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers, where he earned the CREA designation. He is a past president of the Montachusett Executive Association and a member of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.
 Good Neighbor Award Winner - Martha Knapp of Harwich Port Martha Knapp of Kinlin Grover GMAC Real Estate in Harwich Port, was named MAR 2008 Good Neighbor Award winner. The Good Neighbor Award recognizes real estate professionals for their community activism.
Established in 2004 and presented annually, the MAR Good Neighbor Award recognizes REALTORS® who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to community service through volunteerism and civic and charitable contributions that improve the lives of local residents and make their community a better place to live.
Entries are accepted from industry practitioners and the 16 local REALTOR® associations in Massachusetts, and selection of the award recipients is made by a sub-committee of the MAR Communications & Public Relations Committee. The award recipient receives a commemorative trophy and a $1,500 grant from the MAR in the name of their designated charity.
Martha Knapp established Angel’s Hope after losing her 3-year-old son Michael to cancer in 1995. The organization provides assistance and support to families dealing with childhood cancer. Since its establishment in 2001, Angel’s Hope has assisted over 700 families throughout New England by providing financial and emotional support, and by facilitating access to additional resources.
Angel’s Hope volunteers offer day-to-day assistance with running errands, providing meals, and offering practical advice and words of encouragement. Knapp has donated nearly 2,000 hours of her time over the past year and half organizing events, coordinating resources, development marketing strategies and networking with other organizations. Additionally, she has recruited over 400 volunteer hours, and raised over $50,000 to support the ongoing efforts of Angel’s Hope.
Local REALTORS® of the Year
 Barbara Hassan Berkshire County Board of REALTORS®
Amleto Martocchia Greater Boston Real Estate Board
 Linda Collins Cape Cod & Islands Association of REALTORS®
 Louise Bartolo Eastern Middlesex Association of REALTORS®
 Michelle Moniz Greater Fall River Association of REALTORS®
 Stephen Ferreira Greater New Bedford Association of REALTORS®
 Lea Cabeen Greater Newburyport Association of REALTORS®
 Gail Carter North Bristol County Association of REALTORS®
 Stephanie Pandiscio North Central Mass Association of REALTORS®
 Linda O’Connor North Shore Association of REALTORS®
 Daniel Sullivan Northeast Association of REALTORS®
 Joan Hick Plymouth & South Shore Association of REALTORS®
 Gwendolen Perkins REALTORS® Commercial Alliance of Mass.
 Karen King REALTOR® Association of Pioneer Valley
 Michael Travers Tri-County Board of REALTORS®
 Diane DeCiccio Worcester Regional Association of REALTORS® |