The Hampton Roads Realtors Association honored member excellence and swore in the 2016 board of directors during a Dec. 11 luncheon and awards ceremony at the Westin Virginia Beach Town Center.

Citing another successful year for the growing association, outgoing Chairman Rusty Hulett of Hulett & Associates Realty thanked 2015’s leadership for its service before passing the gavel to 2016 Chairman of the Board Becky Claggett.

Claggett challenged membership to make a “commitment to excellence” their driving force in 2016 and encouraged members to promote association involvement among their colleagues.

A managing broker with Century 21 Nachman Realty in Virginia Beach and instructor for Alpha College of Real Estate, Claggett has been a HRRA member since 1988.

Also installed as 2016 leadership were:

• Chairman-elect — Sherry Maser, Howard Hanna William E. Wood;
• Vice chairman of budget and finance — Nikita Houchins, Keller Williams Realty;
• Immediate past chairman — Rusty Hulett;
• Executive Committee At-Large — Jennifer Cool, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Towne Realty; Terry Gearhart, Rose & Womble Realty Co.; and Gary Lundholm, The Real Estate Group; and,
• Directors — Dayla Brooks, The Real Estate Group; Mark Edwards, East West Realty; Tonya Feamster, Keller Williams Elite; Elaine Griffin, Rose & Womble Realty; Cindy Hawks, Keller Williams Realty; Betsy Hughes, BK Appraisal Services; Jimmy Jackson, Rose & Womble Realty Co.; Jeremy Caleb Johnson, Long & Foster Real Estate; Kimberly Plourde, EXIT Realty Central; Stacie Powell, Prudential Towne Realty; Carolette Reisner, Howard Hanna William, E. Wood; Margaret Richardson, Cross Realty; Sherry Snyder, Rose & Womble Realty; Maily Roberts-Jacobs, At The Mall Realty; and Jessica Whitt, Prosper Insurance Group.

Lauded for her support of HRRA and the real estate industry, Pat Steele of Coldwell Banker Professional, Realtors received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the event. Steele led HRRA as its 2013 chairman and has been a member since 1978.

Also recognized with accolades during the ceremony were:

• Affiliate Member of the Year, Jessica Whitt, Prosper Insurance Group;
• Affiliate Company of the Year, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage;
• Realtor Volunteer of the Year, Cindy Hawks, Keller Williams Realty;
• Code of Ethics Award, Tim Vohar, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Towne Realty;
• Rising Star of the Year, Shewling Moy, Keller Williams Realty Coastal Virginia; and,
• Broker/Manager of the Year, Steven Edwards, The Real Estate Group.

Recipients of the Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Service in 2015 were Gearhart, Tanya Monroe of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Towne Realty and Amy Rhodes of Howard Hanna William E. Wood.

Also during the ceremony, longtime HRRA members Sandra Ferebee of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Towne Realty, Durwood Scott of Scott & Associates and Carmella “Cam” Templeton of Professional Realty Corp. were recognized with emeritus membership from the National Association of Realtors, a distinction awarded to those who have given 40 or more years of service to the organization. Additionally, Scott and Templeton were recognized earlier this year with induction into the Virginia Association of Realtors’ Omega Tau Rho fraternity.