GMAR 2020 AWARDS AND INSTALLATION |
|
As this crazy year comes to an end, we are very sorry that we were unable to host our annual Holiday Gala to recognize our new Chairwoman and each of the 2020 award winners. Since they did not have the opportunity to get up on stage and accept their awards in person, we created this video to acknowledge their great accomplishments within the association. Congratulations to all! |
|
2021 GMAR Chairwoman
Courtney Stefaniak, The Stefaniak Group
|
|
Courtney is a 3rd generation Realtor, licensed since 2009. She graduated from Marquette University with a degree in Real Estate from the College of Business Administration. Courtney specializes in downtown Milwaukee condo sales, residential real estate, and working with first time home buyers. She currently serves on the GMAR Professional Standards Committee, GMAR Board of Directors as Chair-Elect, and the Wisconsin Realtors Foundation. Courtney is an investment property owner and currently resides in Brookfield with her husband, Ryan Huebner, and their 2 rescue dogs, Rusty & Finn. |
|
|
REALTOR® of the Year
Rochelle Gamauf, Next Home Lake Country
|
|
Rochelle Gamauf started in real estate in 2000 working in property management. In 2002 she began her pursuit in real estate working as a licensed appraiser; she quickly moved on and became a certified appraiser. In 2004 she opened her first appraisal firm; it was a huge success until 2008 when HVCC (Home Valuation Code of Conduct) came into play. In 2009, she lost her only sibling, her brother David. David was truly passionate about motorcycles in fact it was in his blood. It really made Rochelle think about her career and passion, which was ultimately real estate. Knowing this, her dear friend Karen suggested that she become a real estate agent. In 2008, Rochelle received her license as a real estate salesperson.
Rochelle quickly learned the ropes and became a trusted resource for Realtors, helping them achieve their goals. Rochelle is a well-regarded Realtor with hundreds of past transactions. Buying or selling a home in Southeast Wisconsin is a complex, sophisticated, and often deeply personal endeavor. The client deserves the full service and attention only a team of experts provides. Rochelle knew very early on she thrived in a leadership role and loved helping others. In 2017 she became a real estate broker and opened her firm NextHome Lake County.
During the second week of March 2020, Rochelle was glued to zoom meetings, especially one from her corporate office. The message from NextHome’s CEO really caught her attention: "It is time to help others, reach out to our clients, and have that personal connection." At NextHome, our slogan is HUMANS OVER HOUSES. Rochelle looked around, she had enough food and toilet paper, then she looked towards others and wondered, does anyone need anything? Quickly she found a few friends and then friends of friends, soon that evolved into weekly deliveries. Rochelle learned early on, what was lacking in her current pantry. People are getting food but have no choice in the items that they were receiving. They might not even need those items, which seemed like a waste of food. There has got to be a better way. Quickly Rochelle formed a nonprofit organization, SE WI Emergency Support Group. This is a choice panty. Each week since then her team has been delivering food to people that desperately need it. Rochelle believes that the community has trusted her with their real estate needs, and this was now her chance to pay it forward.
In Rochelle’s spare time, she loved to visit her parents up North. She finds peace within nature and loves being on the lake.
Rochelle is very excited and humbled to be your "2020 Realtor of the Year"
|
|
Lifetime Achievement Award
Mary Steinke, Shorewest REALTORS
|
|
Licensed in 1969, Mary Steinke began her real estate career with Wauwatosa Realty as a sales associate at the Brookfield Square Office. Within the next year, Mary helped launch the Lake Country Office in Oconomowoc. While serving her community and raising five children with her husband, Brian, she recruited, hired, encouraged and trained agents for the next 28 years. The challenge of a life-threatening illness, the addition of foster children to the family, two recessions and the company name change to Shorewest, REALTORS® were among the many opportunities which Mary embraced with a mission.
Mary served the Waukesha County Board of REALTORS® in all offices through President in 1976, and was named REALTOR® of the Year. She has served on numerous Wisconsin REALTORS® Association committees as well.
In 1992, Brian joined the Lake Country Office upon retiring from teaching/coaching at Kettle Moraine High School. He invited Mary to return to sales, creating the Steinke Team in 1999 which lead to numerous award-winning years for them.
Mary’s quest to create a home for many is demonstrated in her community service. She was the first woman Rotarian and became the first woman to become president. Mary served twice as YMCA president in Oconomowoc and co- chaired the local United Way campaign. Other Board services include Kettle Moraine Hospital, Waukesha County Housing Council, Kettle Moraine Area Schools Advisory Board, Kettle Moraine Time Out Program, and WCTC Advisory Board.
The mission which Mary references in many conversations about a real estate career is the greater part of the word commission. “It’s a privilege to be able to serve in an industry which allows us to share in providing homeownership and to earn a commission when our efforts are trusted, remembering that the best part of the word is mission.”
While Mary loves everything real estate, she and Brian focused their lives on the mission of giving back. After meeting at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, they married and raised their children in Wales. In 1999, they moved back to Mary’s hometown, Oconomowoc, where many of their 57 grand and great grandchildren now live. Prior to Covid-19, they opened their home to family and friends for dinner on Thursday evenings, sometimes feeding as many as 30. Today, Mary takes the show on the road and delivers meals to family to stay connected. Mary and Brian were married for 62 years prior to Brian passing away earlier this year.
|
|
Dedicated Service Award
Mark Kivley, RE/MAX Lakeside
|
|
Mark Kivley has been an active member of GMAR since 1983, and has been a licensed broker since 1999. Mark is the broker owner of two RE/MAX franchise offices with approximately 45 agents in the Greater Milwaukee Area. The primary goal of me serving on the board is to push better standards for brokerages to supervise and train their agents.
Served on the Greater Milwaukee Board of Realtors 2016-2018. Currently serving on the Greater Milwaukee Board of Realtors for 2020-2022. Actively on the Ethics and Arbitration Committee for Greater Milwaukee Board of Realtors. Active on the Business Association of Historic Highway 41 BID District. Mark is currently Master Broker for NRBA (National REO Brokers Association) for the state of Wisconsin.
|
|
|
Affiliate of the Year
Jill Meier, Merit Title LLC
|
|
Jill was born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and attended Northern Michigan University. She now lives in the town of Lisbon with her husband Dave and her Australian Terrier Lacey. She has 3 step-children and 2 grandchildren
Jill has been in the title business for over 25 years. The past 6 years have been at Merit Title as the Vice President of sales. She loves what she does especially because the main part of her job is helping people close the transaction of selling their house. This can be a very emotional time for many people and her calm demeanor helps sellers and buyers to get through the closing process easier.
She is a member of the Women’s Council of Realtors. She is the Scholarship Committee chair and has been on the Women’s Council board for many years. She was recently awarded the 2021 WCR State Member of the Year honor.
She is also on the board of directors for the GMAR Youth Foundation. She is a member of the Wisconsin Mortgage Bankers Association-Milwaukee Chapter.
In 2014 Jill received the prestigious WMBA Exemplary Service Award. She has been the secretary on the WMBA Milwaukee Chapter Board for over 17 years. Jill organized the inaugural WMBA summer zoo event and runs it every year.
In her spare time, she volunteers for B.R.O.A.D.S. for a Cause and the Waukesha Lions Club where she has received both the Melvin Jones and Birch-Sturm honors.
She is an animal lover, a Brewer’s, Bucks and a Packer Fan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
