Distinguished Service Award Selection Procedures and Recipient Recognition

DSA Application Form

DSA Criteria

Statement of WRA Recognition Objectives

The Wisconsin REALTORS Association benefits from the commitment and dedication of its members and employees. It also benefits from the efforts of others that share similar objectives and render significant service to the Association and the real estate industry in Wisconsin. The Association will strive to recognize those whose outstanding contributions of time, effort, and creative imagination have enabled the Association to better serve its members and to strengthen the fabric of Association influence.

The WRA believes that the marketplace amply rewards those practitioners who provide exemplary service to customers and clients. Therefore, the Association chooses to recognize outstanding service to the Association and industry, and with such recognition, to encourage others to make a meaningful commitment to volunteer service.

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Background and Purpose of the Award

The Distinguished Service Award was established by the Wisconsin REALTORS Association at the January 1985 Board of Directors meeting. It was subsequently reviewed and modified by the Board of Directors in May of 1998. The purpose of the Award is to provide recognition to those REALTORS who have provided many years of leadership and distinguished service to the Wisconsin REALTORS Association.

Eligibility: 

All current members, local association executives and employees of the Wisconsin REALTORS Association with at least 5 years membership or employment.

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General Criteria: 

The DSA is to be the highest award the Association confers. While the DSA is intended to recognize high quality service to the Association on a long-term basis, it should not necessarily be viewed as an "end-of-career" or "lifetime" award. Each recipient shall have demonstrated a high level of commitment to the Wisconsin REALTORS Association. He or she shall have contributed a substantial amount of time, effort, and creative imagination to the Association and shall have established a record of effective participation in the affairs of the Association. The recipient's Association activities shall have set a high standard and shall have been worthy of emulation. The DSA will be awarded only once to a recipient.

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Specific Criteria: 

A member recipient shall have actively participated in the activities of the Wisconsin REALTORS Association. She or he shall have accepted volunteer responsibilities and have demonstrated leadership, expertise, teamwork and a commitment to the objectives and ideals of the Association. She or he may have served on committees of the Association or may have been an elected director or officer of the Association. In whatever capacity of service, she or he shall have exhibited a selflessness and willingness to place the Association's interest ahead of her or his own.

Local Association Executives shall have actively participated in the activities of the Wisconsin REALTORS Association. She or he shall have shown extraordinary commitment to the Association by volunteering, demonstrating leadership, expertise, teamwork and a commitment to the objectives and ideals of the Association.

An employee recipient shall have shown an extraordinary commitment to the Association, significantly exceeding the level of satisfactory job performance. Among the characteristics of his or her service will have been responsiveness to Association and member needs, willingness to innovate and experiment, and a high level of skill at his or her job.

Either member, local association executive or employee recipients may have served the Association by representing it in such capacities as service on state government commissions, task forces, or study committees and will have distinguished him or herself in such service.

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Recognition Bestowed On Recipients: 

The WRA President will present the Distinguished Service Award(s) each year at the Annual Convention. Recipients of the Distinguished Service Award will receive the following additional recognition from the Wisconsin REALTORS Association:

1. A special, custom designed plaque.
2. Free convention registration for that year for both themselves and their spouse, which will include tickets to all the WRA, ticketed functions (excluding Institute, Society or Council events.)
3. Special seating at opening ceremonies and reserved seating at the President's banquet.
4. Recognition of the Award through notification in WRA publications and through distribution of news releases to local and state media. In addition, DSA recipients will be listed in Annual Convention Program.

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Selection Procedure

The Recognition Committee shall include 4 past DSA or State ROY recipients (one of whom shall chair the committee) and 5 other members of the WRA.

The Committee shall consider only individuals whose names have been submitted to the committee for consideration at least 14 days prior to the committee's first meeting of the year. Any member of the WRA (including committee members), any local board or association of REALTORS within the state of Wisconsin, or any employee of the WRA may submit a name for consideration. The maximum number of recipients each year shall be three.

The immediate past president of the WRA shall automatically be considered for the DSA as if that person's name were submitted as above. Since the DSA will recognize Association participation and leadership efforts, the immediate past president should be presumptive recipient.

Staff will then conduct whatever additional research may be required by the Selection Committee regarding the candidates. The results of the data collected on the candidates will be reviewed and considered. The Committee will determine by secret ballot prior to August 1, which nominees are to receive the Distinguished Service Award. The recipient(s) will then be notified by the President of the Association of their selection and invited to attend the Annual Convention where the Award will be presented. WRA staff will also notify the recipients Member Board.

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Nomination Procedure

In order to give the Committee sufficient time to gather information and to give due consideration to each nominee, any nominations should be sent to the President or to the Chairman of the Committee by June 30, 2009. Any member of the WRA (including committee members), any local board or association within the state of Wisconsin, or any employee of the WRA may submit a name for consideration.

DSA Application Form

DSA Criteria

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Publicity

The WRA will provide a publicity kit to each recipient that will enable recipients to prepare public press releases consistent with the objectives of the award.

If you have questions, please call or write William Malkasian, President, Wisconsin REALTORS Association, 4801 Forest Run Rd., Madison, WI 53704 or 608.241.2047.