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Georgia REALTORS® Hall of Fame
The Hall of Fame recognizes members of GAR who have demonstrated consistent support of the REALTOR® organization for at least 30 years, and who have had a strong influence in the real estate industry. GAR named 14 individuals to its first Hall of Fame class. These individuals set the bar for the Hall of Fame, having proven themselves as champions of the REALTOR® association and captains of industry.
2012 Inaugural Class
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John W. Cox,
Dunwoody
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After a 24-year career as a noted REALTOR® in DeKalb County, John Cox was hired as the first Executive Vice President of GAR in 1975, serving until his retirement in 1990. For several years, John Cox was the face of the REALTORS® at the Georgia Capitol Building. John worked tirelessly to protect the real estate industry and to promote private property rights to the legislature. John was also a leader in education for REALTORS® and presided over an era of rapid growth for professional development for REALTORS®. The Boardroom at the GAR Headquarters building in Atlanta was dedicated to John in 2005.
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Bob Disharoon,
Fayetteville
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Bob Disharoon served with distinction in the U.S. Army for four years before entering into a long and successful career with Tri-City Realty & Mortgage in Peachtree City. The company was founded in 1962, and he served as President, earning a reputation for honesty, integrity and commitment to the real estate industry through the years. Bob was a dedicated member of the REALTOR® organization, having served as President of GAR in 1984, President of the Fayette Board in 1987, and was a director at Georgia MLS. He was honored as the recipient of the GAR REALTOR® of the Year Award in 1987.
Bob also served his community with distinction as the Chairman of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce in 1980, and he was named Fayette County Business Person of the Year in 1981. Bob was the first Chairman of the Fayette County Development Authority and was a charter member of the Fayetteville Rotary Club, serving as its President in 1981-1982. He was an active member of the Kenwood Christian Church, where he served as elder and trustee and was the building program supervisor. Bob was also on the Board of Trustees of Atlanta Christian College and contributed to the organization and success of the Christian City Home for Children.
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George Holtzman,
Hinesville
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George Holtzman has been a positive influence on the real estate profession in Georgia for more than 40 years. George was appointed to the Georgia Real Estate Commission by Governors Zell Miller, Roy Barnes, and Sonny Perdue, serving almost two decades on GREC, with several appointments as Chairman and Vice Chairman. Georgia also served as President of GAR in 1993. In these positions, George was able to represent the interests of coastal Georgia to legislators as well as leaders throughout the real estate community across the state.
As an Army veteran, George has an unwavering commitment to military families. He has served as the President of the Coastal Empire Association of the United States Army, an organization of more than 10,000 members that supports the military community. George is also a staunch supporter of his local community, devoting countless hours through the years to organizations such as Toys for Tots, Bradwell Institute Band Boosters, Rotary Club, Liberty County Chamber of Commerce, Manna House, Southeast Georgia Friends of Fort Stewart & Hunter, and Kirk Healing Center in Hinesville.
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Ed Isakson,
Atlanta
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Ed Isakson’s number one commitment to the real estate industry in Atlanta was education. He began this important project first by participating in the real estate programs offered by the Atlanta Real Estate Board (now, the Atlanta Board of REALTORS). Next he began establishing scholarships throughout the industry at colleges such as the University of Georgia and Georgia State University so that REALTORS and others could obtain college degrees to move their lives forward. These scholarships still exist today. Ed also served on the Board of Commissioners of the Georgia Real Estate Commission, and chaired the board as well. Ed was also instrumental in establishing the Atlanta REALTORS Center as well as the GAR Headquarters Building. The Atlanta Board gives an award each year in Ed’s honor. The E.A. Isakson award is given to “the outstanding individual who through his leadership and initiative has brought about a significant change, the result of which brought a lasting benefit to individuals, the Atlanta community and the real estate industry.”
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Johnny Isakson,
Atlanta
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Every real estate professional and homeowner in Georgia has benefited from the work that Johnny Isakson has done for the last 40 years. Following in the real estate footsteps of his father, Ed Isakson, Johnny quickly rose to prominence in his company by serving as a Managing Broker and eventually serving 22 years as President of Northside Realty.
Johnny was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1976 and served five terms, including two as minority leader. Johnny was elected to the Georgia Senate in 1992 and to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1999, where he served until he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2005. He is currently serving his second term after re-election to the Senate in 2010.
Through his participation in the REALTOR® organization, Johnny has been a staunch supporter of the Code of Ethics and the role of the real estate professional in the real estate transaction. Johnny has carried this strong belief into the Georgia General Assembly, the U.S. House of Representatives and now into the U.S. Senate as the only REALTOR® serving in the Senate. He has been a leader for real estate issues and has been the champion for private property rights and homeownership.
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R. Neal Jackson,
Monroe
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Neal Jackson has a dedicated career of service to the REALTOR® organization, his community and to the state of Georgia. Neal is the broker for Coldwell Banker Jackson Realty in Monroe, a business he started more than 40 years ago. Neal has served on virtually every committee for the Walton-Barrow Board as well as GAR, and served as the GAR President in 1999. He has also served as the Region 5 RVP for the National Association of REALTORS®. Neal was appointed by former Governor Zell Miller to the Georgia Real Estate Commission from 2001-2005, and was the Chairman in 2004. |
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Al H. Jennings, Jr.,
Atlanta
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Al Jennings set the standard for remarkable leadership for his honest approach and ethical manner in his daily business. Among his litany of accomplishments, Al was heavily involved with the building of the Atlanta REALTORS® Center, even serving as Superintendent of the building’s construction. Al served the Atlanta Board of REALTORS as a chairman for nearly every committee and on the ABR Board of Directors for nearly half of his career. He never missed a Board Meeting and was always concerned with the success of the organization and most importantly, that the operation and the administration of the association was conducted fairly and honestly at all times. Al served as the Atlanta Board President in 1981 and as GAR President in 1982. Al is one of only two Georgia REALTORS® to have ever been awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of REALTORS®. |
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Harriet Konter,
Savannah
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Harriet Konter blazed the trail for women serving in GAR leadership roles as the first female president of GAR in 1987. Her REALTOR® association involvement stretches over many decades and includes leadership roles with the Savannah Board of REALTORS® (SABOR), GAR, NAR, and the Women’s Council of REALTORS®. Harriet’s accolades include REALTOR® of the Year for both SABOR and GAR, the Omega Tau Rho Medal from NAR, and NAR’s RPAC Hall of Fame.
Along with her late husband, Larry, Harriet founded Konter Realty in Savannah, which she still operates today. Harriet and Larry Konter were the second couple in the U.S. to serve as Presidents of a state association of REALTORS®. SABOR created the Konter Award in honor of the couple, which inducts REALTORS® into the SABOR Hall of Fame.
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Lawrence J. Konter,
Savannah
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Larry Konter was President of Konter Realty Company, Residential Equities, Inc., Vice President of Konter Management Company in Savannah, alongside his wife, Harriet. Larry was extremely active in all levels of the REALTOR® organization throughout his real estate career, serving as GAR President in 1977 and as Regional Vice President for NAR in 1979. Larry encouraged his colleagues to get involved with the REALTOR® association and to give back to their profession. He was as a staunch supporter of RPAC and an avid proponent of REALTOR® continuing education.
Larry was also heavily involved in other organizations, including the Home Builders Association of Savannah and the South Georgia Chapter of IREM. In his community, Larry was an instructor of real estate at Savannah State College, a director of the Savannah Speech and Hearing Center, a member of the Chatham County Housing Code Board of Appeals, and a member of the Chamber of Commerce Military-Civilian Task Force.
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Harry Norman, Jr.,
Atlanta
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Harry Norman learned the real estate business from his mother, having assisted her with preparing the yards and washing the windows of properties for open houses as a young boy. From those early beginnings, one of the most influential and steadfast real estate companies in Georgia was born and continues to thrive in 2012. Harry was an active member of the greater Atlanta civic and real estate communities. He was a founding member of the Buckhead Coalition and a founding member of the Masterminds, an organization which became the Realty Alliance, an association of the largest independent real estate firms in the country. Harry was also a founding member of the First Multiple Listing Service in 1957 and served as its president twice. He was a lifelong member of its Board of Directors. His other involvements include the Buckhead Business Association, the Buckhead Rotary Club and Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church. |
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J. Carl Schultz,
Atlanta
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After the fall of communism in east central Europe and the Soviet Union in the early 1990’s, a capitalist economy had to be built from the ground up – a stock exchange, a securities commission, unemployment offices, investment and pension funds and building societies. Carl Schultz worked tirelessly alongside international appraisal associations and government agencies to help establish appraisal standards, education and real estate regulations at that time. Carl worked in several countries including Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia.
Carl served as a dedicated REALTOR® volunteer on the local, state and national levels. In addition to serving as President of the Atlanta Commercial Board, GAR, and having been named as REALTOR® of the Year for ACBR and GAR, Carl is one of only two Georgia REALTORS® to have ever been awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of REALTORS®.
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Tony Serkedakis,
Marietta
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When Tony Serkedakis retired from the United States Air Force in 1962 after a distinguished 25-year career as a pilot, he and wife, Faye, opened Southeastern Realty in Marietta. The company became a Century 21 franchisee in 1977 and grew to a multi-office company. By the mid-1980's, Southeastern Realty ranked in the top 5% of all Century 21 companies. His son, Pat, and daughter, Kristy, oversaw the day to day operation of the company beginning in 1980 and continued to operate the company, renamed Century 21 Across Atlanta, until its merger with another company in 2008.
Tony was president of the Cobb Board of REALTORS (now CAR) in 1969. Over the years, he served in many capacities on the local, state and national levels. RPAC was Tony’s passion, and he served as a national RPAC Trustee for NAR throughout the 80’s. Tony served as GAR President in 1986 and was GAR REALTOR of the Year in 1987. Tony continued to be active in and passionate about all things "REALTOR" up until his death in 1997.
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John S. Thibadeau, Sr.,
Cumming
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John Thidabeau is a founding member of the Dekalb Association of REALTORS® (DAR) and was instrumental in guiding GAR into a modern era by hiring an Executive Vice President and securing land for a new headquarters building as well as serving as Building Committee Chair.
John was also a found member of Georgia MLS and has served as the Chairman of the Georgia Real Estate Commission. He was named REALTOR® of the Year for DAR in 1963 and 1981 – the only person to receive the award twice – and for GAR in 1963. John is an avid civic volunteer and his list of accomplishments include Paul Harris Fellow, Decatur Rotary Club; Metro Atlanta YMCA Volunteer of the Year in 1985; Board of Directors for Atlanta Area Boy Scouts; and Distinguished Lecturer, College of Business Administration, Executive Advisory Council, University of Georgia.
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Ward Wight, Sr.,
Atlanta
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Ward Wight Sr. served as the President of the Atlanta Real Estate Board twice, first in 1922 and again in 1940. He was also the President of the Georgia Real Estate Board in 1929. In 1940, Ward was instrumental in the formation of the Central Atlanta Improvement Association. This Association’s work was very successful in large part by bringing together the heads of the Retail Merchants Association and members, the Bankers Association and a dynamic group of the property owners of large properties in downtown Atlanta. Soon after this Association was turned over to its own management team, the name was changed to Central Atlanta Progress and this organization continues to be a factor in downtown Atlanta. Ward was also a very active member of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers, having received his MAI designation as one of the first three in Atlanta. |
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