AT LEFT: Jim and Ann Smith stand in the labyrinth on the grounds of their church,


Mulberry Street United Methodist Church. The church installed the labyrinth a year ago as a gift to the community. Jim coordinated the construction of the labyrinth.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A NEW AGENT ENTER- ING THE BUSINESS? My advice to a new agent would be to do more than people expect, become active in your local board of REALTORS® follow from all three.


, and support RPAC. Dividends will


YOUR SERVICE TO OTHERS EXTENDS BEYOND THE REALTOR®


ASSOCIATION. TELL US ABOUT YOUR LOCAL


COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND PROJECTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU. I have been continuously active in church work at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church in Macon for most of my adult life. I have held a number of positions at church and recently served for several years as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Last year I had the privilege of overseeing the construction


of a gothic labyrinth in the church courtyard at Mulberry. This was extremely rewarding. The project turned out beautifully and is something I expect to endure for a very long time. I was involved with the creation and construction of a


WHAT DO YOU FORESEE FOR THE GEORGIA HOUSING MARKET IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS AND BEYOND? I respect the opinion of Dr. Laurence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of REALTORS®


community garden in the downtown historic district in Macon, and I am currently serving as the chairman of the board of the Wesley Foundation of Macon, which is a cam- pus ministry serving all of the colleges in the Macon Area. Finally, I work with the Ronald McDonaldHouse each year to put on a clay target shoot fundraiser.


. I have attended


several meetings this year where he has spoken. His consistent prediction has been for a continued slow recovery.


WHAT ARE YOUR TOP PRIORITIES FOR GAR IN 2015? I want to focus on enhancing the value of REALTOR® membership in order to benefit our members and to entice non-REALTOR®


licensees to see the value in joining us.


Several of our member services actually have a monetary value, including our contract forms, our monthly housing indicators, and Georgia REALTOR®


magazine. While these


items can be purchased individually by non-members, it is more cost-efficient to join the REALTOR®


organization.


Additionally, members have access to discounts on products and services that they cannot get anywhere else through our Member Discount program. Finally, there are always the intangible benefits of belonging to the REALTOR®


ization — most notably, political advocacy, the global re cog - nition of the REALTOR®


.


YOUR SERVICE ALSO EXPANDS BEYOND U.S. BORDERS – TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK AS A MISSIONARY. For several years now, I have been leading teams into Central America to drill water wells for people who desperately need clean water. The organization I am involved with is Living Water International. We set up a drilling rig and drill while an- other part of the team teaches the villagers basic water and food related hygiene in order to help them prevent water borne dis- ease. It is simply not acceptable that today, nearly a billion peo- ple still lack access to clean water. Ann and I have been making presentations to other churches and groups in order to encour- age awareness of the problem and involvement in the solution.


organ- brand, and networking oppor-


tunities. Be on the lookout for a new marketing campaign in 2015 that will clearly make the case for the benefits of being a member of the Georgia REALTORS®


Another high priority of mine is for GAR to work on


passing legislation to set up first time home buyers tax ad- vantaged (tax free) savings accounts that will be similar to education savings accounts. If passed, this will help more people achieve the dream of home ownership which in turn is good for our industry and our members.


www.garealtor.com


WHO DO YOU ADMIRE? I admire anyone whose efforts help others. This includes people in the medical field, research scientists, aviators and astronauts, teachers, inventors, great statesmen, and missionaries. People like Jonas Salk, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Thomas Edison, Ronald Reagan, and Mother Teresa. It also includes everyday people who find ways to put the needs of others ahead of their own selfish wants.


FINALLY, WHEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING, VOLUNTEER- ING, OR ON A MISSION TRIP, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN? Fishing, shooting, horticulture, and aviation have all been longtime favorites of mine.


BRANDIE MINER IS THE EDITOR OF GEORGIA REALTOR®


MAGAZINE.


GEORGIA REALTOR®


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