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Alberta Online Encyclopedia

Recognition System

Formal recognition of the accomplishments of members of the Edmonton Real Estate Board was another innovation of the golden age. The first recognition awards were given in 1953, when Andy Whyte, Lou Weber, and Luke Winterburn were made Honorary Members. Shortly thereafter Sam Ferris and H. Milton Martin were similarly honored.

The presentation of these awards was an opportunity for the veterans of the industry in Edmonton to pass on some advice to the rapidly increasing number of new members. Sam Ferris advised the members that: "If you really take this business in the right spirit and you set yourselves to it you will find the same as I have found, and you will find the same as many other men before you who have arrived in this business - it is the finest business in the world, and there is not a business in the world where you can make more money by good management, sound investments and carry on, never get discouraged - if you do, you're sun - Don't worry about the deal you lost but go right on as if you had never been working on that deal. If you have the right spirit, the right ability, just as soon as that one goes you see another one pop up on the horizon and away you go. "

After 1953 the honorary membership award evolved into one given to non-members of the Edmonton Real Estate Board who have rendered outstanding service to the real estate industry.

During the golden age the Board also began to award Life Memberships. This award was for outstanding service to the industry but the recipient had to be a member of the Edmonton Real Estate Board.

Life Members have all the rights and privileges of membership and are not required to pay membership dues. They cannot, however, hold office or vote at meetings unless they are a regular member of the Board with such privileges.

The Board also recognized the current successes of its members with its salesman contest begun in March 1960. Points were credited to a member when he or she sold a house through the MLS® system. The prizes ranged from a free lunch to $500. The monthly winners were also seated at a special table at general meetings as further recognition of their achievements.

This article is extracted from John Gilpin, Responsible Enterprise: A History of Edmonton Real Estate & the Edmonton Real Estate Board. (Edmonton: Edmonton Real Estate Board, 1997). The Heritage Community Foundation and the Alberta Real Estate Foundation would like to thank John Gilpin and the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton for permission to reproduce this material.

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