RISMEDIA, Nov. 20, 2007-George Peek, a Realtor from Reno, Nevada, has received the National Association of Realtors 2007 Distinguished Service Award. Out of more than 1.3 million Realtors, no more than two are recognized with this award each year, announced during NAR’s annual REALTORS Conference & Expo. Last week, more than 30,000 Realtors and guests attended the convention.
NAR established the DSA nearly 30 years ago to honor Realtors who have made outstanding contributions to the real estate industry and are recognized as leaders in their local communities. The award is considered the highest honor an NAR member can receive; recipients must be active at the local, state and national association levels, but must not have served as NAR president. NAR President Pat V. Combs presented the award to Peek.
“Realtor George Peek is a cornerstone of his local community and a valued member and leader within the National Association of Realtors,” said Combs, vice president of Coldwell Banker-AJS-Schmidt in Grand Rapids, Mich. “Realtors build communities, and Peek is a shining example of character and commitment in the real estate profession.”
When Peek joined the Reno/Sparks Association of Realtors 32 years ago, the biggest little city in the world was less than half the size it is today, growing from 152,000 residents in 1975 to nearly 400,000 last year. As broker-owner of Valley Realty & Investments in Reno, Peek has worked with numerous area developers and investors, and his efforts have helped countless Nevada families find a place to call home.
“I am honored to accept the Distinguished Service Award,” said Peek. “Receiving the award here in my home state of Nevada, as we host NAR’s national convention, only enhances its significance. I’m lucky to have worked with so many committed professionals, not only here in Nevada but also on a national level, as we strive to achieve our common goals of promoting homeownership, encouraging investment and strengthening communities.”
Peek is currently a member of NAR’s Board of Directors and has served intermittently on the Board since 1985. He also serves on the Commercial legislation and Regulatory Subcommittee. Peek has chaired several NAR committees, including Land Use, Property Rights and Environment; Business Issues; and State and Municipal Legislation. He also chaired NAR’s Public Policy Political Forum and the Medium Board Subforum. Peek was the NAR Regional Vice President for Region 11 in 1991.
Peek’s NAR committee service includes Executive, Legislative, Public Policy Coordinating, RPAC Trustees, Real Estate Finance, and Real Property Operations. He also served on the Appraisal Standards Task Force and chaired NAR’s Lead-Based Paint Task Force before federal disclosure laws regarding lead-based paint in properties built before 1978 were in place. In 1995, Peek served on the Federal Title X Task Force on Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction and Financing, which released final recommendations on evaluating and reducing lead-based paint hazards in private housing.
Peek was president of the Nevada Association of Realtors in 1988. In 1987, he was named Realtor of the Year by his state peers. For more than 20 years, he has served on various NVAR committees and task forces, and has chaired many of them, including Budget and Finance, Executive, Legislative, Real Estate of Nevada Political Action Committee (RENPAC) Trustees, and Realtor of the Year.
Locally, Peek was president of the Reno/Sparks Association of Realtors in 1984, after serving as president-elect and vice president in 1983 and 1982, respectively. He has been a member of the Political Affairs Committee for the past 30 years, chairing the committee in 1979, and was a director from 1980-1982. The local association awarded Peek Realtor of the Year in 1984.
In and around Reno, Peek is an active member of his community. He has contributed his time and efforts toward a number of youth-related causes, including volunteering for Big Brothers/Big Sisters and helping establish a child care facility at his local church. Peek served as chair of the Washoe County Republican Party, and was a member of current Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons’ Federal Contact Team when Gibbons served in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is also a member of the Rotary Club and the Executive Association of Reno. Peek served during the Vietnam War and retired as a captain after three and one-half years.
For more information, visit http://www.Realtor.org.
