WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 11, 2023)—The National Association of REALTORS® announced Greg Herb of Gilbertsville, Pa., as one of the 2023 recipients of the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor outside the presidency bestowed on an NAR member.
Gregory S. Herb, ABR, CRB, CRS, GREEN, GRI, AHWD, C2EX
Gregory S. Herb, a real estate professional since 1979, is a broker and President of Herb Real Estate Inc. in Gilbertsville, Pa. “Having spent over four decades in real estate, I am passionate about the industry and the communities we serve,” Herb said. “When I think about the past Distinguished Service Award winners, they are a remarkable group of leaders. To be considered on the same page with them is a tremendous honor—hard to put into words.”
Herb has served on NAR’s Board of Directors continuously since 1999. He has also chaired or served on a diverse range of committees, work groups and presidential advisory groups, including RPAC Fundraising Trustees, RPAC Major Donor Council, Federal Housing, Risk Management, Business Issues and Institute, Consumer Advocacy Outreach Board and Affiliate Advisory Board.
Twice, Herb served as an NAR committee liaison: He was Liaison for Consumer Relations in 2015 and REALTOR® Party Community Engagement Liaison in 2022. As part of the REALTOR® Party travel team, he was the liaison to the following partner organizations: The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), The Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA), The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), and the LGBTQ+ Fair Housing Alliance. In 2010, Herb served as NAR Regional Vice President (Region 2). In 2012, Herb was honored with the NAR Federal Political Coordinator Meritorious Service Award, and in that same year, he was inducted into the REALTORS® Political Action Committee Hall of Fame.
Herb served as 2005 President of the Certified Real Estate Brokerage Managers (CRB), now the Real Estate Business Institute, an NAR Affiliate. He won the CRB Hall of Leaders Award in November 2020.
On the state level, Herb served as the 2009 President of the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS®, PAR named him REALTOR® of the Year in 2010, and in 2012, he received the state association’s REALTOR® Active in Politics Award. Since 2021, he has represented PAR on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Technical Assistance Center Board for Small Water Systems. Herb served as president of the Montgomery County Association of REALTORS® in 2009.
Herb’s leadership has extended to many organizations within his community. For example, he has served on the Board of Directors for the YMCA; AMBUCS, an organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities; The United Way; and the Boy Scouts of America, Hawk Mountain Council, where he received the Silver Beaver Award. He currently serves on the Executive Board for the Hawk Mountain Council. Herb is also a member of the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce and Berks-Mont Business Association. He is a founding member of, and serves as President of the Foundation for Boyertown Education, a nonprofit 501(C) 3 organization; in 2021, he was recognized by the Tri-County Suburban REALTORS® with a Community Service Award for his work with the Foundation, which received a $10,000 grant. In addition, he is a Trustee for Ambler Savings Bank, a local community bank serving his region, and volunteer narrator for the Colebrookdale Railroad, a not-for-profit historic train preservation.
Herb and his wife, Kathy Kolarz (also a REALTOR®) have four children: Kyle Kolarz and his wife Leslie, Valerie Ashcroft and her husband Chris, Andy Herb and his wife Kristen, and Megan Stroup and her husband Aaron. For all his accomplishments, Herb says his greatest title in life is Grandpa to Beckett, Cole, Blaire, Brayden, Oliver and Declan.