Hometown Heroes

Meet 10 REALTORS® who make an incredible impact on those in need.

When Good Neighbors see a person in need, they don’t think, “Someone should do something.” They jump in to provide comfort, find answers, or just roll up their sleeves and start fixing the problem. REALTOR® Magazine’s Good Neighbor Award winners are far less interested in taking credit than they are in finding solutions. You could call them heroes, though they would likely demur.

Learn about their extraordinary accomplishments by reading their profiles here or viewing their videos. The 2015 honorees—five winners and five honorable mentions—channel their passions into building affordable housing, making life more meaningful for people with disabilities, supporting women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, making sure a soldier’s service is appreciated, protecting open land, funding volunteer firefighters, and making a safe zone for victims of domestic violence. Read their stories, and be inspired to roll up your sleeves.

The 2015 Winners

Susan Stearns transforms the lives of adults with special needs.

Nancy Hines keeps the spotlight on early-stage ovarian cancer.

John Kersten's power fundraising helps people with disabilities.

Barbara Mills ensures a proper welcome home for returning veterans.

Dan Goodwin empowers struggling families with affordable housing.

About the Program

REALTOR® Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards program is celebrating its 16th year of recognizing REALTORS® who make an extraordinary impact through volunteer work. Since it began in 2000, the Good Neighbor Awards program has donated more than $1 million to REALTOR®-led charities. 

The 2015 Good Neighbor Award winners will be honored on Nov. 14 during the REALTORS® Conference & Expo in San Diego. The winners’ charities will each receive a $10,000 grant. The five Honorable Mentions will each receive $2,500 for their community cause. Nominations are being accepted for the 2016 Good Neighbor Awards. The deadline is May 13.

Our Sponsors

Liberty Mutual Insurance is the primary sponsor of REALTOR® Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards. Liberty Mutual has been a REALTOR Benefits® Partner for more than a decade, serving as NAR’s exclusive partner for auto, home, and renters insurance. Liberty Mutual is one of the world’s leading and most trusted insurance carriers. For more than 100 years, its mission has been to provide comprehensive, quality insurance products that help its customers live safer, more secure lives.

Realtor.com® delivers real estate’s largest and most accurate database of homes for sale and rent. The home and rental listings on realtor.com® and realtor.com® mobile apps are pulled directly from more than 800 local MLSs, with most listings updated every 15 minutes.

Our Judges Loretta J. Alonzo, CRB, GRI, NAR Housing Opportunities chair; Bill E. Brown, NAR first vice president; Russ Cofano, Move Inc. former senior vice president, representing realtor.com; Martin Edwards, ALC, CCIM, NAR past president; Frank Gagliano, Liberty Mutual Insurance vice president & manager, partner distribution; Christine Hansen, CIPS, CRB, GRI, NAR Member Communications Committee chair; Mike McGrew, CRB, CRS, MRP, NAR treasurer; Ronald L. Phipps, ABR, CIPS, CRS, e-PRO, GREEN, GRI, SFR, NAR past president; Thomas F. Salomone, NAR president-elect; Stephanie Singer, NAR senior vice president; Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist

Going the Distance as REALTORS®

The Good Neighbor Award winners are as committed to their profession as they are to their communities. They have been REALTORS® for an average of 37 years.

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