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Home : Publications : Event Coverage

2008 SAMCAR President, Board of Directors Installed, Awards Presented



Saturday, December 15, 2007

When 2008 SAMCAR President Sue Walsh took to the stage Wednesday evening, December 12, she invited all SAMCAR members to share a commitment to working together for the team. Teamwork among the membership appeared already present at SAMCAR’s Annual Holiday Installation of the 2008 President and Board of Directors held at the Hyatt SFO in Burlingame.

2007 President Geoffrey Craighead welcomed special guests to the event: San Mateo County Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson, San Mateo County Supervisor Jerry Hill, Burlingame Mayor Rosalie O’Mahony, Foster City Mayor Pam Frisella, South San Francisco Mayor Rich Garbarino, South San Francisco City Councilmember Karyl Mastsumoto and Senator Jackie Speier. Also attending the festivities were top officials from the California Association of REALTORS®, Bay East Association of REALTORS®, Oakland Association of REALTORS®, San Francisco Association of REALTORS®, Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS®, Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS®, Watsonville Association of REALTORS®, the Chinese Real Estate Association of America, Filipino American Real Estate Professionals Association, MLSListings Inc. and Carl McClellan Professional Law Corporation.

Craighead recognized SAMCAR’s past presidents Allan Bernardi (1997), Claire Earley (2000), John Gieseker (2006), Jerry Girouard (1996), Melanie Hildebrand (2005), Gary Meyer (1995), Marianne Zanone Rush (1999), David Zigal (2004), and then introduced SAMCAR’s new Chief Executive Officer Philip Tedesco.

First honored and presented with certificates in appreciation for their time and leadership were the following 2007 committee chairpersons: Peter Aiello, Finance Committee Chair; Tim Auran, Central Tour Committee Chair; Denise Baker, RSVP Committee Chair and Special Events Committee Vice Chair; Steve Balian, Member Services Vice Chair; Terry Birt, Education & Technology Committee Chair; John Brook, Peninsula Legislative Committee Chair; Christina Chiesa, Education Committee Vice Chair; Lizette D’Almeida, Grievance Committee Vice Chair; Nini de la Fuenta, Cultural Diversity Committee Liaison, and North Tour Committee Vice Chair; Bobbi Decker, Central Tour Committee Vice Chair and Membership Committee Chair; Olivia Edwards, Finance Committee Vice Chair; Scott Findlay, Pacifica Legislative Committee Vice Chair and Pacifica Tour Committee Co-Chair; Millie Golder, Half Moon Bay Tour Committee Chair; Robert Huibers, Cultural Diversity Committee Vice Chair; Karon Knox, RSVP Liaison; DeNize Lawrence, Affiliate Council Vice Chair; Patricia Lindo, Cultural Diversity Committee Chair; Alex Maltez, BORPAC Committee Chair; Bob Mitton, Coastside Legislative Committee Chair; Anne Oliva, RSVP Committee Chair and Special Events Vice Chair; Denise Pearson, Professional Standards Committee Chair; Judy Ploshay, South Tour Committee Chair; Dan Rogers, Peninsula Legislative Committee Chair; Afsoon Shahrdar, Grievance Committee Chair; Jennifer Tasto, BORPAC Vice Chair and North Tour Committee Chair; Donna Tramontozzi, Special Events Committee Chair; Eric Trojak, Half Moon Bay Tour Committee Vice Chair; Edgar Tulcanaza, Affiliate Counsel Committee Chair; Sue Vaterlaus, Election Committee Chair, Pacific Legislative Committee Chair, Pacifica Tour Committee Co-Chair and Special Events Committee Liaison; Sue Walsh, Education Committee Liaison and Jeffrey Wolf, Professional Standards Vice Chair.

A special moment was then set aside to recognize a distinguished member, Les Williams, who was among 300 Tuskegee Airmen presented with the Leonard Houston Carter Award and collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by U.S. President George W. Bush this year. Introducing Williams, Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson described Williams as “a hometown hero. … Discrimination only made him work harder. He personifies the values we believe in and shows when you believe in what you’re doing, when you work hard, you can achieve your dream … He overcame great obstacles to achieve his dream.”

Williams, who attended the event with his wife Elsie, told SAMCAR members the President’s recognition of the Tuskegee Airmen “closed the gap, after a long hiatus between the time we served during the war and got the distinction. …This is a proud moment for me. On behalf of my fellow Airmen, I thank you and I will treasure this award.”

In honor of Williams, SAMCAR member Cherie Alonzo sang “America the Beautiful.”

Exiting board directors Peter Aiello, Karon Knox and Bob Mitton were thanked for their services and recognized, as was Past President John Gieseker, who served as C.A.R. Region 25 Chair for the past year.

Gieseker then turned to Craighead and thanked him for his leadership this year, noting Craighead’s hard work and additional responsibilities he tackled at SAMCAR during the absence of a CEO.

“Geoff has been a great leader in a time of change,” said Gieseker.

2008 C.A.R. President Bill Brown administered the oath of office to 2008 Board of Directors: Tim Auran, Eric Berggren, John Clifford, Geoffrey Craighead, Nini de la Fuente, Bobbi Decker, Olivia Edwards, Suzan Getchell-Wallace, Anne Oliva, Jennifer Tasto Edgar Tulcanaza, Sue Vaterlaus, Marianne Zanone Rush and David Zigal.

Brown proceeded to install Sue Walsh as SAMCAR’s 2008 President and Craighead then passed the gavel to Walsh.

A full time professional Realtor since 1979 and one of Cashin Company's Top Achievers, Walsh told members 2008 will bring challenges for everyone. “I am hoping it can be challenges we can all meet together,” she said.

Walsh thanked family and friends “who have been the wind beneath my wings.” She took note of the land which “gives Realtors the sustenance and continues to sustain them on a daily basis.” She took note of the sounds of the transportation corridors, the oceans, the bay, “which bring us ideas from high tech to biotech.” She asked members to hear and see “the many diverse cultures around us  ... We are fortunate to be living in such an area.”

Walsh told members to continue to value SAMCAR.

“We are here to help you succeed and serve you well,” she said. “We want you to know and be part of us.”

She invited members to actively participate in the Association, emphasizing “doing it together is better than going it alone … We will stand by each other. … It is a reward, a privilege and challenge to be a member. I invite all of us to work to make 2008 a great year!”

Past President John Gieseker presented the special awards of the evening. This year, the Community Service Award was presented to two members: Karyl Eldridge and Rose Serdy.

Gieseker recognized Eldridge for her active involvement and advocacy of affordable housing. Eldridge said her work as a Realtor would not be complete without helping to alleviate the suffering of those in need. She thanked SAMCAR for the award. “You’re acknowledging my work … I’d like to acknowledge us.”

Rose Serdy is also another Realtor who has put much effort into the community, particularly organizing the annual Coastside Breakfast and Auction, whose proceeds go to Coastside Hope. Serdy thanked all Realtors for contributing to their own communities. “We do all this because we love what we do,” she said.

Anne Oliva presented the Affiliate of the Year award to Haydee Navarro-Marshall, whom she fondly described as “home-developed but not homegrown,” and very active in all of SAMCAR’s events, from driving golf carts at the Charity Golf Tournament, to eating spaghetti at the Spaghetti Feed, and bowling at the Affiliate Bowl-a-Thon. Navarro-Marshall, with Old Republic Title Company said she does what she does “because it’s part of what we do; it’s part of our job. The events are a lot of work, but they are also a lot of fun. We’re a team — not competitors.”

The most coveted award of the evening, the Realtor of the Year award, was presented to Sue Vaterlaus, who Gieseker described as a “go-to person, a person who has given a tremendous amount of time and energy to the community, and always helps our professionals. She always does what she can to help everyone. Most of all, she has kept her integrity. She is trustworthy and honest and has consistently demonstrated her commitment to the SAMCAR community.”

Clearly touched by the recognition, Vaterlaus said she was humbled and told members, “This is really not about me; this is about everyone who volunteers and wants to learn.”

A big thank you to SAMCAR’s Annual Corporate Sponsors who have generously supported the Association all year. They include Platinum Sponsors: Countrywide Home Loans, McGuire Real Estate, Washington Mutual; Diamond Elite Sponsor: The Examiner; Diamond Sponsor: Fidelity National Title; Emerald Sponsor: Chicago Title, CitiMortgage – The Michael Haigh Team, Financial Title Company, First American Title Company, First Horizon Home Loans; Gold Sponsors: Alliance Title, Atherton Appliance & Kitchens, Carr, McClellan, Ingersoll, Thompson & Horn, Century 21 Alliance, Investment Property Exchange Services, Inc., LandAmerica Commonwealth, Marshall Realty, Meriwest Mortgage, North American Title, Old Republic Title, Property ID Corporation, Prudential California Realty of San Mateo County, Step Ahead Carpet, Stewart Title.

A special “thank you” to members of the Special Events Committee for all their work in making the event a success.

Proceeds from the raffle during the evening will go to the Second Harvest Food Bank. SAMCAR appreciates everyone’s continued support of Association activities and for helping make Wednesday’s Holiday Installation Dinner a very successful event. 

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The San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® (SAMCAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 3,800 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula. SAMCAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in San Mateo County.

The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

For further information, please contact Julie Ziemelis, Director of Public Affairs, e-mail , or phone (650) 696-8214.

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