Association of Realtors hosts annual installation and awards banquet
CALEB PEREZ | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 month AGO
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake-Othello Association of Realtors hosted their annual installation and awards banquet Jan. 24. This event recognized the installation of new officers and brought those in the industry together for a meal.
“I think it went great; all the feedback that I’ve gotten so far has been good,” said Alan Heroux of REMAX Realty.
The 2025 Realtor Awards for the banquet included Realtor of the Year with Beth Jarman as the winner, Realtor Achievement with Alison May as the winner, Realtor Community Service with Gary Mann as the winner, Affiliate of the Year with Steve and Dana Martinez as the winners and Citizen of the Year with Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete as the winner.
This event was put together as a way to install the new officers for the new year and give out realtor awards for the year. As part of that installation, Heroux was sworn in as the president of the association for 2026, taking the place of Beth Jarman from Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. Dave Shinabarger from HomeSmarte Elite was named as the president-elect.
The association also swore in Jaden Barie, Tara Zerbo, Beth Jarman, Dave Shinabarger, Kimberlee Chang and Anne Fisher onto the board of directors for 2026.
During the banquet, a raffle fundraiser was held for the Boys and Girls Club with prizes ranging from a Wenatchee River rafting trip, a night’s stay at the Coeur d’Alene Resort with a river trip up the St. Joe for two and several gift baskets.
Keeping to the 1920’s theme, Papa’s Casino hosted a blackjack gambling tournament where the currency was the raffle tickets instead of real cash.
“Proceeds all went to the Boys and Girls Club and so it was kind of a fun event,” said Heroux.
In total, he said the fundraiser raised more than $2000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs.
Heroux said that this year the goal for the association will be to focus on improving their professionalism in the realtor market. While realtors have been doing a great job at this in the area, he wants that to be further expanded moving forward.
“Realtors are professional people; they’re handling large real estate transactions, sometimes the largest transaction of somebody’s life,” he said. “It’s an important thing and it needs to be handled professionally.”
As the association moves toward that goal, Heroux said it will be important that they all work together to stay educated on what’s happening in the market and adjust to the needs of modern society.
“We’re in a unique profession where our competitors are people that (we) still have to work with again and again,” he said. “We’re adversaries that work well together. We’re on different teams, but we’re all playing the same game, so to speak.”
This year’s theme of the banquet was a speakeasy 1920s theme, and Heroux said everyone dressed up accordingly. The banquet was catered by Vandervate Barbecue, which served Texas-style barbecue for those in attendance.
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