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About GKAR

REALTOR® of the Year

The GKAR REALTOR® of the Year is recognized by their peers for their contributions to the real estate profession and to the greater Kalamazoo community.

Shelly Pattison 2019

Shelly Pattison

2022 REALTOR® of the Year

RE/MAX Advantage

Shelly has been a licensed REALTOR® since 1987and member of GKAR since 1991, however she actually started in the Real Estate industry in 1979 working on Title Insurance at Title Bond. Her start in the business was with Bosch Realtors, where she eventually became an Owner. Bosch Realtors merged with RE/MAX Advantage, where she was a partner. Always preferring the traditional side of the business she shifted from ownership back to selling Residential and Commercial Real Estate. Shelly is most excited about working with first time home buyers. Throughout her Real Estate career, she has received many awards and accolades with the most notable being the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award, RE/MAX Hall of Fame, Platinum and most recently the Chairman Award. Shelly has served as a volunteer leader with GKAR for many years serving on multiple committees and task forces, on the Board of Directors and Treasurer; however the capstone of her volunteer leadership was serving GKAR as President in 2013.Shelly has had incredible opportunities over the years earning the opportunity to work with the Kalamazoo Land Bank on The Marketplace and the Eastside Gateway project. She has also worked with Next Door and Michigan REALTORS® Who Care to assist with remodeling a homeless shelter. In partnership with Who Care, Shelly was able to merge her passions and assist a Veteran to have major upgrades completed and provide their family a Thanksgiving and Christmas meal, along with presents for their family of 6.Shelly is passionate about serving the community, especially the homeless and families in need. She has volunteered with Kalamazoo Gospel Mission, Children’s Miracle Network and St. John Bosco Church. Annually, Shelly works with Catholic Family Charities -The Caring Network to adopt several families in need for the holidays. In addition she has assisted seniors to provide food, transportation and assistance to those in need who may not have family members available to help them. Shelly has been married to her husband Matt of 31 years and has two children, Sammantha and Jake, who is her partner in Real Estate.


Nomination Form

The nomination period for the 2023 REALTOR® of the Year, is September 1st - 15th, 2022.

Important Details:

  • Nominees must be a Primary Member of GKAR.
  • Nominees must possess a current Michigan Real Estate License.
  • Nominees must have been a GKAR Member for a minimum of five consecutive years.
  • Self-nominations are permitted.
  • Nominees cannot be a current officer, newly-elected officer, or former REALTOR® of the Year.
  • The recipient will be honored at the local level and recognized at the GKAR Installation & State of the Association Holiday Luncheon. 
  • The REALTOR® of the Year name will be submitted to Michigan REALTORS® (MR) for consideration as MR of the Year and shall be the guest of GKAR at the appropriate MR Convention.

Past REALTOR® of the Year Recipients

1958     Orville B Schroeder
1959     Clarence Hawthorne
1960     C Ray Clapper
1961     Ty Carter
1962     Robert Early
1963     Harry Hurni
1964     Arthur Warly
1965     Lowell A Swanson
1966     ---
1967     BW Borkenstein
1968     Robert E Greene
1969     Dale O Wheeler
1970     Kenneth S Bright
1971     Bruce R Perry
1972     Arthur C Early
1973     John W Bosch
1974     Philip C Keelan
1975     Meryl Weimaster
1976     Philip P Perry
1977     Douglas R Preston
1978     Frank R Stokes
1979    John B Olheiser
1980     John W Bosch
1981     Rod O' Brien
1982     Tom Tobin
1983     Jerry Carlson
1984     Lowell I Swanson
1985     Marian E Greene
1986     Robert L Walton
1987     Sam Cupps
1988     Woody King
1989     Phyllis Bogren
1990     Kathy King
1991     Tim Brown
1992     Nick Pratt
1993     Judy Haugh
1994     Jared Arnold
1995     Lonnie Palleschi
1996     Sally Elser
1997     Al Rowe
1998     Tim Brown
1999     Marty Wagar
2000     Ray Becker
2001     Mary Sutton
2002     Don Cain
2003     Sue Cornell
2004     Wayne Wilkinson
2005     David Maturen
2006     Dennis Field
2007     Rose Rook
2008     Rick Hoffman
2009     John Jackson
2010     Rick Berner
2011     John Buttery
2012     Audrey DeVault
2013     Cheri Schulz
2014     Cathy Gasper
2015     Nancy Fish
2016     Lee Crossley
2017     Gayle Zientek
2018     Dan Jaqua
2019    Natalie Rowe
2020    Greg Miller
2021     Bill Evenboer
2022    Shelly Pattison