HCAR Members: Many of you are aware of the benefits you derive from NAR and MAR, but it is with the Howard County Association of REALTORS® that most of you will experience and derive most of the personal benefits of belonging to the REALTOR® organization. There are many advantages and services offered by the local board that may not be readily apparent, but are nonetheless appealing reasons why you should be a sustaining and active member of HCAR. I would like to highlight some of the 2010 activities which I believe are the true value you receive as a member of HCAR. Our membership currently stands at 1466 and is growing. The Affiliate membership alone has grown 30 percent this year, and our New Member Orientation has almost 100 enrollees for the year. The Communications Committee, with the assistance of our web master Connie Mazur, developed a whole new look for our web site which will be launched soon. One of the inviting features of the web site is that our Affiliates will now be able to advertise. We are exploring varying avenues to better communicate with you the member. For example, HCAR is now on facebook and we are working on a resource guide for new members when they join HCAR. This coming year we will be issuing more press releases so the people in Howard County know how much REALTORS® are involved in the community. Giving back to the community has been a big collaborative effort by the HCAR board of directors who have helped organize events for our members to participate individually or as an office. WE at HCAR have very generous members who spend countless hours helping and giving back to those less fortunate. We've provided Thanksgiving meals to hundreds of people, conducted toy drives and donated school supplies to over 400 students. On the second Thursday of the month we have been providing and serving meals at Grassroots, first as a board of directors and now for our families of HCAR to join in the experience. Because of the Education Committee, HCAR is hosting its third CRS class in November. The committee has developed a program that offers enough CE courses so that you can get your CE requirements every quarter. They are working on providing classes in the evenings and weekends in order to accommodate the dual career agent who is so important in our current economic environment. Our New Member Orientation committee will be taking on a new name - New Member/Rookie Society. Besides continuing to offer New Member Orientation every quarter, we will now be providing a program that includes a series of field trips and class offerings such as visiting a new home site, learning how the Columbia Association works, conducting a mock settlement and ethics hearing. We hope to include a field trip to MAR. All these are aimed at enlightening newer members, but will be open to all HCAR members. HCAR continues to very active in the political arena at the state and local levels. Our Legislative Committee was instrumental in planning the Candidate Forum this year. We invited all the candidates vying for the County Council and had a lively debate between the two County Executive candidates. With 2010 being an election year, the RPAC Committee has been very busy meeting with and contributing to various candidates that support our legislative positions. A special committee of representatives from the major brokerages has worked with counsel to revise the outdated Howard County Addendum. The changes were shared at RENO Day and because more suggestions were received from members it was sent back for revisions. All this shows the good relationship that exists between the HCAR board of directors, its committees, brokers and members. Communication lines are open to give everyone an equal voice. We are very proud that HCAR was the first local board in Maryland to establish an NAR Young Professionals Networking (YPN) committee. The YPN took on the responsibility of organizing a bus trip to Annapolis for the MAR's annual Legislative Day and actively participated in NAR's Midyear Legislative Meetings in Washington, DC. The YPN put together a MARDI GRAS social event, and for the second year in a row hosted our RPAC fund raiser that took in over $7,200, achieving our RPAC goal for the year. They recently hosted the Grassroots dinner. We are all very proud of this enthusiastic group of professionals and their efforts to be involved and make a difference. The Social Committee continues to put together many successful "sold out" social events such as the Spring Fling where over 300 people attended. The committee also helped plan and put on HCAR's Candidate Forum and RENO Day. By the committees working together to build and maintain the financial strength of our association, it allows HCAR to grow and provide more services while keeping costs low for the members. Our social events are revenue streams, not a cost out of HCAR's pockets. Please sign up for your choice of committee online. Yet another way HCAR has led in keeping services easy-to-use, dues are again being renewed online at hcar.org. Online dues payments save time and handling fees, and place an immediate receipt into your hands. They are due November 30. Please note that the 2011 REALTOR® dues total is lower than last year. Finally, I want to report that we just had our installation for the 2010- 2011 HCAR Officers and Board of Directors and it was a good time had by all. It was a great evening full of good friends, food and relaxation. We know the meaning of hard work and achieving results but we also know how to have fun. This is the hallmark of HCAR and we are proud of it. Vision, achievement and camaraderie entail an active and participatory membership. By virtue of your HCAR membership you are automatically afforded the benefits as mentioned above and many more, but it is only through member involvement and dedication that they can be realized. As we merge into 2011, I ask how you can contribute to your Association. Get involved, stay involved and watch your Association grow. On behalf of the Board of Directors and me, we look forward to working with you in the coming year. Kenny Smallwood 2010 - 2011 President