The Spokane Association of REALTORS® recently announced the annual recipients of the James S. Black Memorial Scholarship Award and Gary Fox Memorial Broker Award.
Arne Woodard of Woodard Properties (pictured-left) received this year’s James S. Black Memorial Scholarship Award, presented by James Black III (pictured-center) and Dave Black, of NAI Black (pictured-right).

This scholarship fund, established in 1985, honors the memory of James S. Black, a real estate broker and former president of the Spokane Association of REALTORS®, who made many vital contributions to the Spokane business community.

This scholarship helps a distinguished REALTOR® member pay for tuition and expenses for classes leading to professional designations offered by the National Association of REALTORS®, i.e. Graduate REALTORS® institute, Certified Residential Broker, Certified Property Manager, Society of Industrial REALTORS® or a member of the Appraisal Institute.

Also honored was John Becker, managing broker at Windermere Real Estate North (pictured-right). Becker is the third recipient of the Gary Fox Memorial Broker Award, presented by SAR member Sabrina Jones-Schroeder, last year’s recipient (pictured-left). Becker, who also serves as Chairman of the Board for Windermere Services, Mountain West, is a well-known and respected real estate broker in Spokane, licensed as a broker 32 years ago in 1978.

The Gary Fox Memorial Broker Award was created in 2007 and first presented in 2008 by the leadership of the Spokane Association of REALTORS® to recognize those rare individuals who exemplify the things that Gary Fox stood for. He led by example and his motto, “Always Do the Right Thing” is how he lived his life and how he expected others to as well.

Rob Higgins, Executive Vice President of the Association said, about Gary, “He had a keen sense of humor and was able to bring out the best in those who knew him with his warm smile. Gary lived life to the fullest and had an incredible love for his country, community, family and for his REALTOR® family.”

Recipients of the Gary Fox Memorial award are nominated by the Membership of the Spokane Association of REALTORS®. They must be a current REALTOR® member, have a broker’s license, and be a current broker or manager with at least 5 years experience in that role.

The Spokane Association of REALTORS® is a professional trade association in service to our members and the general public. The term REALTOR® and the identifying logo are federally registered collective membership marks identifying real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® and who agree to adhere to its strict Code of Ethics.