As we embark on a new year of innovation, impact and service, I want to thank our volunteer leaders who have helped NVAR make great strides toward achieving our strategic goals.

An association is only as good as its volunteers, and we’re fortunate to have dozens of dedicated, engaged, professional and informed leaders who step up for the good of the industry. Hundreds of Realtor® and affiliate members dedicated their time and talents to NVAR last year by participating in our 20+ committees, forums and advisory groups. Here are just a few 2016 highlights of what they did to help our members and the industry.

* Public Policy members and staff advocated to protect the ability of Realtors® to post signs in Alexandria. The new ordinance allows one sign or combination of signs totaling no more than seven square feet on any property for sale or rent (up from four square feet) to accommodate industry standards and required riders.
* RPAC broke records this year, exceeding $200,000 in funds raised, with nearly 3,000 individual investors, including 56 major investors. Please see page 12 for a tribute to those NVAR members who went the extra mile in 2016 to achieve Major Investor status.
* Professional Standards processed a record number of complaints. See page 38 for a breakdown of filings, hearings and Citation System dispositions.
* Standard Forms made substantives changes to Listing, Land Sale, Rental Application and Lease forms. You can read about those updates on page 6.
* NVAR Cares donated more than $37,000 to 23 charities. These organizations are listed on page 23.

This past December, we recognized NVAR’s valued volunteer leaders at our annual Installation and Appreciation program. You can read more about that event on page 16. Our newly-installed leadership team meets this month for a training session, where we are fortunate to welcome former NAR President Ron Phipps as a motivational keynote speaker. We are excited to see what accomplishments this impressive group of NVAR leaders will help us realize in 2017.

Among the initiatives debuting this year are a newly formed Technology Advisory Group, an expanded partnership with George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis that will bring you the latest available market forecasts, and new classes such as Ninja Selling Series and the Graduate Realtor® Institute (GRI) designation live modules. And of course, we have our incredible new website at NVAR.com! If you haven’t visited yet, check it out. And please share your thoughts at feedback@nvar.com

I hope that you’ll take advantage of all that your 2017 NVAR membership offers. Our leadership, volunteers and staff continue each day to build on our commitment to Take You Further.