By Pamela R. Rorie, Continuing Education Officer
An enthusiastic crowd of real estate instructors, school officials and publisher representatives attended the 2012 Real Estate Educators Conference held in Raleigh on February 6 and 7. The Commission-sponsored meeting drew 175 participants from across the state for this year’s event.
Anita Burt, Education and Examination Officer, opened the conference with an overview of the new, two-part real estate license examination and led a discussion of the exam “problem topics.”
Education and Licensing Director Larry Outlaw reviewed with instructors the recently updated prelicense course syllabus and commented on various examination topics with suggestions for preparing students.
The North Carolina Real Estate Educators Association (NCREEA) held its spring meeting, officiated by President Dana Rhodes. Immediate Past President Jo-Ann C. Lavecchia presented the association’s “Program of the Year” award to Jo Mangum for her continuing education elective course, Strategic Pricing Specialist, and its “Educator of the Year” award to George Bell, DREI. Nancy Keck and J. Y. Monk, long-time instructors and school directors, were presented “Emeritus” awards in recognition of their many years of service to real estate education in North Carolina.
Bell was also recipient of the Commission’s Billie J. Mercer Excellence in Education Award, presented by Commission Chairperson Benjamin Cone III. This award is presented annually in memory of former Commission member and chairperson, Billie Mercer, who was especially dedicated to real estate education. The names of all award winners are engraved on the Mercer Award cup. It is displayed in the Commission’s lobby. Commission Vice Chairman Alice Mosteller, and members Everett “Vic” Knight and S. R. “Buddy” Rudd, Jr. also attended the award presentation.
Concluding the NCREEA Awards presentation, instructor Bill Gallagher presided over a “roast” of Thomas R. Miller, retiring Commission Legal Counsel, Director, and Special Deputy Attorney General, who completed 30 years of service March 1.
The first-day afternoon session featured Len Elder, CEO and Course Architect of Course Creators, who discussed teaching the “new” examination topics with specific emphasis on the government survey system and basic real estate investment calculations, and Lawrence J. Fabrey, PhD, Senior Vice President of Psychometrics, Applied Measurements Professionals, Inc. (“AMP”), who provided an introduction to AMP as the new examination provider and an overview of the candidate experience.
Dr. Fabrey opened the second day’s sessions with a summary of the new examination. Patricia Moylan, Commission Legal Education Officer, discussed with participants their experiences in teaching this year’s Update and BICAR courses and outlined the proposed topics for the 2012-2013 Update course. Lisa McQuillen, Education and Licensing Officer, reminded instructors and private school directors about upcoming renewals, and recognized prelicensing schools and instructors whose students had achieved outstanding performance on the license examination.
Ellie D. Edwards, Director of Professional Development for the North Carolina Association of REALTORS®, explained to instructors the procedures for both attaining various REALTOR® designations and for obtaining approval to instruct designation courses. Continuing Education Officer Pamela Rorie discussed current continuing education issues and reminded instructors and CE sponsors of upcoming renewal deadlines.
The conference concluded with the annual “Miscellaneous Legal Issues and Open Forum” session led by Commission Legal Counsel Miller.
The Commission thanks North Carolina’s real estate educators for their continued interest and support, and congratulates George Bell, Jo Mangum, Nancy Keck, and J. Y. Monk for their achievements.
This article came from the May 2012-Vol43-1 edition of the bulletin.