Winter 2020 Faulkner Lifestyle

The accomplishments do not
stop there! In September, at the
Arkansas Realtors Association
annual convention, Velda was
chosen as state Realtor of the Year.
Twenty-seven realtors across the
state were selected to represent their
respective boards. A committee
reviews each nominee’s application
and selects the subsequent winner.
“It is a huge honor; I am only the
second realtor from Faulkner County
to be awarded this recognition. My
good friend, Glen Rega, was also
recognized in 2009. In November I
was honored to represent Arkansas
at the national association’s annual
convention, which was held in San
Francisco,” she says.
“
This has been part of my life for 35 years. For
several years now, I have taught/coached many kids
whose parent or parents I had taught/coached years
before! When I was first hired, I coached football,
baseball, and girls and boys basketball,
”
Coach says.
other realtors to ring the bell for The
Salvation Army, work concessions
at basketball games, and just about
anything else I have to time to do,”
she shares.
With Faulkner County property
booming, it is a fantastic time to
work in real estate. “New construction
is everywhere; if there is an
available lot, blink and there will be
a foundation poured! The rehabbing
of older homes is very lucrative, and
I love that our historic area is seeing
so many renovations. Fifty-five plus
housing is growing in popularity, and
I hope we see more developments
for this demographic,” says Velda.
Velda’s real estate career has been
successful, particularly in recent
years. She served as president for
the Arkansas Realtors Association
in 2018 and as immediate past
president in 2019. “I was honored to
be part of the leadership team for the
association for seven years. I gained
so much knowledge from the leaders
I served with,” she says. Velda will
serve on the National Association
of Realtors Board of Directors for
2020-2022. “I am the first member
from the Faulkner County board to
serve in this position. I am extremely
excited about this appointment.” In
August 2019, she was also selected
as the Faulkner County Board of
Realtors Realtor of the Year.
In February 2019, Velda was
inducted into the Faulkner County
Board of Realtors Hall of Fame,
and in December she received the
Conway Chamber of Commerce
Women in Business Diamond
Achievement Award. “Talk about
a shock! It literally took my breath
away. I attend the luncheon each
year and am awed by the work each
person has done. I don’t feel like I
have accomplished nearly as much as
others have,” she says.
Velda truly loves her profession and
serving on committees at the local,
state, and national levels. As she says,
“Doing so keeps me involved with
members from across our county,
state and country. I truly enjoy the
political side of real estate. I also enjoy
traveling to Washington, DC each May
to meet with our elected officials. We
discuss issues that affect the real estate
industry in Arkansas.”
As for Coach retiring, Velda says, “I
can’t imagine not having a football
or baseball schedule attached to the
refrigerator. During baseball season,
8 faulkner lifestyle | winter 2020