GRAR Staff Roster

Executive & Administrative Staff

NAME Position & Responsibilities Contact Info
Julie Rietberg Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Aligns the company, internally and externally, with the organization’s business plan; management and oversight of the financial, MLS, and administrative operations; compiles and monitors industry trends and statistics; and coordinates the organization’s advocacy efforts.

Staff Liaison to: GRAR & MLS Boards of Directors, Finance Committee, Government Affairs Committee,  Legal Action Committee, Professional Standards Committee, Tech/AI Task Force, and Chapter Advisory Groups (BICE and GRAR West).

e-mail Julie
(616) 940-8200
Pam VanLuven Peters Sr. Vice President

Management and oversight of the day-to-day operations, customer service personnel, professionalism and industry standards, real estate forms, leadership academy, safety program, and the REALTORS® Property Crisis Fund (a charitable 501c3 organization).

Staff Liaison to: Candidate Review & Development Committee, Crisis Fund Task Force, DEI Task Force, GRARLA, Grievance Committee, MLS Policy Task Force, Safety Task Force, West Michigan Regional Forms Committee, and the Young Professionals Network (YPN) Advisory Council.

e-mail Pam
(616) 940-8226
Kelley Lash Director of Finance

Responsible for managing day-to-day activities related to financial operations, accounting, human resources, and shareholder records.

Staff Liaison to: Finance Committee

e-mail Kelley
(616) 940-8212
Sue Jenkins Executive Assistant & Professional Standards Specialist
Administrative support to the CEO, Sr. Vice President, and GRAR and MLS Boards of Directors. Also responsible for Professional Standards administration.Staff Liaison to:   Professional Standards Committee
e-mail Sue
(616) 940-8214
Brittany Smith Director of Multi-Media & Education

Responsible for GRAR print, web, and social media communications and promoting the REALTOR brand. Maintains a social media strategy; designs and develops multimedia presentations and publications. Creation/distribution of the weekly mailings. Oversees educational programming.

Staff Liaison to: Education & Professionalism Task Force and the REBar Task Force.

e-mail Brittany
(616) 940-8236
Krissie Entsminger Director of Events & Community Outreach

Manages the REALTOR® Store, coordinates room rentals, organizes and promotes GRAR events, highlights volunteerism and community involvement, provides SentriLock and Forewarn services.

Note:  Brokerages in need of additional SentriLock lockboxes are encouraged to call to place an order since time is needed to program boxes before pick-up.

Staff Liaison to: Community Involvement Task Force (and Schoolhouse Program).

e-mail Krissie
(616) 940-8223
Anna Palma Financial Services Specialist

Responsible for daily financial receipts, MLS accounts receivable (including monthly charges and invoices), annual and prorated membership dues.

e-mail Anna
(616) 940-8209
Jen Sochanek MLS Processing Specialist

Customer Service and MLS administration – oversight of new GRAR listings

e-mail Jen
(616) 940-8208
Dana Tosh
Membership Administrator

Responsible for maintenance of membership database, including, but not limited to, new member applications and orientation, new brokerages, firm transfers, membership terminations, postal and email address changes, requests for good-standing letters, etc.

e-mail Dana
(616) 940-8218
Emmi Connick MLS & Customer Service Specialist

Customer service, phone reception, and MLS administration – oversight of pending/closed sales and changes to GRAR listings.

e-mail Emmi
(616) 940-8200

Advocacy & External Affairs Staff

NAME Position & Responsibilities Contact Info
Doug Merriam
Director of Advocacy & External Affairs

Responsible for overseeing both the development and implementation of public policy strategies, as well as managing external communications and stakeholder relationships.

Staff Liaison to:  Government Affairs Committee

e-mail Doug
(616) 940-8298

Information Services Staff

NAME Position & Responsibilities Contact Info
Rick Baumann
Director of Information Services

Provides strategic and tactical oversight of the organization’s and membership’s technology needs; oversight of internal technical operations; member support and training; Tech Doctor (virus protection, identification, clean-up).

e-mail Rick
(616) 940-8204
Kristy Lubbers Technical Services Specialist

Helpdesk support for MLS (policies, Flex, ShowingTime, RPR, DotLoop, Zipforms); member hardware and software; oversight of MLS administration; MLS training.

e-mail Kristy
(616) 940-8203
Larry Amond Director of Application Development

Systems support, programming applications for systems and website functionality.

e-mail Larry
(616) 940-8283
Brian Miller Applications Programmer

Database programmer for member records, internal MLS administrative programs, financials, and other internal/external needs.

e-mail Brian
(616) 940-8204