Greater Regional alliance of realtors®

GRAR Leadership Academy

This exclusive, year-long program offers a dynamic blend of experiences, education, and opportunities that are intended to foster a new generation of real estate industry leaders that are diverse in age, career experience, companies/brokerages, service specialties, geographic location, and gender. The class size is determined by the Candidate Review & Development Committee and is typically limited to 20 members per year.

Introducing the Class of 2025!

Luke Booth

Sarah Boucher

Roxy Cortes-Trinidad

Chase Coughlin

Drew Denham

Lindsey Eppink

Anne Espinoza

Dana Eveland

Brandon Faber

Lilian Felix

Dave Geurink

Ashley Hansen

Cody Harding

Michaela Lee

Kaydi McMahan

Jen McNamara

Seidy Rivas

Danielle Robinson

Doug Sheneman

Kim Southwick

Calendar

Programming will focus on:

  • An Inside Look at GRAR’s Leadership Team & Its Meetings
  • Effective Networking Techniques
  • Building Strong Business Relationships
  • Community Involvement & Volunteerism
  • Goal Setting
  • Public Policy & Legislative Advocacy
  • Public Speaking Skills
  • Real Estate Technology & Tools
  • Continuing Education Credits (including legal)
  • We will include some social activities too!

GRARLA Class of 2025 & Alumni Luncheon 

Social/Networking Luncheon w/GRARLA Alumni and the Board of Directors. Following the luncheon, the Class of 2025 will participate in a getting-to-know you exercise. Held at Watermark Country Club.

Storytelling Workshop

Storytelling/Communication Workshop at GRAR held at GRAR

Public Speaking Workshop

Lunch followed by a workshop at GRAR.

Team Building Workshop

Held at GRAR

Group Volunteer Project

Held at Home Repair Services.

Legal Update & Public Policy in Lansing

Bus Trip to Lansing to visit the Michigan REALTORS® office, with a legal update and public policy briefing.

Observance of the Board of Directors Meeting

Breakfast with the GRAR Board of Directors and observation of its business meeting at GRAR.

Goal-Setting Workshop 

Held at GRAR.

Annual Broker’s Meeting 

GRARLA will observe the Annual Broker’s Meeting at the Pinnacle Center. Lunch provided.

Michigan REALTORS® Convention

Attend the MR Annual Convention & Expo in Grand Rapids.

Mock Committee and Board of Directors Meetings 

Held at GRAR

Installation & Awards Celebration

Attend GRAR’s Annual Installation & Awards Celebration to be recognized as a GRARLA graduate.

100% attendance is encouraged in order to successfully graduate the GRARLA program and to be recognized at the Annual Installation & Awards Celebration.  However, we understand that participants might have a pre-planned trip or an unexpected event arise. Therefore, one absence may be approved administratively with no requirement for a make-up session.  Any additional absences will require approval by the Candidate Review & Development Committee and a make-up session might be required.

We are proud of our GRARLA Alumni

If you are undecided if GRARLA is for you, please feel welcome to reach out to any one of our alumni members to ask about their experiences and the bonds that they have formed with classmates.  Below is a roster (by year) of our graduates:

Class of 2024: Holly Belt, Lacey Bereza, Kyle Burns, Jordan Griffin, Lisa Groesser, Courtney Harding, David Jackson, Alicia Johnson, Judy LaSage, Paul Marantette, Tim Meduna, Melissa Perrine, Scott Rider, Melissa Selvig-Mantilla, Susan Shively, Mike Smallegan, Brandon Snellink, Leslie Stolz, Sara Suidinski, and Michael V’Dovick.

 

Class of 2023: Jamecia Adams, Manuel Avila, Dawn Bebout, Geoff Brown, Katrina Cole, Sally Daling, Duke Gray, Julie Grevengoed, Dan Harland, Ryan Hesche, Brian Hevelhurst, Courtney Kellogg, Shawn Kiphart, Kevin Kroondyk, Emily Maglothin-Clear, Amanda Rogers, Jared Schuitema, Jessica Smith, Amanda Stickney, and Julie Woltil.

 

Class of 2022: Ingrid Anastasiu, Jim Connell, Vickie Delands-Kochans, Tedros Fremichael, Jan Hawthorne, Alison Kinsman, Sarah Medina, Pamela Merriman, Lisa Newell, Julie O’Neill, Tanya Powell-May, Rick Rico, Brook Sharp, Paul Ten Eyck, Lisa Thomas, Adam Tolley, Tim Van Stensel, Deena Vroegindewey, and Madeline Witt.

 

Class of 2020 & 2021: Brittany Arraut, Shawn Beatty, Pete Bruinsma, John Dinehart, Erin Fester, Brooke Finlan, Charles Fisher, DeShawn Gholston, Curtis Gross, Maria Kauffman, Elizabeth Klopp, Kevin McCarty, Ryan Prichard, Gregg Teegardin, Megan Tefft, Kevin TerBeek, Lance Tiffany, Jordan Torrez, Alexandra Tremain, Brett Vredevoogd, Michael-Jay Williams, and Angela Worth.


Class of 2019:
  Jeannie Berger, Brandi Block, Jeff Czubak, Adam Fuller, Brandon Garnaat, Santiago Gomez, Kamie Jakeway, Laura Kelso, David Klein, Chasity Kopernik, Mitchell Luban, Kirsten Nairy, Charlie Peterson, Nicole Rinks, Shellie Silva, Cherie Smith, Tom Smolinski, Sarah Takens, Halley Vredenburg, and Scott West.


Class of 2018:
  Brenda Bolin, Lacey Connor, Ashley Dane, Sherlynn James, Antonio Holbrook, Rachel Major, Darryl Matthews, Kyle Naumann, Brooke Passchier, Steve Robrahn, Kristin Ruther, Joshua Schaub, David Scheid, Rustin Scott, Paul Spica, Steve Stuckey,  Seth Vanderwey, Amy Jo Weller, Corrin Wiersema, and Andrea Zoet.

 

Class of 2017: Nick Adado, Maria Blackmer, Paul Bunce, Micah Childress, Adam Connor, Amanda DeLong, Laura Featherston, Will Friend, Becca Greenhoe, Teresa Hoffman, Chad Jurgens, Wendy Katerberg, Jessica Lemmon, Dan Moralez, Andrew Norden, Jordan Painter, Scott Sharda, Dan Steffee, Hank Steffes, Lindy Tanis, and Kyle Visser. 

 

Class of 2016:  Brett Beimers, Robert Brown, Alix Criswell, Mollie Dauser, Darren DeFever, Lindsey Dykstra, Michelle Gaudreau, Kendra Havemeier, Jason Jenkins, Jacob Lietaert, Cory Maguire, Melissa Mitchell, Scott Myhre, Joshua Nawrot, Patricia Round, Leslie Ruppel, Heather Rus, Brooke Sines, and Melissa Thompson.


Class of 2015:
  Connie Bennett, Brian Clinger, Michael Courtright, Charlene Hammontree, David Jackson, Tina Johnson, Dave Kiel, Diana Meyer, Bryant Mitchell, Zach Newhof, Amalia Nunez-Marin, Beau Otis, Jodi Rogers, Mallory Strotheide, Mike VanderWoude, Rachael Veldkamp, Sheri Volkhardt, Carrie Vos, and Laurie Zokoe.

 

Class of 2014:  Jim Blehm, Yvette Blehm, Rory Byrne, Patrick Fase, Larissa Frody, Ron Hudson, Jim King, Beth Mans, Wyatt Martin, Cindy Nelson, Jayne Overbeck, Hanna Partlo, Tracie Rich, Susan Stoddard, Craig Stolsonburg, Lisa VanderLoo, Greg Williamson, and Wayne Wu.


Class of 2013:
  Melanie Abraham, Bev Boerman, Mark Brace, Robin Decker, Brian DeSmit, Diane Ebbers, Michelle Gordon, George Guyott, Jessica Hart, Jeanine Herlacher, Susan Kazma, Scot Kellogg, Melissa McDermott, Ingrid Nelson, Adam Paarlberg, Susan Pastoor, Linda Pell, Amy Reedy,  and Michelle VerMeulen.

GRAR Staff Contact:  Pam VanLuven