Century 21 Affiliated’s Loretta Alonzo To Receive Illinois Realtor® Of The Year Award
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) February 25, 2015 -- Loretta Alonzo, managing broker of Century 21 Affiliated in La Grange Park, has been named by the Illinois Association of REALTORS® (IAR) as the 2015 Illinois REALTOR® of the Year. The IAR is a voluntary trade association composed of 43,000 members that honors a REALTOR® with this distinction annually.
Alonzo has been chosen to receive the award because of her exemplary career and leadership in the real estate industry, as well as her dedication to improving her community through charity and civic service.
Alonzo began a career in real estate 38 years ago as a way to balance work and family life. After becoming acclimated to the industry, Alonzo sought out a management role and became broker-owner of Century 21 Alonzo & Associates in La Grange Park in the early 1990s. Today, Alonzo oversees the now Century 21 Affiliated office and enjoys passing on her knowledge to the next generation of agents. She advises new realtors to, “be prepared for hard work,” and makes sure they understand the work involved to become successful. “There are no short cuts,” she says. “You need to be educated about the business, take the classes you need and listen to the advice of your manager. You can’t miss any steps on your way to growth.”
The Century 21 Affiliated family is proud to call Alonzo one of their own. “I am extremely honored to have Loretta as a colleague,” said Thomas Bretz, a partner of Century 21 Affiliated. “Her commitment to the industry—past, present, and future— is unparalleled. She exemplifies a genuine spirit for not only getting the job done right but striving to do the job even better the next time around. That drive to exceed expectations is what makes her the perfect recipient of this award.”
During her longstanding career, Alonzo has been an active member and leader of both local and national real estate organizations. In 2012, she was the first Hispanic to hold the position of President of the Illinois Association of REALTORS®. She is currently the Chair of Housing Opportunity Committee for the National Association of REALTORS® and has been a member of their Board of Directors since 2008. She is a past president of the Century 21 Chicagoland & NW Indiana Broker Council and also past president of the West Suburban Chapter of the Women’s Council of REALTORS®.
Alonzo has also received prestigious accolades including being named Local Association Realtor of the Year seven times, the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® 2013 REALTOR® of the Year, the recipient of IAR’s Distinguished Service Award in 2004, Woman of the Year from the Mexican-American Business Women’s Club in 1984, and Woman of the Year from the Fraternal Order of Wildcats in 2012.
Alongside Alonzo’s leadership work in real estate organizations, she has volunteered her time giving back to the community that has given her so much. “I was from a family that was always involved in the community,” said Alonzo. She has volunteered with the Grand Haven Veterans Club, Easter Seals and La Grange Park Chamber of Commerce. She is also a loving grandmother to seven and a breast cancer survivor, which in particular, she credits as giving her a resiliency and strength to keep thriving both professionally and personally.
Alonzo will receive the 2015 Illinois REALTOR® of the Year award at a banquet that will be held at Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in June.
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ABOUT CENTURY 21 AFFILIATED
Century 21 Affiliated, Inc. has been established since 1978 and became a franchise member of the Century 21 system in 1979. The Century 21 Affiliated family has 1300 agents and 70 locations in the Midwest, including Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan.
Colleen OToole, ElmSpring Chicago, http://www.elmspringchicago.com, 312.664.2121, [email protected]
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