Friday the 13th is NEFAR's lucky day.
Juana Watkins, Esq., Florida Realtors®' general counsel and vice president of Law and Policy, has signed on to be the keynote speaker at NEFAR's annual Fair Housing Luncheon.
The two-hour luncheon will be held on Friday, May 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm. at the Marriott Jacksonville hotel in Southpoint. The price of the lunch will be $10.
In addition to Watkins’ keynote address, NEFAR will recognize members of the association’s new professional society, EDGE (Ethics, Diversity, Goals, Excellence) and members of the Florida Realtors® Honor Society.
REGISTER HERE
Fair Housing and Resources
The topic of Ms. Watkins’ talk will be "Fair Housing and Resources for REALTORS®." REALTORS® who attended the recent District One Conference in April will understand what a treat it is to have Ms. Watkins address the association. Her District One talk on the continuing problem of Copyright infringement and the 23 new federal lawsuits that have been filed against REALTORS® since December 2021 was very engaging and captivated her audience.
“What an honor it is to be invited to speak to the group, then and now,” wrote Ms. Watkins in an email to NEFAR CEO William Glenn East. In the email, she promised to put together the most relevant and timely information she can find on Fair Housing and the various resources that should be helpful to members.
A lawyer who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and a Juris Doctorate from Florida State University College of Law, Ms. Watkins has spent her 20-plus-year career working for both Florida Realtors® and the Division of Real Estate for the state of Florida. She is an experienced attorney and executive-level professional, with a demonstrated history of success in the real estate industry.
Ms. Watkins has also served on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the Florida Bar. In July 2012, she wrote the article, “Look Out – You Could Lose Your License,” that appeared in Florida Realtor Magazine.
EDGE Society Members
Included among the charter members who will receive an EDGE pin and certificate will be Rory Dubin of EXIT Real Estate Gallery; Neil Bridgers of Watson Realty Corp.; Fresa Alejo-Jones of Florida Homes Realty & Mortgage; Missi Howell, of The Legends of Real Estate, and NEFAR CEO William Glenn East. Also receiving membership recognition will be Cole Slate of Slate Real Estate, Richard Michael Morris, Jr. of RE/MAX Specialists, and Carmen R. Llontop of Florida Homes Realty & Mortgage; 2022 NEFAR President Mark Rosener of Watson Realty Corp.; Melissa Kehres of The Legends of Real Estate, Laila Iarossi of Florida Homes Realty and Mortgage; Julie Bentley of Watson Realty Corp.; and Eric Cavanagh of Keller Williams Realty.
Florida Realtors® Honor Society
During the luncheon, NEFAR will also recognize members who are also active participants at the state level. The Florida Realtors® Honor Society was established 35 years ago to salute members for participation at the local, state, and national levels of the REALTOR® organization as well as for their activity in institutes, societies, and councils of the National Association of REALTORS®, designations earned, educational activities, and political involvement that assists the real estate industry. Each honor society member will receive a custom-designed lapel pin that symbolizes homes for people, business, and industry. Starting with the 15th year, pins are sent in five-year increments. Once a member reaches 25 years, they receive a Lifetime Membership pin.
This year, Florida Honor Society members who also belong to NEFAR include:
1st Year:
Eric Cavanagh, Margarita Cavanagh, April Hall-Lloyd, Tina Minshall, Christian Oliva, and Shelly Sharp.
2nd Year:
Cole Slate.
3rd Year:
Jeannette T. Jenkins, Katherine Karr-Garcia, and Scott Nyman.
4th Year:
Tiea Vincent and Delmas “DeDee” Harper.
5th Year:
Mario Gonzalez, Janna Thomas, and Joyce Roberts.
6th Year:
Patricia Sherman.
8th Year:
Diane Cook, Kimberly Knapp, and Mark Rosener.
9th Year:
Diana Galavis, Marc Jernigan, and Gonzalo Mejia.
10th Year:
Ronald P. Harris, Clark LaBlond, and Sally Suslak.
11th Year:
Ben Bates, Jr.
12th Year:
Andrew Bell and Missi Howell.
13th Year:
Audrey Lackie.
14th Year:
Rory Dubin, William A. Watson, Jr., and Carol Zingone.
16th Year:
Millie Kanyar.
21st Year:
Russell Grooms.
Lifetime Members:
Wendell Davis (26 years), Dee Bumbarger (27 years), Beverly Garvin (30 years), William Glenn East (30 years), and Catherine B. Whatley (35 years).
