NEFAR’s Russell Grooms was recognized as the 2022 winner of the Spirit of Advocacy Award during the state association’s annual Convention and Trade Expo on August 25.
Grooms, who served as president of Florida Realtors in 2004, was honored as a member of Florida Realtors® who has demonstrated excellence in advocacy at the local board, state association, national association, and Northeast Florida community within the governmental or political arena over his lifetime. Monetary donations are not a consideration for the award.
A REALTOR® Emeritus, Grooms has invested more than 40 years in the real estate industry. During his long career, he has demonstrated a fervent commitment to advocacy and has done the hard work needed to support his profession. He has spent decades inspiring and educating others on key industry issues and asking for their support.
Since the mid-1980s, Grooms has been a key contact helping to keep many legislators informed about real estate industry concerns and issues at the state level. He has served on or chaired dozens of Florida Realtors® committees, presidential advisory groups (PAGs), and forums.
At the national level, he has served as a Federal Political Coordinator to members of Congress for the National Association of Realtors and on countless NAR committees, from its Federal Legislative and Political Forum to the State and Local Issues Mobilization Committee.
In Northeast Florida, Grooms has?personally worked on numerous local, state, and congressional candidate campaigns. His advocacy efforts over his long career include successfully fighting a proposed sales tax on services in Florida – twice –?as well as calling for changes in the guidelines for PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) programs in the state.
Grooms is a dedicated advocate for private property rights and a strong voice for REALTOR® engagement and investment. He represents the real estate profession at its best.
