• 2006 Tomlin/Nicks/Wells & Townsend NATIONAL AWARDS
• 2006 Rocky Mountain Region Awards

How this actually takes place
Each year, our staff sits down before Christmas and talks about the year. We walk through our client directory and talk about those Brokers and companies that stood our in our collective minds, and eventually this boils down to an upside down hat in the middle of our conference table filled with small torn pieces of white paper with the names of those who will deemed "special."

We vote in two categories. First, the three NATIONAL AWARDS. Broker of the Year, Company of the Year, Franchise of the Year. And for the first time all three are from the state of Colorado. Then, each of our Partners and Account Executives secure a vote from each of our four Regions. Because I run our Rocky Mountain region, it's particularly satisfying to see that this year's national winners were also all from the Region I serve.

National Awards-

Tomlin/Nicks/Wells & Townsend ADVERTISING / 2006 Broker of the Year
Dennis Bailey, Broker/Owner, Coldwell Banker Bailey & Co., Montrose, CO
It is a great pleasure to announce our 2006 Broker of the Year award goes to a Broker from the Rocky Mountain Region, selected from more than 500 companies. Over the course of just 6 months, Mr. Bailey fully implemented Variable Commission Home Marketing Plans and the Real Estate Gift Card. His outstanding Marketing Director, Ginny Blaylock worked with our office almost daily on all their print advertising (at no additional cost I might ad, something few Brokers take advantage of in our relationship). He worked personally and individually with each of his superior team of agents, making sure they understood the use of our programs on a local basis, something we can never fully teach.

Dennis is a lifelong real estate professional, originally in business in Parker, CO, then Montrose. His office is a beautiful facility and a tribute to Coldwell Banker. When in Denver, he stops by our office, always looking for new and better ways to serve his customers. HE IS A TRUE LEADER, with specific expectations for himself and his agents, an outstanding real estate company owner who we have total respect for. Thank you Dennis!

Tomlin/Nicks/Wells & Townsend ADVERTISING / 2006 Company of the Year
Jim Smith Realty / Pagosa Springs, CO
Jim Smith Realty, in beautiful Pagosa Springs, CO, employing 22 of the 178 agents in the community, has managed to get and hold on to a 70% market share for years now. That is AMAZING! Jim Smith is AMAZING! Jim Smith's agents are AMAZING! There is no company we know of anywhere in the U.S. or Canada that controls their market like Jim Smith Realty in little old Pagosa Springs.

Jim Smith does everything different. He publishes the finest real estate magazine we've ever come across, and does so today at a profit. He spends money to make money, always wisely. He has no fear of his agents "leaving" - in fact, I don't think the guy has any fear of anything - in the midst of all the "bubble bursting" talk he spend more than one million dollars renovating two beautiful offices. He attends every minute of every meeting we've had with his people. He knows exactly how many listings his company takes EVERY DAY. He is honest as DIRT. He makes DECISIONS! His people totally, and I mean TOTALLY, respect him, his mind, his vision and his leadership. AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING REAL ESTATE COMPANY from top to bottom, flawless!

Tomlin/Nicks/Wells & Townsend ADVERTISING / 2006 Franchise of the Year
RE/MAX® International
Boy, that's a surprise (especially coming from me), isn't it? Well, let me explain. Right or wrong, RE/MAX® people are THINKING! They are coming up with new ideas, new concepts, new standards and most of all NEW HOPE! In my opinion, much of what they have provided in terms of real answers for their franchisees still needs a little tweaking, but I give them total credit and my complete respect for THINKING! And THINK they do!

And make no mistake about it… they are fully committed to WINNING! Dave Liniger, et al, are out to EXPLOIT these challenging times. Precisely the appropriate mind-set! In the past few months I have met with many of their top U.S. Executives and Brokers, and while I am personally not much of a fan of the original RE/MAX® Business Model, give them all credit for their AGGRESSIVE (as opposed to passive) position and they certainly have my respect as the current franchise real leaders in this industry.

You won't like this either, but, here goes;
I only included this to make a point - the only point - things are CHANGING! Our second choice was Help-U-Sell®. Not because they have a whiz-bang business model, they don't, but because AT LEAST HAVE A BUSINESS MODEL! They aren't wishy-washy about what they do or how they do it. They don't make a different "deal" with every agent that walks through the door. They have a system, and as consumer deficient as I might think it is, it IS a system.

And one last thought about all these discount companies - THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO CONDUCT THEIR BUSINESS ANY WAY THEY SEE FIT SO LONG AS THEY CONFORM TO LAW. I am SO SICK of whiny Brokers complaining, knocking, boycotting, mocking, and belittling these discount companies I can not even tell you.

IT IS A GOOD THING that today's consumers have choices! Help-U-Sell and their "kind" make you and your company better, more consumer-oriented, and that's GOOD FOR EVERYONE! Stop whining (if you've been whining) about these companies - THEY HAVE A RIGHT AS AMERICANS IN A FREE MARKET ECONOMY TO CREATE THEIR OWN BUSINESS MODEL ANY WAY THEY FEEL IS RIGHT.

More RANT, sorry!

Rocky Mountain Region Awards-

Rocky Mountain Region / Broker of the Year
John Huff / Coldwell Banker Home Owners Realty / Grand Junction, CO
What a GREAT REAL ESTATE BROKER! And a truly great MAN. John is among the most dedicated Broker/Owners we have the privilege to work with, in every respect. A team player, he supports Coldwell Banker and his fellow affiliates. His desk is forever topped with PILES of information, and that's because the guy READS! A lot. And because he does, John knows what's going on in this industry. John runs this dynamic company with love, integrity and energy.

John, and his group of half a hundred agents are a genuine team, something we sadly see less and less of each year. John Huff is outstanding Broker/Owner who deserves all the recognition and respect he gets - and he gets his share - because he's so good at what he does. Thank you John.

Rocky Mountain Region / Sales Manager of the Year
Drew Ahmann / Coldwell Banker Ahmann Brothers / Helena, MT
Drew Ahmann is some kind of sales manager. He and his brother, Rick, have spent their entire adult lives in real estate, taking the helm of this hot real estate company from their father, Al Ahmann, who was something of a Montana real estate legend before his passing a number of years ago.

Drew is unassuming, easy to underestimate and keeps his cards close to his vest (a Montana thing I suspect). But, his people LOVE him - and more importantly, they live up to his expectations - the real mark of a fantastic sales manager. You're something else Drew, and your expertise didn't go unnoticed by us.

Rocky Mountain Region / Agent of the Year
Sharon Vaughn / Coldwell Banker Home Owners Realty / Grand Junction, CO
Nobody… and I mean n-o-b-o-d-y sells real estate more effectively than Sharon Vaughn - and the best part of it is, it has very little to do with what kind of salesperson she is, it has EVERYTHING to do with what kind of person she is.
Sharon and her team sell a lot of real estate on Colorado's Western Slope and are among western Colorado's top producers. She is quiet by nature, a detail fanatic, willing to try new things and provides a leadership example to her company that is unprecedented. Most of all, Sharon Vaughn is a LADY, none of this pretentious, self-important, Prima Donna nonsense for her - she is a graceful, talented and confident professional all day, every day. Thank you for your inspiration Sharon.

Honorable mention: A close runner-up for this award goes to Bill Rawlins from ERA Carroll Realty in booming Sheridan, Wyoming, who would have likely won the award outright had he not accused me of plagiarizing a literary concept from Lonesome Dove for my newest novel, "BIG MEDICINE". Seriously, Bill Rawlins is a real estate powerhouse in Sheridan and a great guy too!

Rocky Mountain Region / Start-up of the Year
2nd Street, REALTORS / Casper, WY
15 months ago, this company did not exist - except in the minds of Trisha Litchey, Mary Moore and Ramona Kuhn, who were then working at a sunset company with a lot of attitude issues. Today, already, and in spite of dealing with several seemingly insurmountable problems (a tragic automobile accident and the top-to-bottom refurbishing of a classic old Casper landmark) these dynamic ladies have come from virtually nowhere to become a Casper market leader in what seems like no time at all. Fantastic people, a great new company and very good friends too! Thanks ladies, you continue to amaze us.

Rocky Mountain Region / Market of the Year
Gallup, New Mexico
Here's a funny thing. Every year, we get a call from some obscure place we would have never put on our expansion list. And in the Rocky Mountain Region, in 2006, that place was Gallup, New Mexico - Tribal Headquarters of the great Navajo Indian Reservation. So, I went to Gallup. And while waiting to see the company who had called, I ran into Elizabeth Hamilton, the Broker/Owner of Coldwell Banker High Desert Realty - who bowled me over.

As it turned out, Elizabeth and her team of 12 agents have been a delight to work with, their community has been a wonderful place to visit and we are now open in a place we would probably never have stopped. Thanks to Elizabeth and her team for their friendly hospitality and support of our systems, you're all great!

Rocky Mountain Region / Toughest Client of the Year
Prudential Steamboat Realty / Steamboat Springs, CO
Not much question in our minds as to who this award goes to for 2006 - Prudential Steamboat Realty in BEAUTIFUL Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Now, don't misunderstand, this award is a big positive - tough clients make us recommit to doing our job better, and that's important, really important. About half of their approximately 40 agents bought into Variable Commission Home Marketing Plans - about half are making me work a little harder at convincing them - and that makes you really commit, or quit, something not in our vocabulary.

Broker/Owners Cam Boyd (a hugely intelligent guy) and Pam Vanatta, one of Colorado's top 5 real estate agents, a real super-talent, well, you figure it out, she closes over 50 million in residential sales annually, have assembled a truly remarkable collection of powerful people, including Olympic skiing medalists, ranchers, business people and a covey of phenomenal real estate people. Together, they control about one third of the rich Steamboat market. Nice people all and someone we look forward to fully "converting" in 2007. Much thanks to Pam and Cam.

Rocky Mountain Region / Funnest Company of the Year
CENTURY 21 Dart & CENTURY 21 Country Real Estate / Utah
Well, actually, for the first time, this award for 2006 goes to two companies; CENTURY 21 Country Realty (Jefferson, Utah) and CENTURY 21 Dart (Vernal, Utah), owned by two amazing guys, Lynn Snow and Ralph Dart respectively. These two guys have been around the CENTURY 21 system since it started in Utah, they went to school together and have been lifelong friends.

I love these two companies, and even though I've had a nightmare finding a place to stay - EVERY TIME I GO THERE - they've supported us right down the line - and made it fun too! Our meetings always include some stunning cowboy poetry recited by Lynn, who has an exceptional memory for a man HIS AGE; and Ralph, who although a little grumpy, manages to be present at all our sessions - his small town smile is reassuring, you just KNOW he is one of the good guys.

Their agents, right across the board, are hard working, friendly, warm, open, knowledgeable and committed to winning, and that they are. Each visit I've made to these companies has been a real pleasure, something I wish we could see more of with our clientele because FUN is important!

And finally-

THE 2006 HOMER SIMPSON REALTY AWARD
This is, of course, is a rather dubious honor I choose every year for the absolute STUPIDEST BROKER I have run into over the past 12 months - for obvious reasons (as encouraged by our fine attorney's) I can not disclose their name. I can tell you they are in a beautiful and rapidly growing resort town in Idaho, and they are a franchise affiliate that rhymes with Lyncy 21.

On February 13rd of 2006 I met with their two owners to present Variable Commission Home Marketing Plans. At the conclusion of the meeting one of the two brokers told me… and I quote… "If we can't get 6%, we just won't take the listing!"

Now buddy, you just can't be more consumer-oriented, more willing to meet the consumer in the middle, than that. You just can't beat that attitude for moving forward into a new time, a new economy and a new industry.

P.S. - This company went out of business the day before Thanksgiving. Keep those old ideas cookin' boys, they're working all right, you're on the right track!

Tomlin/Nicks/Wells & Townsend ADVERTISING / 2006 Employee of the Year
Kory Kenworthy, Senior Account Executive
This is our most important award because without competent, committed people, we can't function as a company or as a service provider. Kory joined us just last spring, formerly an agent with a very fine company we've worked with in the past. Kory is young, committed, smart, hard-working and exceptionally TEACHABLE! We very much appreciate his commitment to our systems, our management and our marketing processes. Thank you for a great year Kory, we all appreciate you.

Special Thanks-
Over the past year there are many people who have contributed a lot to me and to Tomlin/Nicks/Wells & Townsend ADVERTISING, Inc. and I would be remise in not somehow mentioning them and their contributions, for which I am very grateful.

Larry Clifford / Broker/Owner / Coldwell Banker Preferred Realty
Larry has been a knowledgeable and important personal mentor to me, he spends a lot of time communicating with me, he knows what he's talking about and is insightfully right 99.9999999% of the time - a marvelous mind and a human being that is a true role model.

Dixie See / Broker/Owner / ERA Carroll Realty / Sheridan, WY
Dixie runs one of the finest real estate companies in the West - with an iron fist. Her work ethic is every bit as strong as mine, you can call Dixie at her office any morning you'd like - at 6:00 AM - and she'll pick-up the phone. Dixie is a super-manager, on top of everything that is going on with everyone in her company. Smart, savvy, seasoned AND MOST IMPORTANTLY open to new ideas! Somehow she has escaped the numbing brain-lock so many Broker/Owners fall in to, she's FRESH, she's ENTHUSIASTIC, and she's BRILLIANT. She has inspired me many days over the past year, by example, the best way!

Barb Wood / Broker/Owner / ERA The Home Connection / Pocatello, ID
Bard is a FINE lady who makes certain her agents have every advantage. She works hard, runs a great company, and has been a friend since the day we met. Hey, if you have a referral headed to Pocatello, call Barb Wood if you want your clients happy!

Gina Piccoli / Broker/Owner / Coldwell Banker Heritage House / Durango, CO
Gina is without question one of the finest Broker/Owners in the Coldwell Banker network, and among the finest Broker/Owners in the state of Colorado, and her company, approximately 60 agents strong, leads all Coldwell Banker offices in Colorado almost perpetually. She and John Mahoney, her outstanding second in command, stayed with us and implemented new programs during 2006, even though we made a miscue with a marketing program we did for them in 2005. She is a friend and I genuinely appreciate her courage, insight and LOCAL EXPERTISE - something I am coming to realize is dramatically important (and l learned this from her!)

Thanks, and I'll look forward to talking with you soon!

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