Contact:

Jeff Zipper, Vice President of Communications
407/438-1400, ext. 2314
JeffZ@far.org

Marla Martin, Communications Manager
407/438-1400, ext. 2326
MarlaM@far.org

Venice Realtor® Recognized as FAR’s 2003 Newcomer of the Year

ORLANDO, Fla., September 2003 -- Venice Realtor® Stephen Lingley was recently named Florida’s 2003 Newcomer of the Year by the 90,000-member Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR). The award was presented at FAR’s recent 87th annual Convention & Trade Expo in Hollywood.

This year marks the first time that FAR has given the Newcomer Award. The award is designed to recognize an outstanding individual who has entered the Realtor profession within the past three years or less, and during that time has made notable contributions to the local and state associations, as well as to his or her community.

Lingley joined the Venice Area Board of Realtors in 2001. He serves on the group’s Grievance Committee and chairs its quarterly “Clean our Beaches” project. He participates in numerous other community service activities, including donating Easter and Thanksgiving food baskets for the needy, providing Christmas stockings for the Salvation Army, giving furniture to the local abused Women's Shelter, collecting cans for the board's “Can Cottage for Habitat for Humanity” and working with the board's annual “Paint a House through Volunteer Connections” project.

Lingley also volunteers in the Partnership for Children program through a local YMCA, which takes in children removed from families due to emergencies. He was recently honored by the program for taking in more than four times the number of children in the past two years than any other volunteer – 14 children from birth to the teenage years. Usually, the children stay in his home an average of 30 days.

For his contributions to the real estate profession and the community, Stephen Lingley has been honored with one of FAR’s top awards.

The Florida Association of Realtors, the voice for real estate in Florida, provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 90,000 members in 70 boards/associations.