Create professional development programs that help REALTORS® strengthen their businesses.
Protect private property rights and promote the value of REALTORS®.
Advance ethics enforcement programs that increase REALTOR® professionalism.
Protect REALTORS® by providing legal guidance and education.
Stay current on industry issues with daily news from Illinois REALTORS®, network with other professionals, attend a seminar, and keep up with industry trends through events throughout the year.
Illinois REALTORS® celebrated 2024 REALTOR® of the Year Ayn Bartok Tuesday night at the President Abraham Lincoln DoubleTree Hotel in Springfield.
The banquet spotlighted Bartok and honored 21 local REALTORS® of the Year representing their local associations from around the state.
Bartok has been a leader in the real estate industry with her local association, the Egyptian Board of REALTORS®, Illinois REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS®.
She has been a REALTOR® since 2006. She has twice led the Egyptian Board of REALTORS® as its president in 2015 and 2021 and was named its local REALTOR® of the Year in 2016.
At the state level, she has been involved in a number of working groups and committees including the Strategic Planning Committee, REALTORS® Political Involvement Group, RPAC Major Investors Working Group and the Strategic Planning and the Leadership Development Working Group. Bartok is a graduate of the Leadership Development Class of 2017.
Bartok is among an elite group of REALTORS® nationwide who have been inducted into the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) Hall of Fame for lifetime contributions of at least $25,000.
She served multiple appointments as a State Legislative Contact and is currently the Federal Political Coordinator for Congressman Mike Bost.
At the national level, she is serving on the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Board of Directors and has served multiple terms on the Risk Management Issues Committee.
Bartok is also active in her local southern Illinois community. She is a past director and president of the Saline County Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Harrisburg Kiwanis Club. She has been involved with the Saline County CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities), the Saline County Industrial Development Company, Hospice of Southern Illinois, and Ferrell Hospital.
Local associations also recognized their own 2024 REALTORS® of the Year:
- Paula Arpasi is the Egyptian Board of REALTORS® ROTY and is the broker-owner for Homefinders Realty in Benton;
- Gabe Caporale is the Oak Park Area Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is the president of Caporale Realty Group in Elmwood Park;
- Heather Carter is the Northwest Illinois Alliance of REALTORS® ROTY and is a broker for Gambino REALTORS® in Rockford;
- Karen Conley Sabella is the Heartland REALTOR® Organization ROTY and is the designated managing broker and regional vice president for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Starck Real Estate in Crystal Lake;
- Peter Cotsirilos is the Northern Illinois Commercial Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is a retail specialist for Keller Williams ONE Chicago in Lisle;
- Linda Dressler is the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® ROTY and is a broker for RE/MAX Suburban in Schaumburg;
- Miguel Ángel Fernández is the REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley ROTY and is a broker for HomeSmart Connect LLC in Arlington Heights;
- Antje Gehrken is the Chicago Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is the president and designated managing broker for ARE Partners in Chicago;
- Tammy Heard is the Mid-Illinois REALTORS® Association ROTY and is a broker for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Central Illinois in Bloomington;
- Erin Karlosky is the Illini Valley Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is a broker for Janko Realty & Development in Peru;
- John Kerstein is the Capital Area REALTORS® ROTY and is the designated managing broker for Keller Williams Capital in Springfield;
- Jean Lewis is the Southwestern Illinois Board of REALTORS® ROTY and is a broker for Keller Williams Pinnacle in O’Fallon;
- Karen Luther is the Central Illinois Board of REALTORS® ROTY and is a broker for Brinkoetter & Associates REALTORS® of Decatur;
- Kendra Mulcahy is the Quad City Area REALTOR® Association ROTY and is a broker for Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors in Davenport, Iowa;
- Jude Offerle is the North Shore-Barrington Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is a broker for Baird and Warner in Winnetka;
- Judy Panozzo is the Three Rivers Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is a broker for Real People Realty in Mokena;
- Monica Pizano is the Kankakee-Iroquois-Ford Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is a managing broker-owner for RE/MAX Prestige Homes in Kankakee;
- Carol Shaffer is the Quincy Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is the managing broker/owner of Bower & Associates in Quincy;
- Robin Simpson is the Peoria Area Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is the designated managing broker for RE/MAX Traders Unlimited in Peoria;
- Christopher Tenggren is the HomeTown Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is the designated managing broker for Weichert REALTORS® Signature Professionals in Rochelle;
- PJ Trautman is the Champaign County Association of REALTORS® ROTY and is the founder and designated managing broker for Trautman Real Estate Agency & Appraisal LLC in Champaign.
