During December, Illinois REALTORS® is recognizing members who were celebrated earlier in the year for their leadership, expertise and professionalism in a series called, “REALTORS® who made a difference in 2019.”

The first installment of the series features a pair of veteran association executives: Kankakee-Iroquois-Ford Association of REALTORS® (KIFAR) CEO Connie Legris and Peoria Area Association of REALTORS® (PAAR) CEO Dallas Hancock. In early August, their associations announced they would retire on Dec. 31.

Legris retires after more than 21 years at the helm. She joined KIFAR as its MLS coordinator in 1993 and became its CEO in 1998. She’s served on the Illinois REALTORS® Association Executive Committee, the Professional Standards Committee and the Housing Opportunity Working Group. She’s served on several working groups for the state association and several focus groups for NAR. She has earned the REALTOR® Association Certified Executive (RCE) designation.

Hancock has led PAAR for more than 34 years as CEO. In 2018, she became general manager of the RMLS Alliance regional MLS. She has served on numerous committees for Illinois REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). She holds the RCE designation, too. Significant awards include the Illinois REALTORS® Rhino Award and her induction into the NAR Dr. Almon R. “Bud” Smith Association Executive Leadership Society.

Watch this blog during the next few weeks for more “REALTORS® who made a difference in 2019” stories.