Meet Bill MacDougall, Lowell Martens and Sarah Johnston, CREB^®’s 2021 Honourary Life Award recipients.

Between them, Bill, Lowell and Sarah have nearly 80 years of experience in the Calgary real estate industry. All three joined us to discuss their involvement with CREB^® over the years, the lessons they’ve learned and what comes next.

CREB^®: How does it feel to be recognized for your contributions to CREB^® and the real estate industry?

Bill: It's quite an honour. I volunteer because I want to better the industry. The only reward I wanted to see was an improvement in the professionalism in the industry, and the fact that I was recognized for what I’ve contributed over the last eight or nine years is kind of nice.

Lowell: I consider myself to be just doing my job, and there are a lot of good REALTORS^® out there that have contributed even more than I have. So, for me to receive it was a real honour and privilege.

Sarah: I'm not sure it has completely sunk in yet, actually. I feel very honoured (and a bit uncomfortable) for this recognition, as I feel like there was a lot more I could have done. Hindsight is funny like that. I know there are so many amazing leaders in the history books of CREB^®, and I only played a very small part in that.

CREB^®: What inspired you to get involved with CREB^® and why do you think other REALTORS^® should volunteer their time?

Bill: REALTORS^® tend to live in their own little worlds. I think they need to get out and look at the bigger picture of real estate in Alberta and Calgary and see what's actually going on. Instead of being in the dark when something happens and reacting to it, why don't you get in on the process and see if you can't influence the way you want it?

Lowell: As a newer REALTOR^®, I was trying to build a business, grow as an agent and get a good clientele base. When I decided to make the leap and become the broker and buy the company, suddenly I thought, “I need to be more involved. The industry has been good to me and I think that if I can help a little bit, I'm certainly willing to do that.” It was rewarding for me because I got to meet a lot of really good people and I got to see the industry from a different level. It's easy to be a critic looking in, but when you actually get on the inside you see that the people who are volunteering are really doing it out of the goodness of their heart.

Sarah: I saw a few decisions being made that I wasn't in love with and really wanted to understand how they came about. Add to this the unease of future things to come – I wanted to make sure we would all have jobs in the coming years. If I've learned anything at all it’s this board is one of the best run and most organized in the entire country, while the learning opportunities are endless and add to the overall knowledge and understanding you gain and the changes you're able to impact.

CREB^®: What’s next for you? Which goals remain unaccomplished?

Bill: For me, the most important thing is the education portion of it. That's the one thing I tell the new REALTORS^®: you will learn something new every day in this business. I've been in 18 years and I know people have been there 30 years and they're still learning something new every day – whether it's technology or different legislation coming through or a better way of doing something.

Lowell: The older I get, the more I realize how little I know. At the moment, I quite enjoy what I'm doing, so my long-term goal is to try to be as current as possible. I'm much more cognizant of the fact that I need to move and grow with the times.

Sarah: I feel like I'm starting over again since my term ended in December. Since that time, I've moved to the Okanagan and opened the first CIR Realty office in B.C. I'll tell you, there's nothing that makes you appreciate CREB^® more than trying to work under a different regulatory environment. Perspective truly is everything and I can once again confirm that CREB^® is getting it right.

CREB^®: What’s one piece of advice you would give to REALTORS^® who are just starting out?

Bill: Go get it, keep doing the education and don't stop learning. Take a course – any kind of real estate course that can better you – whether it's through CREB^®, AREA, CREA or the National Association of REALTORS^®. Any kind of education is the best thing.

Lowell: If you're lazy or impatient, this is not a job for you. If you go in believing that you have all the answers and you're going to change the whole industry, this is not a job for you. It's that hands-on knowledge you learn from others that’s important, so be open and cognizant of others and be willing to ask them questions.

Sarah: You really do have to do the work. You can't plant the seed one day and expect a flower the next. If you have questions, ask. If you see a problem, try to fix it.

Honourary Life Membership is presented to individuals who have provided outstanding service to the real estate industry, board or public.

To learn more, click here.