LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Saturday, Dec. 1, the Lake County Association of Realtors held its annual installation gala at Rancho de la Fuente.  

Association Executive Scott Knickmeyer, together with 80 local Realtors and affiliates, welcomed Anita McKee of Lakeview Homes & Estates, as their 2013 president.

McKee previously served as president in 2010 and has over 20 years of experience in the real estate business.

Ray Perry of CPS Country Air was the outgoing president, who crafted all of the plaque awards presented that evening.

The Realtor of the Year Award, which is determined by a vote of the membership, went to Victoria Gindele, Morgan Lane Real Estate. Gindele has served diligently as LCAOR’s Secretary/Treasurer for ten years and has been on the Board of Directors since 2001.

Ginny Craven and Phil Smoley were presented the Byron Whipple Award for their involvement and contributions to community service.

Craven founded Operation Tango Mike in 2003, which has since shipped nearly 12,000 care packages to US service personnel in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Her other service to community accomplishments include ten terms as president of Lucerne Volunteer Firefighters, volunteer coach 2003-2004 for Special Olympics of Northern California, Relay for Life Team Captain which raised in excess of $10,000 to help fight cancer and senior deputy probation officer, who secured a domestic violence grant.  

Smoley, owner/broker at CPS Country Air is the creator of the Bass Bowl, an annual fundraiser for Kelseyville and Clear Lake High School athletics programs. He also promotes a drive for canned goods that help the needy, called the Can Tree, and he is the President of the Lake County Historical Society.

Larry Oslin, Coldwell Banker Towne & Country, received the Hazel Pluth Award for lifetime achievements in Lake County real estate. Oslin has been a steadfast leader in training agents on new technologies for the last three decades.

Other awards included the Affiliate of the Year, which went for the second year in a row to Jacie Casteel, Sterling Mortgage.

Serving as chair of LCAOR’S Scholarship Committee, Casteel and other volunteer Realtors continue to raise funds in excess of $5,000 per year for high schools through out Lake County.