Marla Martin, Communications Manager or Jeff Zipper, Vice President of Communications
407/438-1400, ext. 2326 or 2314

Fort Myers Realtor® Honored
As 2009 Realtor Associate of the Year

ORLANDO, Fla., August 2009 — Florida Realtors® honored Cynthia Shafer, a Fort Myers Realtor®, as their 2009 Associate Realtor of the Year. The award was presented at the state association’s recent 93rd annual Convention & Trade Expo at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Fla.

The Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR) has presented Realtor of the Year and Associate Realtor of the Year awards for more than 50 years. Winners are honored as the greatest individual lifetime contributors to their local board, community, state association and the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).

Shafer is a member of the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach. She has served her local association on many levels as a member of most committees and as chair of the Professional Development, Community Relations, Affordable Housing, Communications and Leadership committees. She was president of the former Fort Myers Beach Board in 1998 and a member of the Merger Task Force; that same year, the board recognized her as its Realtor of the Year. The Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach honored her with its Humanitarian award in 1999 and its Realtor of the Year award in 2000.

On the state level, Shafer has been involved with FAR since 1998, serving on many committees, councils and forums, including District 5 vice president, chair of the Board Leadership Forum and as an FAR director. On the national level, she has been a NAR director and served on the NAR Transportation Work Group, State and Local Fiscal Affairs and Housing Opportunity committees.

Shafer volunteers for many community organizations, particularly ones that benefit children and affordable housing. She has been a child advocate for 36 years, representing abused, abandoned and neglected children in Lee County as a Guardian ad Litem volunteer. Almost three years ago, she and her husband John started their Beds for Kids program; since then, they have delivered about 500 beds, sheets, pillows, blankets and stuffed animals to children in the foster care system. The state association recognized her as Humanitarian of the Year in 1998, and NAR presented her with a Good Neighbor Award in 2002 for her Beds for Kids program.

Florida Realtors®, formerly known as the Florida Association of Realtors®, serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 115,000 members in 67 boards/associations. Florida Realtors® Media Center website is available at http://media.floridarealtors.org.