Global Business Council Achievement Program LogoThe Illinois Association of REALTORS® (IAR) has received Gold status from the NAR for the way it raised member awareness of global business in local markets during the past year.

According to Janet Branton, Senior Vice President Global Business and Alliances Group, NAR, Gold status is awarded to a select number of the 110 global business councils operating nationwide. Branton encouraged Illinois REALTORS® to continue their global outreach, education and awareness so the association could reach Platinum status next year.

IAR took a number of significant international outreach steps in 2015. The association:

  • represented Illinois at the MIPIM Conference in Cannes, France, an international real estate investment event (and will attend the event again in 2016 in partnership with the National Association of REALTORS®).
  • forged an alliance with a Mexican real estate association, La Asociacion Mexicana de Profesionales Inmobiliarios.
  • sponsored training for the CIPS designation which emphasizes training for brokers interested in working on cross-border transactions.

The 2016 Global Working Group is chaired by Jim Kinney, IAR Past President, and the staff liaison is IAR Housing Policy Advisor Sharon Gorrell.