Doug Carpenter bestows the REALTOR of the Year honors on Sue Miller Tuesday in Springfield. (Photo by Terry Farmer)

As Sue Miller accepted the 2017 Illinois REALTOR® of the Year award Tuesday night in Springfield, she thanked every colleague in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum for their support and their shared passion for helping others through real estate.

“As I stand before you tonight receiving this amazing recognition,” said the managing broker of Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group in McHenry, “I feel your love and I am committed to making this industry better. Thank you for this recognition.”

A previous winner of the Illinois REALTORS Distinguished Service Award, Miller encouraged others with her “simple” life philosphies:

  • “If you stop learning, you stop living.”
  • “Love unconditionally and expect nothing less in return.”
  • “Live each day as if it were your last.”

She served two terms as president of her local association and was twice honored as local REALTOR® of the Year.

At the state level, Miller has served a total of 11 years on the Illinois REALTORS® Board of Directors. An industry trainer as well as REALTOR®, she is committed to promoting education, ethics and professional development. She has served multiple terms as chair of the Education Working Group and is a long-time member of the REEF board of directors.

She is a “Sterling R” contributor to the REALTORS® Political Action Committee and is one of a select few in the state who has been honored with the Illinois REALTORS® Distinguished Service Award. She has been active with the National Association of REALTORS®, is a member of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® and is a past president of the Illinois Chapter of the Council of Residential Specialists.

Twenty four local associations also celebrated their own REALTORS® of the Year.

  • Ayn Bartok of All In One Real Estate Company in Harrisburg is from the Egyptian Board of REALTORS®.
  • Mac Boyd of Farmers National Company, Arcola, is ROTY for the Central Illinois Board of REALTORS®.
  • Laura Boyer of Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group of Sycamore represents the Hometown Association of REALTORS®.
  • Eve Bremen of Coldwell Banker Residential in Glencoe is the ROTY for the North Shore Barrington Association of REALTORS®.
  • Rebekah Carlson of Next Realty, LLC in Skokie represents the Northern Illinois Commercial Association of REALTORS® (NICAR).
  • Mark Coleman of Coleman Land Company in St. Charles represents the REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley.
  • Patrick Dalessandro of Coachlight Realty in Niles represents the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS®.
  • Susan Gant of RE/MAX Executives Plus in Decatur represents the Decatur Association of REALTORS®.
  • Andrea Greenwalt of Janko Realty & Development in Peru is the REALTOR® of the Year for the Illini Valley Association of REALTORS® (IVAR).
  • Julie Heltne of RE/MAX Signature Properties in O’Fallon represents the REALTOR® Association of Southwestern Illinois.
  • Regen Johnson of Ruhl & Ruhl REALTORS® in Davenport, Iowa represents the Quad City Area REALTOR® Association.
  • Wayne Kurchina of ILrealty, Inc., Kurchina & Associates in McHenry is the Heartland REALTOR® Organization (HRO) ROTY.
  • Michelle Largent of RE/MAX Traders Unlimited in Peoria is the ROTY for the Peoria Area Association of REALTORS®.
  • Martin Lipa of Priority One, Belgium is the ROTY for the Danville Area Board of REALTORS®.
  • Alice McMahon of Reichert Realtors® – Nickel Group in Oak Park represents the Oak Park Area Association of REALTORS®.
  • Michael D. Oldenettel of RE/MAX Professionals, Springfield represents the Capital Area REALTORS®.
  • Sharon Pratt of RE/MAX River Bend in Alton represents the Greater Gateway Association of REALTORS®.
  • Hugh Rider of Realty & Mortgage County, Chicago represents the Chicago Association of REALTORS®.
  • Alex Ruggieri of Sperry Van Ness Ramshaw Real Estate, Champaign is being honored by the Champaign County Association of REALTORS®.
  • Anne Sadler of Choice Realty in Freeport represents the REALTOR® Association of Northwestern Illinois.
  • Brad Shields of Dickerson & Nieman in Rockford represents the Rockford Area REALTORS®.
  • Jim Sim of Oak Leaf Realty in Peotone represents the Three Rivers Association of REALTORS®.
  • Dan Slagell of RE/MAX Choice, Bloomington is being honored by the Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS®.
  • Chris Wilbur of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Bradley represents the Kankakee-Iroquois-Ford Association of REALTORS®.