by Louise E. Hull   The night I was installed as TAR chairman, I said to one of our past presidents, Charles McMillan, "Wow, this must be the pinnacle of serving the Texas Association of REALTORS®!" Charles' answer to me was, "No, this is only the beginning—wait until you see how everyone treats you all year." Well, Charles, I've got to say that you were sure right.

During November, December, and January, our local associations traditionally thank those who have served in the previous year and then honor and install their new officers. I had the privilege of installing a number of the 2000 officers at celebrations around the state. What a treat! We have some absolutely wonderful people who are REALTORS®. And those who get involved in the local associations are the best of the best.

In addition to meeting so many great people, I have made it a point to arrive in these communities a few hours early so that I can see something besides the Holiday Inn. To my delight, I've found that a number of our cities have been involved in downtown revitalization projects that deserve recognition. I particularly enjoyed spending time on the restored streets of Nacogdoches and Denton. Both communities were part of the Main Street Restoration Program, a project that provides funding for restoration of declining downtown areas. Fort Worth is another city I’ve visited with a spectacular renovation, in great part due to private contributions.

It gives me a heightened sense of pride to know that many REALTORS® have given their time—and money in some cases—to pitch in and help organize and carry out these transformations. I'm sure there are several others across the state. I hope to see as many of them as I can, and I look forward to meeting more great TAR members as I travel around Texas this year.