NAI Global Announces Community Service Award Winners

NAI Global announced the annual winners of its Of the Community Awards for a single office as well as an individual this week at its Global Convention taking place at the Hilton Austin Hotel in the Texas capital.

The individual winner for this award is Gretchen Miller with NAI Sioux Falls in South Dakota.  

Ms. Miller is the Marketing Manager at NAI Sioux Falls and earned the company-wide recognition (NAI Global has more than 7,000 professionals and administrative staff worldwide) for her long-term engagement with the Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota Everyday Heroes Mentoring Program. Currently, she is in her eighth year mentoring female students and third year with her current mentee in the USucceed Mentoring Program. The USucceed Mentoring Program begins when students are freshman and continues through high school graduation.

Mentors assist students in setting and meeting their goals in relationship development, independent living and academics. Students must be referred to this program by school personnel, case managers, counselors and other support professionals. Ms. Miller and her student mentee meet weekly, often at lunch, or just spend time together in a highly supportive environment for the student, who benefits by having a consistent adult presence in her life. Mentors and students report their activity to Lutheran Social Services monthly and work as a team to meet the student’s goals.

“NAI Sioux Falls owners Troy (Fawcett, CCIM, SIOR) and Gregg (Brown, MBA, SIOR) fully support my commitment to our community and I am grateful for their encouragement to work with an organization that I care deeply about and also for the support in allowing me to take time off of work to do this important community service,” Miller said.

She added: “As a professional, I am able to actively listen and understand the young women I support, which helps establish trust. This is true for the real estate business so it is rewarding to apply what I have learned in life and work to a meaningful community organization where I live.”

NAI Sioux Falls provides comprehensive services in office, industrial, retail properties and land including leasing, investment sales, tenant representation, property management and consulting. A tertiary market, the office serves the region north, south, east and west of Interstate 90 and Interstate 29.

NAI Cressy captured the Of the Community Award for Office Recognition for its broad engagement and support of multiple organizations and community boards within Northern Indiana and Western Michigan. 2018 marked NAI Cressy’s 70th year in business and they celebrated this milestone with a company-wide 70 Days of Giving Campaign that involved the entire company. 

NAI Cressy serves on the board for Downtown South Bend, Young Professionals Network, Combined Sewer Overflow Long Term Control Plan, Women’s Care Foundation, Fischoff National Chamber Music, Hospice Foundation, Marian High School, Leadership South Bend/Mishawaka, Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Joseph County, The Music Village, Indiana Commercial Board of Realtors, Goodwill Industries of Michiana, South Bend Heritage Foundation, St. Margaret’s House, Woodlawn Association, Southwestern Michigan Economic Growth Alliance Inc., Indiana University South Bend and Business Development Corporation.

In 2017 the office raised $17,257 for United Way. This year, NAI Cressy Founder Don Cressy was awarded the Alexis Coquillard Award, the highest distinction by United Way for his generous contributions over the years.

“Since our inception in 1948, making our community a better place to raise a family and grow a business has been and still is the primary driver of our mission,” said George Cressy, Jr., Chief Executive Officer.

Based in Mishawaka (5 miles east of South Bend), Cressy serves St. Joseph County, Elkhart County (the RV capital of the world), Marshall County, Kosciusko County, LaPorte County, Southwest Michigan and West Michigan. Cressy’s brokerage team is comprised of 20 experienced agents plus specialized support services that provide property valuations, marketing, closing coordination and technology support.