The Vermont Association of REALTORS® has announced their slate of officers for 2008. Marlene Finger of Wynn Realty in Rutland will serve as President of the Association. Lori Pinard of Century 21 Jack Associates in Montpelier is President Elect and Malcolm Teeson of Teeson Real Estate in South Burlington is Treasurer.

The Vermont Association of REALTORS® is comprised of 13 local boards serving approximately 2000 members across the state. The duties of the President are to preside over the Board of Directors and Executive Finance Committee meetings, to install the new officers of the local boards throughout the state, to attend governance meetings sponsored by National Association of REALTORS® and bring that information back to VAR members.

Marlene recently traveled to Bennington with VAR Executive Vice President Robert Hill of Montpelier to present a check of $1,000 to the Veteran's Administration Housing and Transition Fund to benefit homeless Veterans, on behalf of the Vermont Association of REALTORS®. Another $1,000 check was presented to the VA Housing and Transition Fund in White River Jct. by Robert J. Arkley, a REALTOR® and a Veteran, from Waterbury, VT, who was a 2006 recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of REALTORS®. These donations were made in conjunction with the delivery of the 2007 Capitol Christmas Tree that was from the Green Mountain National Forest and was delivered to Washington DC. The tree stopped at VA hospitals along the way. In addition to the $2,000 VAR donation, the National Association of REALTORS® gave a total of $10,000 to the VA Housing and Transition Fund.

With over 1.4 million members, NAR is the largest trade association in the nation. REALTORS® were one of the first organizations to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina. REALTORS® are encouraged to give back to their communities and country.

Marlene Finger has been a VT licensed real estate agent and REALTOR® since 2001. In 2003 she obtained her Certified Residential Specialist designation and a VT Brokers license. Marlene has been very involved with the REALTOR® association having served on many committees on the local, state and national levels. Her involve- ment with the REALTOR® association began in 2002 when she became a member of the Board of Directors of the Rutland County Board of REALTORS®and in 2005 served as President of RCBR. Only three other members of the Rutland County Board of REALTORS® have had this distinction since its beginning in 1945, the last being 19 years ago. They are William Hart, Burnham Martin, and G. Ray Ault. Marlene lives in Rutland with her husband Jim. They have two married sons and three grandsons.