The Board of El Paso County Commissioners joined the Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® on Thursday, May 10, 2018, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the organization’s charter and its continued mission to promote the real estate profession in El Paso County and the region.

Board of County Commissioners President Pro Tempore Mark Waller read the Proclamation into the record, stating, “The Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® is a strong supporter of private and public property rights and development of public policies that effectively address the concerns of landowners, neighborhoods and the entire community. PPAR and its individual members have a distinguished record of civic engagement and volunteer service contributing greatly to the growth and prosperity of the Pikes Peak region while protecting and preserving our outstanding and unique quality of life.”

The Pikes Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® was founded in 1902 and was granted its charter in 1918. Debbie Howes, PPAR’s Chair of the Board of Directors, joined staff and real estate professionals on Thursday to accept the Proclamation. Howes said her organization’s goal is to make the process of buying a home as easy as possible for homeowners.

“Homes, that’s what we’re about,” Howes said. “We believe in personal property rights. We believe in a robust business community, so that we can do our business well and do it ethically.”

All of the Commissioners present thanked the PPAR for its contribution to El Paso County and the region, noting that 100 years is “quite an achievement.”

“You guys do great things in helping people achieve that goal (of home ownership),” Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez said. “As a member of the military, I’ve moved around several times, bought and sold many homes. All the people I’ve worked with have been very professional. Here, they’re just as professional, if not some of the best that I’ve worked with. They are people that care about their community.”

Realtors 100 years group photo