When you have a great team, you have a great team… and that makes all the difference.
For years and years, it has been said by many inside and outside of the industry, that the West Michigan Lakeshore Association of REALTORS® team is a well oiled machine, and that chatter is exactly right! You should be proud to know that WMLAR’s reputation locally, statewide, and even around the country is that of the highest integrity and professionalism. BE PROUD to be a WMLAR Member! Let’s introduce you to the team!
Dale Zahn, RCE, CEO
If you know Dale P. Zahn, CEO of WMLAR, at all, you would know that he loves his country, his Chicago Cubs and our REALTORS®. After his 17 years as a REALTOR®, in 1991, he joined the Association Executive ‘Family’ of approximately (now) 40 in the State of Michigan and about 1100 in the country.
For 30 years, starting back in Davenport, Iowa, Dale has worked “almost tirelessly” (because let’s face it, not every day is filled with roses) to support, encourage and grow the REALTOR® profession and reputation. Serving in many capacities within the Michigan REALTORS® Association Executive Council, Dale has always been a tremendous mentor and oftentimes, guidance counselor to his fellow Association Executives across Michigan and the country.
He holds numerous professional designations including REALTOR® Association Certified Executive (RCE) (1996), Graduate Duke University Association Management Certificate Program, and was inducted into the Dr. Almon R. “Bud” Smith Leadership Society in May 2014. He is a past National Chairman of the RCE Certification Board, the recipient of the Lakeshore Fair Housing Advocacy Award and a second level ($50k) RPAC Hall of Fame Investor. Dale is a Certified Professional Standards Administrator and twice State Chairman of Professional Standards in Illinois. Dale has been a member of National Association of Realtors® Professional Standards Committee for many years and is also a trained mediator.
Dale holds a Bachelors degree from St. Joseph’s College, in Indiana, is a former radio broadcaster and has lived in Holland, Michigan since 2000 with his wife LaVonne. (Thank you also goes out to LaVonne Truelsen Zahn for supporting Dale for 47 years in real estate practice and real estate management! You are also appreciated!)
Lori Santellan – Executive Secretary to CEO
Lori had been with WMLAR since it all began 22 years ago, having previously worked for the former Holland Board of REALTORS. She is the executive secretary to the CEO and is a NAR Certified Professional Standards Administrator. She handles the Grievance and Professional Standards committees and administers services for two other Associations in Michigan.
Lori also handles committee rosters and makes changes as required. She continues as staff liaison to the Board of Directors, coordinates General Membership Meetings and is lead coordinator for the annual golf outing. Lori is the liaison to our 501c3 non-profit, REALTORS® Who Care.
Lori is involved in many other areas of WMLAR administration working hard to provide member friendly service as the Association continues to be a shining star organization in the State of Michigan.
Lori and her husband Julian are residents of Allendale…..we’re delighted to have her on our Team! She performs her duties admirably!
Janie Walton – Director of Accounting
Having previously worked in the administration of one of our large member offices in Muskegon, Janie came to WMLAR two years ago. She has been a marvelous addition to staff as our ‘Queen of All Things Numerical (per Andrea) that far exceed money coming in and out.
She handles the budgets, monthly financial reports deals with required filings to the State of Michigan, billing, receivables, dues remittances, and interacts with the many membership programs unique to organized real estate. Janie also keeps the numbers straight for WMLAR’s other two entities: our MLS and our non- profit, REALTORS® Who Care. That is a tremendous undertaking and we are grateful for her expertise and high attention to detail!
Janie is our staff liaison to our Government Affairs Committee. She assists the numerous events in the Government Affairs/RPAC arena as well.
Janie prides herself in providing great member friendly service to WMLAR members at all times. She and her husband Craig reside in Muskegon and when not hard at work you may find her hiking along the beautiful west Michigan shores! We love having Janie as a valued member of our team and a friend!
Andrea Booker, RCE, MRP, AHWD, ePro – Director of Education, MLS & Marketing
Andrea is what Dale calls a “Multi-Hyphenate” to illustrate the many hats she wears here at WMLAR, helping out a bit with everything. She loves all things graphic designing (and website designing most of the time) and she’s a closet data geek. She earned her REALTOR® Association Certified Executive (RCE) designation in 2017, has a Bachelors in Finance and an Associates Degree. She recently earned her At Home With Diversity, ePRO, and Military Relocation Professional certifications to bring bring to the WMLAR members.
Andrea is also our in house real estate salesperson prelicensing instructor, New Member Orientation facilitator and instructor, and is the liaison to our Social Committee and WMLAR’s new Young Professionals Network.
Most days, you can find Andrea in her office with a cup of coffee and fairy lights as she digs through the day’s to do list. (Mmmmm, coffee….!) She loves riding her Harley motorcycle, camping and spending time with her family.
Erin Burling – Member Services Specialist
Erin is the newest addition to the WMLAR team as our Member Services Specialist. She performs various duties including reception, keybox administration, board store operations (coming soon), member processing and updates, and MLS rules compliance tracking and enforcement.
Erin has been in the real estate industry for over twenty years, first as an unlicensed assistant then later a Michigan salesperson licensee before moving to Arizona. In Arizona, she was the front desk administrator for one of the most successful real estate companies in the area before becoming their office manager servicing over 200 agents in the company.
When you call WMLAR headquarters, Erin is who you’re likely to contact first. Her goal is to help WMLAR members be successful in their day-to-day business and she’s great about going above and beyond to follow up with members in the event a question pops up that she cannot confidently answer.
She and her husband, Bob, have been married for 24 years and she loves everything about living back in Michigan and animals, especially dogs, and would rescue all of them if she could!