45th Annual Excellence Awards Honors 2022 Top Agents

With winners across 11 different categories, and over 35 awards given out, highlights of the event included the special awards given in the following categories: Lifetime Achievement Award, Broker Manager of the Year, Realtor® of the Year, Industry Partner of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Support Person of the Year, Top Project Awards, Top Individual Awards, Top Partnership Awards, Top Team Awards and Top Office Awards, as well as those dedicated to Community Service efforts.

DMAR hosted its 45th Denver Metro Association of Realtors® Excellence Awards event on March 9, 2023. The annual event, held in person this year at the Seawell Ballroom at the DCPA, is the summit of real estate achievement in metro Denver recognizing the highest-performing and most inspiring Realtors® and industry leaders from 2022.

With winners across 11 different categories, and over 35 awards given out, highlights of the event included the special awards given in the following categories: Lifetime Achievement Award, Broker Manager of the Year, Realtor® of the Year, Industry Partner of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Support Person of the Year, Top Project Awards, Top Individual Awards, Top Partnership Awards, Top Team Awards and Top Office Awards, as well as those dedicated to Community Service efforts. This year, the Pathways Award created to recognize members who are committed to guiding and supporting clients from traditionally underserved communities along the various pathways to homeownership, was also introduced. Chris Djorup, a former DMAR Director and Denver metro Realtor®, served as DMAR’s “voice from above” throughout the event. 

“The Excellence Awards is a monumental event for the Denver area’s residential real estate industry and is a wonderful time to honor the hard work Realtors® have done throughout the year,” said Jessica Reinhardt, DMAR’s Chair of the Board. “2022 was yet another interesting year for real estate, and anyone who is raising the bar, putting in the work and redefining the definition of excellence in real estate, especially in such a demanding market, deserves more than ever to be recognized and acknowledged.”

“This was another record year for Excellence Award applicants, which speaks to both agents and teams’ resolve to provide incredible client service no matter the challenges of our current times,” stated Amy Davies, interim CEO. “2022 was an interesting year in the market and reminded us of the dedication that Denver real estate agents and teams make in order to help others achieve their homeownership dreams. On behalf of the Association, we applaud our Realtor® members on their success this year and look forward to what’s in store for 2023.”

Award Winners

Oliver Frascona Lifetime Achievement Award: This year’s prestigious Oliver Frascona Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Joanne Ernstsen, a founding partner of Fuller Towne & Country Properties, predecessor to LIV Sotheby's International Realty, and was President of its Board of Managers from its inception in 1999.

Not only has Joanne reached Emeritus status after being a Realtor® for over 40 years, but she has also been an active member of the Association world serving as Chair of the Education Committee for both DMAR and the Colorado Association of Realtors® (CAR). On top of that, she was an accredited instructor for CAR starting in 1982 teaching those classes throughout the state for nearly a decade. Additionally, she co-authored Advanced Contracts with Betty Armbrust and the first CAR Advanced Law Course with Oliver Frascona. 

In the late 1970s and 1980s Joanne was appointed to the Colorado Real Estate Commission’s Forms committee, serving that group for eight years. In 1991, she served as a Director on the Denver Board of Realtors® Board and in 1992 was elected President. One year later, she became a Director for CAR. She has won multiple awards including CAR’s Distinguished Service Award in 1992 and was named Realtor® of the year in 1994. In 1999, Joanne, along with 11 other brokers, started Fuller Towne & Country Properties  and served as Sales Associate, Managing Broker and President of the management committee of that company until 2008 when it was sold. That company is now LIV Sotheby’s International Realty.

Broker Manager of the Year: This year’s award was presented to Brandon Brennick, Broker Manager at Kentwood Real Estate DTC. He’s earned a reputation for recruiting, nurturing and retaining brokers that embody the Kentwood brand. Brandon is a second-generation Kentwood team member. He completed his degree in Advertising at CU Boulder and 20 years later has never worked for another brokerage. Renowned for his expertise in contracts and negotiations, he is consistently recognized as one of the top brokers in the nation with over $500 million in individual production. He has been recognized by the DMAR Excellence Awards 20 years in a row and received the highly-esteemed MAESTRO Certification through Leading Real Estate Companies of the World in 2017. Brennick is also a significant contributor to the Realtor® Political Action Committee (RPAC) and is on the Board of the Luxury Home Tour, which is a successful monthly tour of luxury homes in central Denver and the south suburbs.

Realtor® of the Year: Mike Papantonakis, RE/MAX Alliance, Arvada - Olde Town Office is this year’s recipient of the Realtor® of the year. Mike has had an impressive career as a Realtor® and has been very involved in DMAR at the leadership level having served as a Director and as Chair of the Board, leading the Association during one of the industry’s most stressful crisis times in 2020 to 2021ic. Additionally, he was past President of the Rotary Club of Wheat Ridge and a past Vice President on the Board of the Apartment Association of Metro Denver. DMAR Gives, DMAR’s new charitable organization, was Mike’s dream and when not giving his time to DMAR and DMAR Gives, you can find him working on Friday mornings for Food for Thought.

Industry Partner of the Year: Karen Hyman of 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty received the Industry Partner of the Year award, which she was nominated for multiple times. As one nominator stated, Karen is not only an amazing partner for Realtors®, but she is also an amazing partner to other Industry Partners. She works hard to build relationships with their clients and excellent customer service is her  top priority. Prior to joining the 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty team in 2018, Karen was a Senior Account Manager with another home warranty company in Colorado. Her background in the industry has provided her with local knowledge and an understanding of the importance of honesty, transparency and trust when cultivating professional relationships.

Rookie of the Year: This year, Abigail Barratt, Broker at Compass Cherry Creek, was presented the Rookie of the Year award. The criterion for this award is that the recipient must be an individual in the first 12 months of being licensed with the 12th month falling in 2022. Rookie of the Year is based on the applicant’s first 12 months of production and must meet Excellence Awards criteria of a minimum of $5 million in production. Abigail’s production was the highest of all our applicants, at $10,223,990. 

Abby Barratt delivers first-class access to Denver’s premier luxury real estate market by combining a business-savvy approach with a genuine passion for helping people. As a proud member of the elite Abell to Sell Real Estate Group, she has gained expertise through guidance from mentors with tremendous business acumen, negotiation skills and a belief in highly personalized service. As a result, Abigail delivers exceptional real estate experiences that exceed client goals time and time again.

Support Person of the Year: Nickki Pucher of milehimodern was bestowed the Support Person of the Year award, created to honor individuals who demonstrate remarkable service to their company and community at-large. According to agents in the milehimodern office, Nickki is the heartbeat of their brokerage. With her service-oriented mindset and creative, collaborative teamwork, she is involved with every facet of the business, overseeing staff and supporting 188 agents and their support staff.  In addition to supporting their brokerage, Nickki facilitates and participates in the annual Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure, and successfully raised over $5,000 for the organization in 2022. She also championed the food drive that supported the Food Bank of the Rockies this past holiday season. 

Community Service Award: Maggie Fast, Broker Associate at West + Main Homes, was the recipient of this year’s Community Service Award and she lives and breathes the Realtor® ethos. She says her business is built to do one thing: impact the dog rescue community.  She donates to multiple rescues, hosts monthly adoption events, fosters dogs and does dog transports. She has fostered 37 dogs and in 2022, she donated $10,000 to rescues, held over 15 dog adoption events and transported over 2,000 miles for rescues. She is a true asset to the community and a shining example of selflessness and kindness.

Pathways Award​​​: Colton Harris of XLV Realty, is a second generation Realtor® following in his family’s footsteps. His business plan focuses on helping first-time homebuyers in underserved communities obtain homeownership. In 2022, he helped 14 buyers purchase their first home using VA & FHA loans with the majority of these buyers a part of the LBGTQ+ community.  

Kelsea Imanuel of HomeSmart​​ was also awarded the Pathways Award. Kelsea has declared herself a “first-time homebuyer cheerleader to the max.” She loves utilizing CHFA to support her clients on the homebuying path.  In 2022, she was able to get a client into their first home utilizing CHFA and a seller concession to offset closing costs, with only $2,000 out of pocket. She assisted another client who was able to take advantage of a first-time homebuyer program, put the minimum down and become the first in their family to have purchased a home.

Michelle Schwinghammer, Broker Associate at RE/MAX Alliance - Arvada Office and who currently sits on the DMAR Board of Directors, was also awarded this year’s new Pathways Award. She is a member of both the DMAR Gives Committee and Market Trends Committee and also serves as the DMAR Habitat for Humanity Liaison. Michelle is a Realtor® and certified Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE) and became licensed in real estate in 2006. Michelle has helped hundreds of buyers and sellers successfully achieve their residential real estate goals all across the greater Denver metropolitan area. She believes everyone, regardless of budget or loan type, deserves phenomenal service and dedicated representation to make the life changing leap into homeownership. 

TOP INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Individual | $ Sales Production

  1. Anne Dresser Kocur, LIV Sotheby's International Realty, DTC 
  2. Gina Lorenzen, Kentwood Real Estate DTC
  3. Brianna Griffin, Madison & Company Properties, Greenwood Village
  4. Jeff Plous, Hatch Realty
  5. Kristin Harris, milehimodern

Individual | Number of Transactions

  1. Brianna Griffin, Madison & Company Properties, Greenwood Village
  2. Anne Dresser Kocur, LIV Sotheby's International Realty, DTC
  3. Leo Rowen, RE/MAX of Cherry Creek
  4. Jayson Holland, Listings.com
  5. Bret Weinstein, Guide Real Estate

TOP PARTNERSHIP AWARDS

Partnership | $ Sales Production

  1. Ian Wolfe & Chris Bouc, LIV Sotheby's International Realty, Cherry Creek
  2. Trish Bragg & Maggie Armstrong, LIV Sotheby's International Realty, Cherry Creek 
  3. Liz Richards & Deviree Vallejo, LIV Sotheby's International Realty, Cherry Creek 
  4. Peter Blank & Carmelo Paglialunga, milehimodern
  5. Stuart Crowell & Delroy Gill, LIV Sotheby's International Realty, DTC

Partnership | Number of Transactions

  1. Stuart Crowell & Delroy Gill, LIV Sotheby's International Realty, DTC
  2. Liz Richards & Deviree Vallejo, LIV Sotheby's International Realty, Cherry Creek 
  3. Grant Muller & Brooke Cartwright, Compass, Highlands Office
  4. Elizabeth Sacerdoti & Libby Levinson-Katz, Kentwood Real Estate DTC
  5. Anne Singleton & Jake Singleton, PorchLight Real Estate Group, Highlands

TOP TEAM AWARDS

3-5 Members | $ Sales Production

  1. The Behr Team,LIV Sotheby's International Realty, DTC 
  2. Janie Stoddard, Marilyn Dana & Elizabeth Murphy, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury 
  3. DiVito Dream Makers, RE/MAX Alliance - Arvada Office
  4. Abell to Sell, Compass - Cherry Creek 
  5. ESCape Colorado Group, Compass - DTC

3-5 Members | Number of Transactions

  1. The Behr Team,LIV Sotheby's International Realty, DTC 
  2. DiVito Dream Makers, RE/MAX Alliance - Arvada Olde Town Office
  3. Abell to Sell, Compass - Cherry Creek
  4. The Dream Weavers, RE/MAX Professionals, Thornton Office?
  5. The Schlichter Team, Compass - Cherry Creek

6-15 Members | $ Sales Production

  1. Jordan Terrell Group, Real Broker LLC
  2. EmpowerHome Team Colorado, Keller Williams Realty DTC
  3. Team Front Range, Keller Williams Denver Southeast
  4. Elevated Living, Compass - Cherry Creek
  5. Nostalgic Homes Group, Compass - Highlands

6-15 Members | Number of Transactions

  1. Jordan Terrell Group, Real Broker LLC
  2. Team Front Range, Keller Williams Denver Southeast
  3. EmpowerHome Team Colorado, Keller Williams Realty DTC
  4. Elevated Living, Compass - Cherry Creek
  5. Nostalgic Homes Group, Compass – Highlands

16-25 Members | $ Sales Production & Number of Transactions

  1. The Griffith Home Team, RE/MAX Professionals, Thornton
  2. The Abbey Collection, milehimodern
  3. Mile High Lifestyles, Compass - Highlands

26+ Members | $ Sales Production & Number of Transactions

  1. The iMPACT Team, Your Castle Real Estate, Central Office
  2. Be1 Team, Compass - Cherry Creek
  3. Elite Home Partners, Keller Williams Integrity Real Estate

TOP PROJECT AWARDS

Project | $ Sales Production 

  1. Highland Team, Compass - Highlands
  2. My Denver Team, Kentwood City Properties
  3. Maria Gallucci, Compass - Cherry Creek
  4. Lance Chayet, Hanover Realty
  5. The Collective, Keller Williams Realty Downtown

Project | Number of Transactions

  1. Highland Team, Compass - Highlands
  2. My Denver Team, Kentwood City Properties
  3. Gilda Zaragosa, Angie Sudberry, Sherri Stinson & Crystalle Guss, Invalesco Real Estate
  4. Maria Gallucci, Compass - Cherry Creek
  5. Lance Chayet, Hanover Realty
    5. The Collective, Keller Williams Realty Downtown 

TOP OFFICE AWARDS

1-5 Agents | $ Sales Production

  1. Metro Brokers - Team Lassen
  2. Hatch Realty
  3. Corcoran Perry & Co. Cherry Creek North
  4. 4 Walls That Fit Real Estate
  5. Aloha Real Estate 

1-5 Agents | Number of Transactions

  1. Metro Brokers - Team Lassen
  2. Hatch Realty
  3. 4 Walls That Fit Real Estate
  4. Corcoran Perry & Co. Cherry Creek North
  5. Aloha Real Estate 

6-10 Agents | $ Sales Production & Number of Transactions

  1. The Grant Real Estate Company
  2. Aspen Grove Real Estate Group
  3. Motion Homes Group
  4. Windermere - Metro Denver Real Estate

11-30 Agents | $ Sales Production & Number of Transactions

  1. 8z Real Estate Denver Central
  2. The Agency Denver
  3. Madison & Company Properties LLC - Cherry Creek North
  4. RE/MAX Alliance - Arvada
  5. Corcoran Perry & Co. - Congress Park Office

31-50 Agents | $ Sales Production

  1. RE/MAX Professionals - Thornton
  2. Kentwood Real Estate City Properties
  3. RE/MAX Alliance - Arvada Olde Town Office
  4. PorchLight Real Estate Group, Highlands
  5. PorchLight Real Estate Group, Cherry Creek 

31-50 Agents | Number of Transactions

  1. RE/MAX Professionals - Thornton
  2. RE/MAX Alliance – Arvada Olde Towne Office
  3. Kentwood Real Estate City Properties
  4. PorchLight Real Estate Group, Highlands
  5. PorchLight Real Estate Group, Cherry Creek

51-75 Agents | $ Sales Production & Number of Transactions

  1. LIV Sotheby's International Realty, DTC
  2. Kentwood Real Estate Cherry Creek
  3. RE/MAX of Cherry Creek
  4. RE/MAX Alliance- Westminster
  5. Madison & Company Properties - Washington Park 

76-100 Agents | $ Sales Production 

  1. Kentwood Real Estate DTC
  2. Compass - Highlands 

76-100 Agents | Number of Transactions

  1. Compass - Highlands
  2. Kentwood Real Estate DTC

101-200 Agents | $ Sales Production & Number of Transactions

  1. LIV Sotheby's International Realty, Cherry Creek
  2. milehimodern
  3. Compass - DTC

201+ Agents | $ Sales Production & Number of Transactions

  1. Compass - Cherry Creek
  2. West + Main Homes

To see event highlights, use the hashtag #EA23. For more information, please visit dmarealtors.com and to stay up-to-date with the latest happenings at the Denver Metro Association of Realtors® follow on Facebook and Instagram.

Download PDF of Winners 

Download PDF of  Press Release