By By SPIROS GALLOS / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Nancy Butler can add one more distinction to the list of awards and accolades she's compiled in her career as realtor in the Niles area.
Butler was recently awarded the President's Cup by the Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors.
The President's Cup is awarded annually by the president of the association to a realtor who has made a significant contribution to the association and the president of the association.
The President's Cup is just the latest in a long line of awards in the 21-year career of Butler, who is owner and broker of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Specialists Inc. of Niles.
Winning the award caught Butler completely off guard.
The Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors President Donna Palmer, Butler's long time friend and associate broker at Coldwell Banker, presented Butler with the award after reading off a list of Butler's accomplishments through her career.
In February of 1992, Butler was awarded the Certified Residential Specialist Designation by the Residential Sales Council of the Realtors National Marketing Institute. The honor is dedicated to the education of realtors and offers training texts and services to benefit the recipient.
That same year, Butler was named Realtor of the Year by the Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors.
In April of 1996, she was presented with the 14th annual Margaret B. Upton Award. The award recognizes outstanding volunteers in Berrien County in honor of Upton, who led a life of dedication to the community through volunteer services.
In March of 1997, Butler was named Woman of the Year by the Four Flags Area Chamber of Commerce because of her numerous contributions to a number of area business and civic interests.
Butler was awarded the Accredited Buyer Representation designation by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council, Inc., in 2002.
The designation is considered the benchmark of excellence in a buyer agency service, demonstrating the agent has taken steps to further their education in the field of buyer representation.
Most recently, in June, Butler committed herself to chair the 2004 United Way of Greater Niles Fund Raising Campaign. The fund raising campaign will be her third United Way campaign, making her the first person to head the fund raising campaign three times.
In addition to being recognized as an outstanding realtor, Butler has also served on many boards and held many memberships in her career which include: Member and Past President of the Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors, serving as a delegate of the Michigan Association of Realtors, member of the Niles Downtown Development Authority, member of the Fernwood Botanic Garden and Nature Center Board of Directors, Niles-Buchanan Rotary Club, Niles United Way Campaign Chair, and numerous other community activities and memberships.
Butler is amazed at how much she has accomplished over her career.
It was only when Palmer said the President's Cup recipient was a member of the Fernwood Board of Directors that Butler realized she had won the award.
Butler became a realtor after raising her five children, Paul, Mary Anne Hill, Robin Brown, Cricket, and John. Four of her children still live in Niles, John lives close by in Granger, Ind. Butler is also a grandmother of 12 grandchildren.
As for the future of real-estate in the Niles area, Butler said it is a great time to be in real estate.
Butler said an overall positive atmosphere in Niles has been a large factor in creating good conditions in the real estate market.
Another reason for Butler's positive outlook is the cooperation of the city with existing and incoming businesses.
Palmer, who has been working with Butler for 16 years, said Butler is the reason where she is today.