PAR Lauds Three Realtors® for Devoted Service to Industry

Three Realtors® with nearly 130 years of combined experience were presented awards at the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors® board of directors meeting yesterday in Harrisburg.

Greg Herb was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award, William Festa received the Realtor® of the Year award and Jim Jarrett was named the Realtor® Active in Politics.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Serving as PAR’s president in 2009, Herb has chaired and served on many PAR committees including Finance, Legislative, Keystone Analytics and Issues Mobilization. He previously received PAR’s Realtor® of the Year and Realtor® Active in Politics awards.
Earlier this year, NAR presented Herb with the prestigious Distinguished Service Award, which is presented to two recipients annually. He is a member of the NAR board of directors and was the NAR Region 2 Vice President serving Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. He also received the NAR Federal Political Coordinator Meritorious Service Award and in 2013 he entered the NAR RPAC Hall of Fame.

A Realtor® for 44 years, Herb served as the president of the previous Montgomery County Association of Realtors®, prior to becoming a member of the Tri-County Suburban Realtors®. He also served on the Suburban Realtors® Alliance board of directors.

Additionally, Herb was president of the Certified Real Estate Brokerage Council, served on its board of directors and was inducted into their Hall of Leaders in 2020.

Herb is a founding member of and serves as president of the Foundation for Boyertown Education, a nonprofit organization. He also volunteers with the Colebrookdale Railroad, where he narrates for visitors.

Herb, who was unable to accept the award in person, commented on receiving the award, “I’m truly honored and humbled to receive this acknowledgment. I have been blessed with opportunities to serve my industry and community, doing what I love, and for that I am grateful.”

Realtor® of the Year Award

Festa served as PAR’s president in 2020. A Realtor® for 45 years, he is a LeadershipPAR graduate and has served on many PAR committees, including Legislative, Finance and Standard Forms. In addition, he has been a member of PAR’s board of directors for nearly 20 years.

Many PAR members will remember him as the association president during the COVID shutdown, when he worked tirelessly advocating on behalf of real estate and consumers during that time.

A member of the Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors®, he served as their president as well. GPAR named him Realtor® of the Year and presented him with the Albert Letson Distinguished Service Award. He has served on numerous GPAR committees including Nominating, Government Affairs, Grievance, Professional Standards and Diversity.

He was a member of the National Association of Realtors® board of directors and served on the Public Policy Coordinating Committee, the Realtor® Party Member Involvement Committee and as a Federal Political Coordinator.

Festa is dedicated to community service, feeding the homeless at Chosen 300, serving as a volunteer Bible study leader at a recovery house, teaching adult Sunday school for 30 years and working as an EMT in his community.

“Thank you so very much for this award,” Festa said. “It (2020) was a tragic year. All of you did the right things to catch the attention of the media, our legislators, the governor and our clients, to show what a valuable service we provide. I’m honored to have been part of what was your greatest moment.”

Realtor® Active in Politics

Jarrett, a Realtor® for more than 40 years, is currently PAR’s District 10 vice president. A member of the Realtors® Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh, he served as its president in 2022. RAMP presented him with the Richard Stampahar Most Active in Politics Award. He is a secondary member of the Realtors® Association of Westmoreland, Indiana and Mon Valley.

Jarrett is active in political affairs and has served on the local and state legislative committees of his Realtor® associations. A community leader, he is active at the grassroots level, providing valuable industry insight to elected officials.

At the local level, he has served on the RPAC Candidate Screening Committee, Government Affairs Committee and RAMP issues mobilization task forces. He also served on the PAR Legislative Committee and is a member of the PAR board of directors.

In addition, Jarrett is the key member contact for at least six state legislators, helping to move Realtor® issues to the forefront.

“I’m speechless, shocked and stunned,” Jarrett said. “I wish I would have gotten involved many years ago. I’m deeply honored and proud to be part of this organization.”