The Conference kicked off Tuesday with our Third Annual Cornhole Tournament on Julep Point, which supports the Alabama REALTORS® Foundation and its work to help real estate professionals in need. More than twenty teams engaged in fierce competition as spectators, who purchased tickets to root for their favorites, cheered on their favorite teams.

A new costume contest, which allowed players and spectators to vote for their favorite team costume, was added to the tournament, and we congratulate Tina Terry and Bob McMillan on winning the inaugural award for their portrayal of Marty McFlay and Doc Emmett Brown from the “Back To The Future” movie trilogy.

For tournament play, Cy Cain and Mike Reid took home the first place trophy with Brian Sparks and Walter Billups capturing second place, and Chris Wood and Patrick Warren finishing in third place.

This year’s cornhole tournament was a record breaker with more than $11,000 being raised for the Alabama REALTORS® Foundation. Our sincere thanks go to all who participated, and we are already looking forward to next year’s competition.

The Annual Awards Celebration and Installation Dinner held on the opening night featured a keynote address from humorist and New York Times bestselling author Andy Andrews, who has sold more than 20 million books worldwide, and honored several outstanding members along with the 2026 Alabama REALTORS® Executive Committee.

2025 AAR President Margie Beth Shaw welcomed attendees while Washington, D.C. REALTOR® and sales leader Harrison Beacher emceed the evening. 

Deborah Lucas Robinson of the Mobile Area Association received the 2025 Robert Jemison Award, which is presented to an outstanding member who has served AAR for at least 15 years without holding an officer position. RaJane Johnson of the Morgan County Association received the 2025 David D. Roberts Award, which is given to an outstanding member with at least 20 years of dedicated service to AAR.

The Brokerage of the Year Award was presented to three outstanding Alabama brokerages as Merrill P. Thomas Co. was recognized as the top small brokerage, Three Sixty Real Estate received the medium brokerage honor, and Bellator Real Estate was highlighted with the large brokerage prize. 

Carol Andrews of the Montgomery Area Association was announced as the 2025 Alabama REALTOR® of the Year Award recipient for her contributions to the real estate profession, her fellow REALTORS®, and to the community-at-large.

The 2026 Executive Committee was installed as follows: Mary Jane Owen, President; Dedra Cabaniss, President – Elect; Margie Beth Shaw, Immediate Past President; Bo Evans, Treasurer; Kim Harwood, Secretary; Tim Brown, Northern Regional Vice President; Amanda Corder, North Central Regional Vice President; Chris Wood, JSB Regional Vice President; Jeff Dickey, Central Regional Vice President; Ivy Thompson, Southern Regional Vice President.

Alabama REALTORS® Past President Julie Minto administered the oath of office to our incoming Executive Committee.

The second day opened with the RealTalk Sessions which featured an all-star lineup of noted industry experts. Members gained insight from speakers on topics that included leveraging AI to build a personal brand, finishing strong in the fourth quarter of the year, and housing market insights.

Among the speakers were Harrison Beacher, the 2026 president of the District of Columbia Association of REALTORS®, real estate coach Alyssia Essig, AI expert and author Kimberly Offord, and special guest speaker Logan Mohtashami, who is lead analyst for HousingWire.

A special reception was held for ARPAC Major Investors, who each invest $1,000 or more annually in the Alabama REALTORS® Political Action Committee, known as APRAC.

These members go above and beyond to serve, support, and protect our industry, and their efforts helps us remain the leading voice of real estate in Alabama. 

The closing day’s events featured an exclusive qualifying broker breakfast and insightful sessions that included presentations on litigation trends in real estate, market insights, and business planning and valuation.

Alabama REALTORS® CEO Jeremy Walker provided a Legal and Advocacy Update, highlighting the latest legal developments directly impacting brokers and their businesses. Alabama REALTORS® Associate Counsel Jayme Kiszla closed the session, providing updates on AAR Statewide Legal Forms and addressing frequently asked questions about recent real estate license law changes. 

Thank you to our members, speakers, sponsors, and all who contributed to make this year's conference a success. 

Be sure to mark your calendars for AAR’s next event: REALTOR® Day at the Capitol happening January 20-21, 2026 in Montgomery.

To view more photos from the conference, click the button below to visit our Facebook page.