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May 6, 2022—The National Association of REALTORS® announced today that Cindy Chandler of Charlotte, N.C., and Chris McElroy of Fort Collins, Colo., are the 2022 recipients of the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor outside the presidency bestowed on an NAR member.
Cindy Chandler, CCIM, CRE, SRES, AHWD, RSPS, C2EX
Cindy Chandler has been in real estate for more than 30 years and is founder of the consulting and training company, The Chandler Group, specializing in investment real estate and strategic planning. She was formerly associated with The Cogdell Group, The Crosland Group, and Paragon Group, where she was involved in syndication, development, brokerage, property management, and training. Chandler is the author of The Insider’s Guide to Commercial Real Estate, published by Dearborn/Kaplan Publishing.
Since 2004, Chandler has served in numerous leadership roles for NAR, including as chair of the Commercial Leadership Forum, the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance Committee, the Commercial Real Estate Research Subcommittee, and the Commercial Legislation and Regulatory Subcommittee. She is currently serving as NAR’s Executive Committee representative for The Counselors of Real Estate. In 2010 and 2012, she served as president’s liaison for Commercial and Business Specialties, and in 2011, she was regional vice president for Region 4 (Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). She is a two-time REALTORS® Political Action Committee Hall of Fame member.
In 2006, Chandler was president of the NC REALTORS®, and in 2015—the same year she chaired the North Carolina Real Estate Commission—she was named North Carolina REALTOR® of the Year. She was inducted into the NC REALTORS® Hall of Fame in 2016. In addition, Chandler has been a national and state leader in the Real Estate Educators Association and is a recipient of REEA’s Jack Wiedemer Distinguished Career Award. Thanks to Chandler’s efforts to incorporate commercial real estate into the continuing education available through the state of North Carolina, the North Carolina CCIM Chapter endowed a scholarship in her name.
Chandler has served as president of Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), a member of the Transportation Committee of 21, chair of the Mecklenburg County’s Zoning Board of Adjustment, chair of the Zoning and Planning committees, and vice chair of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission.
Chris McElroy, CIPS, CRS, GRI, AHWD
Chris McElroy is broker associate and partner with The Group Inc.–Harmony in Fort Collins, Colo. He has been a REALTOR® since 1976.
McElroy’s involvement with NAR goes back more than 30 years and includes chairmanship of the Federal Taxation Committee, the Housing Opportunity Advisory Board, the Research Committee, the State & Local Issues Policy Committee, and the Public Policy Coordinating Committee. He is currently serving on the Legal Action Committee. McElroy has twice been inducted into the REALTORS® Political Action Committee Hall of Fame.
In 2007, McElroy was regional vice president for NAR Region 11 (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming). For his work promoting the need for affordable housing, McElroy was named a “Hometown Hero” by NAR 2003 President Cathy Whatley. He influenced creation of the popular “Little Book Series” from NAR, starting with The Little Blue Book: Rules to Live By for REALTORS®.
In 1994, McElroy served as president of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®, and in 2000, he was named Colorado REALTOR® of the Year. He served as a Colorado Real Estate Commissioner from 2011-2017. In 2018, the Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® gave him a Career Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the industry.
McElroy and his wife, Teresa, have three daughters. The family is deeply involved in the community, supporting the United Way, the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program, Respite Care, the Food Bank, the Alzheimer’s Association, RamStrength, Meals on Wheels, MADD, MS150, and more.