By Michele Gillis, Staff Writer
Donna Overman believes in the value of the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors.
So much so, that she will gladly fill in at the NEFAR office in a pinch. If she isn’t not available, she will go out of her way to help them find the assistance they need.
Her dedication and volunteering for NEFAR and the Realtor Political Action Committee earned her the Silent Angel award, which was given at the NEFAR Awards event earlier this year at the Jacksonville Marriott.
The award recognizes a NEFAR member who has remained in the background while quietly and faithfully going above and beyond in serving the organization through volunteer service and/or support during the award calendar year.
Overman, the manager of Watson Realty’s Mandarin North office, is a graduate of the 2010 NEFAR Leadership Academy, a year-long program takes participants through everything that happens at NEFAR including staff duties, budgeting, task forces and almost everything else that goes on in the building.
“That spurred me to get involved,” said Overman.
From her involvement, she found two things she became very passionate about: education and the Political Action Committee.
Overman said Nancy Garcia, NEFAR’s Governmental Affairs director, and Cindy Foley, the education director, do an amazing amount of work with very little help. The staff at NEFAR is big so they rely on volunteers.
Foley said Overman has been invaluable to NEFAR’s education efforts.
“She is always on time, volunteers to monitor classes for us, helps train others and will fill in in a pinch if she is available,” said Foley.
Garcia said educating members about the effectiveness of RPAC in protecting their business is the key to developing sustaining contributors.
“Donna works tirelessly to talk with members, both new and experienced, about why they need to support RPAC,” said Garcia. “She leads by example.”
Overman has been on the task forces for RPAC and education since 2010.
“She does a great job when she teaches welcome and benefits during new member orientation, always engaging the students,” said Foley. “She is an all-around pleasure to work with.”
Glenn East, NEFAR’s chief executive officer, said Overman had a near-constant presence in the building last year.
“Her commitment to the Realtor profession and NEFAR is evident in the office she manages also, as she recruits her agents to participate and volunteer their time for NEFAR,” said East.
She served as a monitor for education classes, was on the task force helping to raise funds, worked to educate new members during orientation and volunteered for set-up duties and as a cashier for the RPAC Comedy Night and the RPAC Auction. She is an RPAC major investor at the Sterling R level, which calls for a $1,000 per year.
Overman said giving back to NEFAR gives her such a depth of interest and knowledge of her profession that she can bring back to her agents, which helps her be a better manager.
She said Watson Realty is very supportive of her efforts with NEFAR.
Though Overman was unable to attend the awards ceremony, she said she was amazed when she heard the news.
“I had no idea or expectation of that,” she said. “I think it is an incredible honor to receive an award like that because I am the kind of person who does things because they matter to me and I think they are important, not to win an award.”
Overman started her real estate management career with Coldwell Banker Walter Williams Realty in 2004. She was there until 2007, when she became director of marketing for McGarvey Communities. In 2008, she became manager of Watson Realty’s Mandarin North.