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To: National Desk, Business Reporter

Contact: Lucien Salvant of National Association of Realtors, 202-383-1176 or lsalvant@realtors.org

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 13 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Robert J. Arkley, a realtor from Waterbury, Vt., was named a 2006 recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of Realtors(r). The announcement was made here during the annual REALTORS(r) Conference & Expo. Nearly 25,000 realtors and guests are attending the November 10-13 convention.

Arkley, a real estate professional for 30 years, is broker- owner of Robert Arkley Real Estate, a commercial real estate brokerage in Waterbury. Arkley was honored with the Distinguished Service Award for the time, talents and energy he has volunteered to the real estate industry.

The Distinguished Service Award was established by NAR in 1979 to honor realtors who have provided outstanding contributions and service to the real estate industry and their local communities. The award is considered the highest honor an NAR member can receive. Since its inception, the award has been presented to 68 realtors. Arkley and Joseph K. Funkhouser II of Harrisonburg, Va., are the 69th and 70th realtors to be honored.

The award honors members who have served with distinction at the local, state and national levels in organized real estate. Recipients of this prestigious award are recognized as local leaders whose performance and involvement in political and community activities have been extraordinary. All recipients have held the qualifications to serve as president of NAR but have never sought the position.

Arkley founded Robert Arkley Real Estate in 1999. Before that he was co-owner of Vermont Realty Exchange, the second largest firm in Vermont. Arkley became a realtor after retiring with 23 years as an officer in the U.S. Army.

Arkley is currently vice chair of the NAR's Commercial Leadership Forum and has been a member of the NAR Board of Directors since 1996. In 2002, he served as NAR Regional Vice President of Region I, composed of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. He has chaired several NAR committees including Conventional Finance and Lending, Commercial Finance, and the Commercial Legislative/Regulatory Subcommittee.

He has served on numerous NAR committees including the Realtors Commercial Alliance, Public Policy Coordinating, Strategic Planning, NAR Nominating, Executive, Federal Housing Policy, Commercial & Investment, Government Mortgage Program, Real Estate Finance, Housing Needs and Rural Housing Finance, as well as the Housing Needs Forum, Commercial Forum and Commercial and Investment Forum. He is a life member of RPAC and has been a Crystal "R" donor for five years.

On the state level, Arkley was president of the Vermont Association of Realtors in 1993 and president-elect and vice president before that. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Vermont association since 1989. He has been recognized twice as the state "Realtor of the Year" -- in 2002 and 1994 -- and is a three-time winner of the award from his local board.

Active in community and local affairs, Arkley has served as president for two years and has been a member of Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation for 27 years and continues as Director Emeritus. During his tenure, millions of dollars in loans were arranged for start-up businesses and thousands of jobs were either created or retained. He was selected to participate in a business development delegation to Russia representing the banking industry.

Arkley has participated in numerous political campaigns and has recently been appointed by the governor to serve on the Governor's Veterans Advisory Council. He has been involved in numerous housing developments for low- to moderate-income buyers, housing for the elderly, a shopping center and an industrial park. Arkley has served on the board of directors of two banks and on their loan committees. He has also been recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International.

He and his wife Marjorie reside in Moretown, Vt. They have two children.

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The National Association of Realtors(r), "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

Information about NAR is available at http://www.realtor.org. This and other news releases are posted in the Web site's "News Media" section in the NAR Media Center.

Realtor(r) is a registered collective membership mark which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the National Association Of Realtors(r) and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

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/© 2006 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/

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