Committees & Appointees

Guiding AREA

The Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) has two Board Committees and three Operational Committees charged with working on specific industry concerns and issues. Meeting throughout the year, the committees offer recommendations to the Board of Directors to ensure that the relevant issues and concerns of our members are met. Other committees or tasks forces may be struck as the need arises.

In addition, the AREA Board of Directors is tasked with appointing several representatives to terms on the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) and the Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) Board of Governors. Learn more about council appointment here.

Board Committee: Governance and Board Development

AREA’s Governance and Board Development Committee assists the Board of Directors in maintaining good governance and leads a process to evaluate the effectiveness of the Board of Directors, Board Committees and individual Directors. This Committee also assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its obligations relating to CEO goals and objectives, evaluation, compensation and succession planning.

2017 Chair: Charlie Ponde
Appointed Board Members: D'Arcy Donald, Julio Florez, Bob Jablonski, Jennifer McKenzie

Board Committee: Finance and Audit

AREA’s Finance and Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its obligations and oversight responsibilities relating to financial planning, the audit process, financial reporting, corporate controls and risk management.

Review financial report
Review operational and capital budgets
Review CEO and Board members’ annual expenses
Review internal controls and statutory/regulatory compliance
Review risk review report (including insurance coverage)
Review External Auditor’s engagement process and confirm fees for upcoming year
Meet with External Auditor to review pre-audit findings

2017 Chair: D'Arcy Donald
Appointed Board Members: Bob Jablonski, Jennifer McKenzie, Charlie Ponde, Public Accountant (TBD)

Operational Committee: Provincial Government Relations

AREA’s Provincial Government Relations Committee guides and supports the AREA Government Relations function and Advocacy process. It is the key mechanism by which AREA members and boards can speak with one voice on provincial issues and legislation affecting Alberta REALTORS^® and real estate consumers.

Engage in advocacy-related discussions
Discuss how changes within the Alberta government can impact AREA’s advocacy
Discuss how changes from the regulator or organized real estate impacts AREA’s advocacy
Discuss relevant legislative shifts and the impact on AREA’s advocacy
Advise and assist in development of AREA positions on provincial real estate issues
Evaluate advancement of AREA advocacy positions
Advise on PAC process and development of PAC members (e.g. formulation of AREA Government Liaison Days)
Participate in meetings with government and/or other key stakeholders and GR-related events, as warrants

2017 Provincial Government Relations Committee

Chair: Jennifer Lucas (Edmonton)
D'Arcy Donald (AREA Officer - Grande Prairie)
Jennifer McKenzie (AREA Officer - Medicine Hat)
Charlie Ponde (AREA Officer - Edmonton)
Farrah Khoja (Calgary)
Brad Kopp (Hinton)
Bill MacDougall (Calgary)
Cheryl Trask (Calgary)

Staff Liaison: Brad Mitchell

Operational Committee: Provincial Forms and Practice

AREA’s Provincial Forms and Practice Committee guides and supports the AREA Member Services group in the management of content related to AREA Forms.

Engage in practice discussions
Discuss how practice issues and themes impact AREA Forms
Discuss how changes from the Regulator or organized real estate impact AREA standard provincial forms
Discuss relevant legislative shifts (i.e. Land Titles, Privacy, Anti-spam, Municipal Government, Dower Act etc.) and their impact on AREA Forms
Discuss case law outcomes and legal community opinions and their impact on AREA Forms
Discuss province-wide standards of practice for the conduct of the business of real estate in Alberta

Given the critical nature of AREA Forms to the practice of real estate, recommendations arising from the Forms and Practice Committee are approved by the AREA Board of Directors.

Standard Forms Change Process Map

2017 Provincial Forms & Practice Committee

Chair: Todd Wallace (AREA Director - Hanna)
Janet Kuehn (AREA Director - Whitecourt)
Doug Singleton (AREA Director - Edmonton)
Liz Bergeron (Calgary)
Liz Haskins (Fort McMurray)
Barbara Howey (Wetaskiwin)
Camil Morley (Calgary)
Andrea Snow (Edmonton)
Lori Spada (Calgary)

Non-Voting Members
Andrea Gibson (Calgary)
Margherita Gosselin (Edmonton)
Harvey Gamble (REIX)
Jim Doyle (REIX counsel)
Stan Galbraith (Legal counsel)

Staff Liaison: Tammy Williams

Operational Committee: Provincial Professional Development

AREA’s Provincial Professional Development Committee guides and supports the AREA Professional Development group in the delivery of continuing education for members.

Engage in professional development-related discussion
Engage in discussions about trends, issues and opportunities that could affect the direction AREA takes on professional development
Discuss how practice issues and themes impact AREA professional development
Discuss how changes from the Regulator and/or organized real estate impact AREA professional development
Discuss relevant legislative shifts and their impact on AREA professional development
Discuss goal for professional development for REALTORS^® in Alberta
Discuss and review approaches/direction to professional development

2017 Provincial Professional Development Committee

Chair: Jennifer Gilbert (AREA Director - Lloydminster)
Derek Austin (AREA Director - Innisfail)
Corinne Lyall (AREA Director - Calgary)
Brian Finley (Edmonton)
Frank McCullough (Calgary)
Kevin McGivery (Medicine Hat)
Tom Shearer (Edmonton)
Lori Spada (Calgary)

Staff Liaison: Heather Coleman

AREA Appointees: Real Estate Council of Alberta

Individuals appointed by AREA who are currently serving on the Real Estate Council of Alberta represent residential and commercial real estate on a body that includes representation from real estate, property management, mortgage brokers, real estate appraisers and the public. Learn more >

AREA-Appointed Council Members

Bobbi Dawson
Ramey Demian
Bill Kirk
Brian Klingspon
Stan Mills
Robyn Moser

AREA Appointees to RECA Residential Advisory Committee

Bob Jablonski
D'Arcy Donald

AREA Appointees: Alberta Real Estate Foundation

Individuals appointed by AREA who are currently serving on the Alberta Real Estate Foundation Board of Governors oversee the mission of the Alberta Real Estate Foundation. Learn more >

AREA-Appointed Governors

Charlie Ponde
Jim Saunders