History of TRETA
1976
The Texas Real Estate Teachers Association was created in 1976, at a workshop conducted by the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University, which is now known as the Real Estate Center. TRETA was established for the real estate instructors and individuals with an interest in real estate and education. The first president was Bob Goforth from San Antonio College. Charter members included forty real estate teachers representing twenty-six community and junior colleges and six universities.
The purpose of the organization was to unite those engaged in the recognized branches of real estate education and training and to exert a beneficial influence upon real estate education and allied business. The objectives include help for the real estate teacher; assistance to the real estate industry, Texas Real Estate Commission, Texas Real Estate Research Center (The Real Estate Center), Texas Educational Agency, and the public, especially in the communication of relevant information; and to provide a clearing-house for real estate teachers’ employment. The Board of Directors consisted of a President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer and four Directors – Membership, Hospitality, Program, and Publicity. Dues were $2.00 per year.
The first meeting of TRETA was held in conjunction with the Texas Junior College Teachers Association (TJCTA) on March 5, 1976, with Dr. Sydney C. Reagan, Professor and chairman of Real Estate Studies at SMU, as the guest speaker. On May 21, 1976, the TRETA officers and board of directors held a meeting at Texas A&M University with sixty participants receiving CEU credit.
1970s
Dean Stout of Richland College took the reign as president and the second annual Real Estate Education Conference was March 3-4 1977, at Texas A&M. The TJCTA Convention was held in San Antonio that year. The mid-year board of directors meeting was at Richland College in December 1977, and the 1978 TJCTA meeting was in Houston. The first regional workshop was held at Austin Community College.
In 1978, the annual meeting time was changed to June to coincide with the Texas Association of Realtor (TAR) meeting and Alice Cater of Lamar University was installed as president. In August TRETA had its first section meetings or breakout sections at the Texas Education Agency Mid-management Teachers workshop in Austin. The TRETA summer Newsletter was introduced and a teacher placement service was inaugurated. Members became involved in the Real Estate section of DECA. A section meeting was established in conjunction with TAR mid-winter conference and TRETA helped conduct contact seminars through the state. Two additional board of directors were added being Legislation and Research. TRETA presented recommendations for structuring the educational requirements for the Real Estate Licensing Act. The Texas Realtors foundation funded an Instructor Workshop at Texas A&M. John Keating designed the TRETA logo and letterhead. Katherine Tyra organized the first local chapter of TRETA in Houston. The constitution was amended to separate the office of secretary and treasurer and to increase dues to $5.00 per year. The first membership book was published.
At the 1979 meeting in El Paso, Ed Manton became president and he implemented the presentation of academic research papers and the TRETA Distinguished Realtors and Real Estate Teachers Awards which were given to Katherine Tyra and Rohlin Sullender. Life Memberships were established at $50.00 and the Political Action Committee was activated.
1980s
John Keating became President in 1980 and the Articles of Incorporation were approved. TRETA awards were presented to Tony Meeks, TAR Educational Director, and Benny McMahan, TAR President.
Under Rohlin Sullender’s 1981 presidency, an Instructor Development Workshop was conducted. The Editor Cliff Barbee expanded the TRETA newsletter “REAL REVIEW”. The Award of Merit was presented to Alice Cater for preparation of the TRETA scrapbook.
President Karl Kuehn, in 1982, was responsible for writing detailed job descriptions for each office and director. The affiliation with the Real Estate Education Association as a state chapter was accomplished.
While Katherine Tyra was president in 1983, the by-laws were updated. She helped organize local chapters in Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso, and Beaumont. The Charles Jacobus Scholarships were established for real estate students.
Before Jack Wiedemer became president in 1983 he served as editor of the TRETA “REAL REVIEW.” During his tenure as president the annual meeting was moved to San Antonio where the San Antonio proprietary schools introduced the Margarita Party, which has become a tradition. A Publisher’s Reception also became a part of the annual conference. Mayor Henry Cisneros gave the welcoming address. Lee Simpson kept the members informed as editor of the new “TRETA Talk.”
While Tom Morton was president, in 1985, the membership list became computerized. The Real Estate Center hosted a Real Estate Education Conference at Texas A&M.
Paul Metzger was the first president to serve two terms being 1986 and 1987. The annual meeting was moved from San Antonio to Corpus Christi. Dues were increased from $5.00 per year to $10.00 per year and the life memberships increased from $50.00 to $100.00. TRETA was named the outstanding REEA Chapter in 1986.
Under Kay Wilson’s presidential leadership in 1988, a system for a chain of continuity to pass records was organized. A scholarship was presented to Wally Cater in memory of Otis Cater. A festive conference was held in San Antonio where the Instructor Sharing Session was introduced.
During the presidency of Dorothy Lewis in 1989, trustees were appointed for the Life Membership Endowment Funds. She worked to improve professionalism and promote MCE instruction. Bob Lyon, one of the founders of TRETA was honored for his dedication to Real Estate Education. The annual meeting was held in El Paso.
1990s
As president in 1990 Barbara Eubanks included a REEA Instructor Development Workshop at the annual conference at South Shore Harbor. A scholarship was given to Richland College in memory of Dean Stout. The grand luncheon was dedicated to the Past Presidents.
In 1991, Cheryl Nance was president and we saw changing times in the industry as witnessed by speakers regarding the RTC and ADA, as well as a licensed mediator. “New Opportunities in Real Estate Education” was a topic at the meeting held in Austin.
Kenneth Longacre, as president, officiated at the annual meeting in Dallas during 1992, that year also saw the beginning of the TRETA Scholarship.
Patty Amyett initiated a great communication chain among the officers and directors during her 1993 presidency. Board of Choice was a new concept discussed at the Corpus Christi conference.
During the 1994 presidency of Ken Sheffield, the Certified Real Estate Instructor (CREI) Designation came into being. This was a major step in recognizing quality in real estate education in Texas. The Don Roose Award was also initiated to honor the commitment to real estate education made by Don Roose of the Texas Real Estate Commission. It can be awarded annually and represents the highest honor to be awarded to a real estate educator. Don Roose received the first award at the annual conference that was held in Galveston.
Al Sechrist was president during 1995 when the first class of 21 educators received their CREI designation at the New Braunfels annual TRETA conference. Agency was a hot topic at the conference and we learned a new word – Intermediary. The Don Roose Award was given to Jack Wiedemer.
During 1996, President John Haynie headed further efforts of TRETA to formalize the CREI program and awards. Buyer Representation and Contracts were topics of Interest at the San Antonio conference. Alice Cater received the Don Roose Award.
Nanci Hawes, during the 1997 presidency, discussed necessary changes to the by-laws, and called for a unified TRETA Voice, through a Topical Forum, initiated in Dallas. The first Continuing Education Class to maintain the CREI designation was held that year in Dallas, and was presented by the Real Estate Educator’s Association (REEA) President, Diane Simpson. In keeping with the theme of the annual REEA conference, “Year of the Member,” Nanci Hawes and Louise Lynn petitioned the honorable Governor Bush to proclaim April 12-19, 1998 as Texas Real Estate Education Week, which was a great honor for our organization. The Don Roose Award was given to Dorothy Lewis.
In 1998, while Joe Goeters was president, TRETA entered Cyberspace. Under the careful direction of Rick Knowles TRETA developed its web site, www.treta.org. This has proven to be a fantastic resource for members and non-members. At the suggestion of Dorothy Lewis, Joe Goeters and Alice Cater; TRETA inaugurated the first lifetime achievement award. Appropriately, the first recipient was our most esteemed and revered fellow educator, Jack Wiedemer. Cheryl Nance received the Don Roose Award at the Houston Conference.
President, Jan Agee, in 1999, set in motion a mission statement committee. A committee was established to made additions and clarifications to the by-laws. Email became a vital communication tool. At the Irving conference the Don Roose Award was posthumously awarded to Patty Amyett.
2000s
Kathy Terrell was president in 2000, and the CREI director became a member of the TRETA Board of Directors. The TRETA web site has been continually improved. Jim Wiedemer developed a contract for the vendors and exhibitors. An honorary Life Membership was awarded to Midge Wiedemer for her dedication to TRETA. The Don Roose Award was presented to Chuck Jacobus at the Austin Conference.
Wally Cater was president during 2001. More than 40 members attended a January meeting at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. Continued work was done on the WEB site. Two CREI sponsored Instructor workshops were in Dallas and Houston. The annual conference was at Moody Gardens in Galveston Texas with the theme being the “Next Generation” in Real Estate Education.” At the suggestion of Dorothy Lewis, and Jack Wiedemer; TRETA inaugurated the second lifetime achievement award. The recipient was our most esteemed and revered fellow educator, Alice Cater. The Don Roose Award was presented to Dr. Johnnie L. Rosenauer at the Galveston Conference.
Rick Knowles was president during 2002. We had another successful January meeting at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. Two CREI sponsored Instructor workshops were in Austin and Corpus Christi. The annual conference was in Lakeway, Texas near Austin. At the suggestion of Alice Cater, Chuck Jacobus, and Jack Wiedemer; TRETA inaugurated the third lifetime achievement award. The recipient was our most esteemed and revered fellow educator, Dorothy Lewis. The Don Roose Award was presented to Joe Goeters at the Austin Conference. The president’s awards were given to Wally Cater and Joe Irwin.
Joe Irwin was president during 2003.The January meeting at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University went well. The annual conference with theme being “A Fiesta of a Time … in Real Estate Education” was at The Menger Hotel in San Antonio Texas. Henry Cisneros was the keynote speaker. Wally Cater was the recipient of the Don Roose Award. The president’s award was given to Wally Cater.
The president for 2004, was Jim Wiedemer. We returned to Moody Gardens in Galveston for the annual conference. John Hamilton was the keynote speaker. The margarita party was held on stage at the Opera House and we were entertained with music from the movies. Joe and Charlotte Goeters hosted a party at their beach house. Dorothy Haley the membership chairman enlisted one hundred new members. The web site was revamped.
Rebecca Ray was the 2005 president. The annual conference was held in Corpus Christi. The theme of the margarita party was dressing as a pirate. A new interactive web site was developed. An alliance with Texas A&M was taken to the next level with the Center offering the required TREC MCE training in conjunction with the annual conference. The president’s awards were given to Charles McMillam and John Baen. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Don Roose,
The president for 2006 was Philip Schoewe. The site for the annual conference was Austin,. Texas. The gear margarita party was held poolside with live music. Melanie Irwin was selected to be the TRETA administrator. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Wally Cater. Philip Schoewe was the recipient of the Don Roose Award. The CREI workshops were held in Dallas and Houston. New scholarship programs were designed. An update meeting was sponsored by the Real Center at College Station.
Dennis Walker was the 2007 president. The conference was held at the Omni Hotel Park West in Dallas. The conference theme was “TRETA Continuing the Excellence”. Stefan Swanepoel served as the keynote speaker. His topic was “The Top 10 Trends Shaping the Future of the Real Estate Industry”. Rod Rodriguez researched making TRETA a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization and creating a Conflict of Interest Policy for the Officers and Board of Directors. A Historian position was created on the Board of Directors. Alice Cater was selected to be the Historian. Joe Irwin received the Don Roose Award.
The president for 2008 was Dorothy Haley. The annual conference was held in Sano Antonio, Texas at the Menger Hotel during the Festival. “Journey in Education” was the theme for the conference. This conference was in memory of Jack Wiedemer, one of the founding members. The Jack Wiedemer Scholarship Fund received $500 contributions from Cengage Learning and Dearborn Learning and $300 from the silent auction. The keynote speaker was John Stoval from Denver. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Cheryl Nance and the President’s Award was given to Rita Santamaria.
Chuck Jacobus was the president for 2009. This was the 34th Annual Real Estate Teacher’s conference, which was held in San Marcos. The theme for the conference was “TRETA Teachers Touch the Future.” Chuck Jacobus was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award. The conference attendees were awarded seven hours of MCE credit sponsored by Alliance Academy.
2010s
The president for 2010-2011 was Charlotte Goeters. The 35th Annual Conference was held at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas, with the theme “Tradition & Transition.” During the year several goals were achieved. The TRETA website was updated to allow for easy online registration. The IRS made TRETA a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. The membership was updated for TRETA Talk and email blast. Facebook accounts for TRETA and CREI members were created. Recruiting at real estate schools was begun. Along with his office duties Jerry Rutledge stepped in and also served as the program director. Jerry received the President’s Award. MCE hours were awarded to attendees and those attending the CREI workshop. Dennis Walker was the photographer and Dr. Wayne Thorburn served as Parliamentarian. Charlotte Goeters received the Don Roose Award.
Dan Hamilton was the president for 2011-2012. The 36th annual conference was held at the Hyatt Place Historic Stockyard Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. The theme of the conference was “I Am TRETA.” A great deal of effort was spent in building connections with the real estate teachers that were not associated with TRETA. MCE hours were awarded to attendees. Jerry Rutledge was the inaugural recipient of the first TRETA Jerry Rutledge Global Visionary Award. Joe Goeters was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Kevin Morris served as president for 2012-2013. The 37th annual conference was held in Bryan/College Station at the Best Western Premiere at Old Town Center. The theme of the conference was “Back to the Future” and included “TRETA Moments” of history throughout the program. Founding TRETA members, Alice Cater, Doug Moore and Robert Lyon shared stories about TRETA’s beginnings in 1976. Jerry Rutledge, Lloyd Hampton, and Joe Irvin received the President’s Awards for exemplary service to the association. Wally Cater was recognized with the Heart and Soul Award for his 19th year of being a TRETA board member. Jim Wiedemer received the Don Roose Award and Philip Schoewe received the Global Visionary award. Len Elder presented the CREI workshop.
The President of TRETA for 2013-2014 was Jerry Rutledge. Our 38th Annual Conference was held in North Dallas at the Hyatt Regency Hotel with the theme “All Roads Lead to Texas”. Attendees considered this conference to be one of the best ever. Real Estate licensees attending received 9 hrs of MCE credit sponsored by Alliance Academy. Jerry Rutledge presented the President’s Awards to Conference Director Bart Stockton and Webmaster Rachel Cahill for their outstanding contributions to the success of TRETA. Special Recognition Awards were presented to Historian, Alice Cater and CREI Director, Wally Cater for their long term dedication and many years of service. Both have retired from their positions this year but not their involvement with TRETA. The Jerry Rutledge Global Visionary Award was presented to retiring SMLD Commissioner, Doug Foster. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Philip Schoewe and the Don Roose Award of Excellence was given to Jerry Rutledge.’
Billy Parker was President from 2014-2015. The 39th annual conference was held in Corpus Christi at the Omni Hotel located in the lively downtown marina district. The theme of the conference was “Taking Education into the 21st Century”. Petey Parker was the keynote speaker. The attendees also enjoyed a very lively presentation from Avis Wukasch. Real Estate licensees attending received (9) hours of MCE credit. Billy Parker presented the President’s Awards to Conference Director Judy McKee, and to Jerry Rutledge for their outstanding service to TRETA. Lloyd Hampton was recognized with the Heart and Soul Award for his time and contributions in helping to make TRETA Talk a premier avenue of communication to our members. The Jerry Rutledge Global Visionary Award was presented to Chuck Jacobus and Dr. Johnnie Rosenauer was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Karen Nichols was President for 2015-2016. The 40th annual conference was held in San Antonio at the Marriott Plaza. The theme of the conference was “Unmasking the Highly Effective Teacher”. Henry Cisneros was the keynote speaker. The conference was packed with several presenters from Texas A&M. Texas Veterans Land Board, Commissioner of the Texas Department of Saving and Mortgage Lending and TREC’s Director of Education and Licensing Services, Gwen Jackson. All real estate licensees attending received 10 hours of CE credit. Karen Nichols presented the President’s Awards to Membership Director Michael Phillips and Jerry Rutledge for their outstanding service to TRETA. Jerry Rutledge Global Visionary Award was presented to Dr. Johnnie Rosenauer and Dennis Walker was awarded the Don Roose Award of Excellence.
The 2016-2017 President was Bart Stockton. The 41st Annual Conference theme was “Excellence Begins Here” and was held at the beautiful Lakeway Resort & Spa on Lake Travis near Austin. Members enjoyed the tranquil setting and gorgeous sunset reception over the lake as well as the lineup of dynamic speakers presenting information on new technology, teaching social media, simulcast classes, what brokers wish students were learning, and the perennial economic, legal, and TREC education updates. Again this year, 10 hours of CE credit were awarded to the real estate license holders in attendance. Bart Stockton presented the President’s Award to Conference Director Bonnie Wilson for her outstanding work, Joe Irwin received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Kevin Morris received the Don Roose Award of Excellence. Forty-six new members were added during the year, including some past members rejoining, thanks to the efforts of Internet Communications Director, Rachel Cahill.