Calgary, Alberta – The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Pat Rudiger, FRI, as chair and Ralph Salomons as vice-chair.  The appointments were made at a November 7, 2007 council meeting.

“As a long-time real estate industry member I have seen the positive effect that RECA has had on consumer confidence,” said Pat Rudiger.  “By introducing practices that improve professional and educational standards, RECA has helped make our industries better for everyone.  It is truly an honour for me to serve my colleagues as chair.”   Pat is a broker in Edmonton and has worked in the real estate industry for 28 years.  He is a past president and honorary life member of both the Alberta Real Estate Association and the Edmonton Real Estate Board, and is a past chair of the Real Estate Institute of Canada.  He was appointed to RECA in 2003 to represent industry members trading in residential real estate.

Ralph Salomons has worked in the commercial real estate brokerage business since 1984.  His company, Ralph Salomons Commercial Inc., specializes in land sales and leasing, and is based in Red Deer.  Ralph has served as a director of the Alberta Real Estate Association and is past president of the Red Deer Real Estate Board.  He was appointed to RECA in 2006 to represent Alberta’s industrial, commercial and investment real estate sector.

A total of twelve council members represent the public interest and real estate industry members (including real estate brokers and associates, mortgage brokers and associates, real estate appraisers, and property managers) throughout the province.  Council members are appointed for a three-year term and may serve two terms consecutively.  In addition to Pat Rudiger and Ralph Salomons, current council members are:   Chris Anderson (representing industry members who are not members of the Alberta Real Estate Association), Cindy Dubray (representing the property management sector), Cheryl Schindel (representing real estate boards outside of Edmonton and Calgary), Les Higa (representing real estate boards outside of Edmonton and Calgary), Sheldon Johnston (representing the Edmonton Real Estate Board), Connie Leclair (representing the public), Wayne McAlister (representing the Calgary Real Estate Board), Richard Parker (representing the public), Gary Siegle (representing the mortgage brokerage sector), and Robert Telford (representing real estate appraisers).

RECA is an independent, non-government agency responsible for regulating real estate, mortgage broker, and real estate appraisal industry professionals under Alberta’s Real Estate Act. RECA is mandated to protect consumers and to provide services that enhance and improve the industry and the business of industry members.

Calgary, Alberta – On May 23, 2007, Bradley Samuel Yakimchuk, who was formerly registered with Shelagh Brennan Realty Ltd. o/a Sutton Premiere Real Estate in Sherwood Park, applied to the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) to withdraw from industry membership in accordance with section 54 of the Real Estate Act. Mr. Yakimchuk’s application to withdraw was approved by RECA and results in a voluntary lifetime prohibition from industry membership.

At the time of his withdrawal application, Mr. Yakimchuk was the subject of a disciplinary proceeding which, by virtue of the approved withdrawal application, is discontinued. Mr. Yakimchuk’s withdrawal application does not constitute an admission of misconduct.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) is an independent, non-government agency, responsible for regulating real estate, mortgage broker, and real estate appraisal industry professionals under Alberta’s Real Estate Act. RECA is mandated to protect consumers and to provide services that enhance and improve the industry and the business of industry members.

Calgary, Alberta – On May 23, 2007, Ted Stinson, who most recently was licensed as a Broker with Corner Stone Management and Real Estate Services Ltd. in Red Deer, applied to the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) to withdraw from industry membership in accordance with section 54 of the Real Estate Act. Mr. Stinson’s application to withdraw was approved by RECA and results in a voluntary lifetime prohibition from industry membership.

At the time of his withdrawal application, Mr. Stinson was the subject of a disciplinary proceeding which, by virtue of the approved withdrawal application, is discontinued. Mr. Stinson’s withdrawal application does not constitute an admission of misconduct.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) is an independent, non-government agency, responsible for regulating real estate, mortgage broker, and real estate appraisal industry professionals under Alberta’s Real Estate Act. RECA is mandated to protect consumers and to provide services that enhance and improve the industry and the business of industry members.

Calgary, Alberta – On May 23, 2007, Richard Semchuk, who most recently was licensed as a real estate associate with 771566 Alberta o/a Realty Executives – Masters in St. Albert, applied to the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) to withdraw from industry membership in accordance with section 54 of the Real Estate Act. Mr. Semchuk’s application to withdraw was approved by RECA and results in a voluntary lifetime prohibition from industry membership.

At the time of his withdrawal application, Mr. Semchuk was the subject of a disciplinary proceeding which, by virtue of the approved withdrawal application, is discontinued. Mr. Semchuk’s withdrawal application does not constitute an admission of misconduct.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) is an independent, non-government agency, responsible for regulating real estate, mortgage broker, and real estate appraisal industry professionals under Alberta’s Real Estate Act. RECA is mandated to protect consumers and to provide services that enhance and improve the industry and the business of industry members.

Calgary, Alberta – On May 23, 2007, Gary Kaechele, who was most recently licensed as a real estate broker with Emerald Management and Realty in Calgary, applied to the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) to withdraw from industry membership in accordance with section 54 of the Real Estate Act. Mr. Kaechele’s application to withdraw was approved by RECA and results in a voluntary lifetime prohibition from industry membership.

At the time of his withdrawal application, Mr. Kaechele was the subject of a disciplinary proceeding which, by virtue of the approved withdrawal application, is discontinued. Mr. Kaechele’s withdrawal application does not constitute an admission of misconduct.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) is an independent, non-government agency, responsible for regulating real estate, mortgage broker, and real estate appraisal industry professionals under Alberta’s Real Estate Act. RECA is mandated to protect consumers and to provide services that enhance and improve the industry and the business of industry members.

Calgary, Alberta – On May 23, 2007, Stacy Augusto, who most recently was licensed as a real estate associate with Challenge Realty Ltd. o/a Realty Executives Challenge in Edmonton, applied to the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) to withdraw from industry membership in accordance with section 54 of the Real Estate Act. Ms. Augusto’s application to withdraw was approved by RECA and results in a voluntary lifetime prohibition from industry membership.

At the time of her withdrawal application, Ms. Augusto was the subject of a disciplinary proceeding which, by virtue of the approved withdrawal application, is discontinued. Ms. Augusto’s withdrawal application does not constitute an admission of misconduct.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) is an independent, non-government agency, responsible for regulating real estate, mortgage broker, and real estate appraisal industry professionals under Alberta’s Real Estate Act. RECA is mandated to protect consumers and to provide services that enhance and improve the industry and the business of industry members.

Calgary, Alberta – On March 22, 2007, Svjetlana Cicko, who was formerly licensed as a real estate associate with Coldwell Banker Chinook Realty o/a Realty Executives Chinook City, applied to the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) to withdraw from industry membership in accordance with section 54 of the Real Estate Act.  Ms. Cicko has received a permanent, lifetime ban from the industry as a consequence of withdrawing under section 54.

At the time of the withdrawal application, Ms. Cicko had not been trading in real estate in Alberta and was the subject of a RECA investigation.

As a result of the approval of Ms. Cicko’s application to withdraw from the industry, conduct proceedings have been discontinued.  Ms. Cicko’s withdrawal application does not constitute an admission of any misconduct.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) is an independent, non-government agency, responsible for regulating real estate, mortgage broker, and real estate appraisal industry professionals under Alberta ’s Real Estate Act. RECA is mandated to protect consumers and to provide services that enhance and improve the industry and the business of industry members.

Calgary, Alberta – On March 20, 2007 amendments to the Real Estate Act were introduced in the Legislative Assembly by George Rogers, MLA for Leduc-Beaumont- Devon as Bill 24 – the Real Estate Amendment Act.

While the proposed changes will not directly affect the day to day business practices of industry members, they will significantly enhance the ability of the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) to fulfill its mandate of consumer protection.

Bill 24 enhances the Real Estate Act in the following ways:

• clarifies and modernizes key terms used in the Act;
• eliminates sections that are out dated or no longer necessary;
• provides for increased regulatory flexibility;
• removes RECA from the regulation of the sale of businesses;
• ensures self-regulation is determined by industry members in Alberta and the process for appointments to Council is fair for all sectors;
• eliminates the role of RECA in the approval of prospectuses for the sale of land located outside Alberta;
• increases the efficiency of RECA’s complaint handling process;
• improves RECA’s ability to carry out investigations of industry members;
• improves RECA’s hearing and appeal panel procedures;
• clarifies RECA’s ability to share information regarding disciplinary decisions;
• makes it easier for consumers to make claims against the Real Estate Assurance Fund when their trust funds have gone missing; and,
• clarifies the rights of consumers to recover commissions paid to unlicensed persons.