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Dean deTonnancourt is 2014 Kent Washington REALTOR® of the Year


The Kent Washington Association of REALTORS® has named Dean A. deTonnancourt its 2014 REALTOR® of the Year.  Dean is Principle Broker of HomeSmart Professionals Real Estate in Warwick, RI.

As a member since 1990, Dean has served the Kent Washington Association in many roles, as a Director, Treasurer, Vice President, President-Elect and as President in 2008 and on a variety of committees, all but one of which he has chaired.  He is best known for his leadership on the Awards committee, for the many enjoyable theme‑based Awards dinners and for the creativity and drive that he brought out in his fellow committee members.   Equally valued has been his service on a variety of task forces, including the Awards Task Force, Policy Task Force Building Task Force and AE Search Task Force.  He is the recipient of the 2005 Richard L. Phipps Distinguished Service Award, given to a REALTOR® member for outstanding and unselfish dedication of time, talent and energy to the members of the Association.  He has twice been named the Kent Washington Association’s REALTOR® of the Year.

Dean has served with distinction as a Director of the Rhode Island Association of REALTORS®, as well as on many committees and as an instructor in classes on Agency, Ethics and Negotiations. He has been an advocate on home ownership issues, has co-chaired the REALTORS® Political Action Committee.  He has co-hosted the committee’s  “Blue Carpet” video series, encouraging agent participation in and support for advocacy on behalf of home ownership and the real estate profession.  Dean has been an organizer for the state association’s annual ‘Hill visits’ with the Rhode Island Congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., and has served as National Political Coordinator to U.S. Rep. David Cicilline.

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As a life-long resident of West Warwick and Coventry, Dean has served for 21 years as a member and Chairperson on the West Warwick Board of Assessment and Review, a body responsible for reviewing property assessment values for taxpayers to ensure that assessment value is in line with the re‑evaluation timeline.  He is a Committee member for the Coventry Housing Authority Family Self-Sufficiency Program, which works to help the clients transition out of Section 8 housing and into home ownership.   He is also an instructor for the Coventry and Narragansett Housing Authorities’ Home Purchase Program, which instructs program members on the benefits of home ownership and the process of purchasing a home.  He is a past Vice President for AIDS Care Ocean State and was for six years the Development Committee Chair. This committee oversaw and directed fund-raising and events planning for the leading AIDS awareness, support and treatment program in Rhode Island. 

Dean was a key player in opening the first Keller Williams franchise in Rhode Island, where he was Operating Principal from 2008 to 2010, and over 13 years he helped to grow the company to over 130 agents. In May of this year, his 25th in the real estate business, he has opened his own franchise, the first East Coast office of HomeSmart Professionals Real Estate in Warwick, RI, with 37 agents on board.

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Dean is one of five nominees for 2014 Rhode Island State REALTOR® of the Year.  The winner will be announced at the Rhode Island Association’s Annual Installation of Officers and Directors on October 23rd.

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