In 1992, B.J. Smith was the first Realtor in Hot Springs to receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award on Jan. 28, and "had the pleasure to present this to his son Scott Smith."
Scott Smith's wife, Sherry, wrote the following poem for Rick Ramick to read during the banquet for fellow Realtors and affiliate members to try to guess who was receiving this award.
The poem
"The lifetime achievement award has only been given to a few,
Not regularly scheduled -- just when it is due.
25 years in the business is a must --
Serving the community and board while earning their trust.
This year's winner has done all that,
Even went to D.C. to give the lawmakers a chat.
When Hot Springs Board of Realtors required new digs,
This fellow rolled up his sleeves and took on the gig.
Building and Grounds committee was the call,
Overseeing the project from the slab to the walls.
Serving as board president and earning designations galore,
One thing is for certain, real estate is no bore.
Setting up caravan on Wednesday for weeks
Would not be a job for the mild or meek.
You can only imagine the choice words spoken,
When we drive all these miles and the lock box is broken!
Choosing real estate as a lifelong career,
Takes listings and clients to persevere.
Meeting lenders, appraisers and inspectors by day,
Working long hours, sometimes for no pay.
With each transaction more crazy than before,
Sellers get anxious, buyers walk out the door.
The solution is found by this real estate pro.
All parties are happy that the deal is a go.
Living the business while growing up,
Lapping it up like a Labrador pup.
Starting out of college, all fresh and new,
His first client said, "I've got shoes that are older than you!"
He excels at training others and giving them a start,
Cuz when it comes to real estate, he's really smart.
It takes a big man to fill a size 15 shoe
And if you are his client, he will take great care of you!
This second generation winner will be really glad
To follow in the footsteps of a man he calls Dad.
Now that we've dropped a hint or two
We want to introduce this year's winner to you,
'Scott Smith.'"
According to the press release, Scott said, "I realized it was probably me when he read the part about a size 15 shoe. I was thinking to myself, I wish my Dad was here to see this and, all of a sudden he stood up in the back of the room and presented me with this remarkable award. This was a very special moment in my life."
This award is not given annually. In order to qualify for the Lifetime Achievement Award, an individual must have held membership in the Hot Springs Board of Realtors for a continuous period of 25 years and have made notable contributions to the association in the areas of leadership and Realtor spirit.
His contributions include past president of the Hot Springs Board of Realtors for 1989, past president of the Arkansas Chapter of Residential Specialists for 2001, chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee for more than 10 years, overseeing the construction of the present headquarters for the Hot Springs Board of Realtors in 2007, chairman of the weekly MLS Caravan Committee multiple years, participates in the Special Olympic Fishing Derby, Cans for Kids food pantry project, member of the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club where he chaired the Student Guest Program, past member of the Board of Trustees for First United Methodist Church, and past board member of the Ouachita Children's Center.
Business on 02/20/2017