Submission period is closed.

The Tom D. Morton Award is given to a Texas association executive for excellence, service to members, personal and professional accomplishments, and achievements. Tom D. Morton was an executive vice president of the Houston Association of REALTORS® who established new standards for executive officers around the nation.

View list of previous winners.

Questions? Contact Jon Houser.


Nomination Guidelines and Qualifications

Who was Tom D. Morton?

Tom D. Morton (1927-1987) was the executive vice president of the Houston Association of REALTORS® for twenty years. During his tenure, he established new standards for executive officers around the nation. He was a leader and an example for each of us. His untimely death in December 1987 caused us to reflect on our jobs and ourselves.

Purpose

As a way of honoring him and reminding us of the excellence he displayed, the Texas REALTORS® Association Executive Council and the Houston Association of REALTORS® established the Tom D. Morton Memorial Award. This award is designed to recognize association executives for their excellence, their service to their members, and their personal and professional accomplishments and achievements. This award is not to be considered an annual award.

Nominations

Nominations can be submitted by any person other than the candidate and must be submitted on the appropriate nomination form. If an association executive was nominated the previous year and was not the recipient, the nomination form will be returned to the board leadership with instruction to update the information and approval to resubmit the nomination form.

Previous recipients may be re-nominated after an eight-year period and only those new activities completed since awarded will be considered.

Selection timeline

Nomination forms will be posted at TexasRealEstate.com in October. The Awards Selection Committee will review and identify AEs who are eligible for the nomination at the Texas REALTORS® Conference in December. The committee will contact the leadership of those boards to encourage them to complete the nomination form. If a qualified candidate is selected by the Awards Selection Committee, the award will be presented the following year at the Texas REALTORS® Winter Meeting in February.

Nomination criteria
  • Must be a local board association executive, executive vice president, or CEO
  • AE/EVP/CEO career at least a total of five years in Texas
  • Work a minimum of 30 hours per week
  • Cannot have received the award within the past eight years
  • Only those new activities completed since last awarded will be considered
  • Must have earned the RCE designation.

Previous Winners

Year Winner
2023 Emily Chenevert, RCE, Austin 2022 Ken Hogan, RCE, Abilene 2021 Monica Pena, RCE, Greater McAllen 2020 Connie Coots, RCE, Odessa 2019 Denise Price, RCE, Amarillo 2018 Kim Lambert, RCE, Greater Lewisville 2017 Ed Moore, RCE, Greater Tyler 2016 Mary Leidy, RCE Collin County 2015 Angela Shields, RCE, San Antonio 2014 Cade Fowler, RCE, Lubbock 2013 Shelia Torres, RCE, Lufkin Association 2012 Carolyn Arnold, Permian Basin Board 2011 Amy DuBose, RCE, San Marcos Area Board 2010 Larry Johnson, RCE, Arlington Board of REALTORS® 2009 Patricia Webb, RCE, Texas REALTORS® 2008 Carolyn Wall, RCE, Greater Metro West Association 2007 Travis Kessler, RCE, San Antonio Board 2006 Sherry Matina, RCE, Greater Fort Worth Association 2005 Connie Coots, RCE, Odessa Board 2004 Sandra Lancaster, RCE, Grand Prarie Board 2002 Kathy Burkhalter, RCE, Beaumont Board 2001 Richard Thomas, RCE, Greater Dallas Association 2000 David Foster, CAE, RCE, Austin Board 1999 Mary Lou Whitham, RCE, Greater Tyler Board 1998 Kandi Pool, RCE, San Angelo Association 1997 Bob Hale, Houston Association 1996 Karen Castleman, RCE, Greater Texoma Association 1995 Marv Gerard, RCE, Abilene Board 1994 Claire Shahzad, RCE, Northeast Tarrant County Board 1993 Sam Roberson, San Antonio Board 1992 Travis Kessler, RCE, Greater Fort Worth Association 1991 Denise Price, RCE, Amarillo Association 1990 Benny McMahan, Greater Dallas Association 1989 Foster Edwards, Corpus Christi Association 1988 Brownie Brownlee, Lubbock Association