During its annual meeting on Monday, the Contoocook Valley Board of Realtors honored one of its founding members, Marc Tieger, for his longtime efforts as a leader and mentor in the community.
Tieger was given the Founders Award, a new award created by the board this year, specifically to honor Tieger.
“A leader is one who leads by example, not just when he is watched, but for all the days when no one is noticing,” said Contoocook Valley Board of Realtors President Lisa Stone, as she was presenting the award to Tieger during the meeting at Monadnock Country Club. “When I asked some people on this board about a leader, they said things like, ‘He is honest. No one can say a bad thing about that guy.’ I was told, ‘He is welcoming. Even at the voting polls, he greets me like an old friend.’ I was told, ‘He is kind. I was really in a bind, and he offered to help.’ I was told he was knowledgeable, that, ‘When I was stuck, and no one could help me, I knew I could call Marc Tieger.’ ”
In accepting the award, Tieger joked about a town tradition of gifting a cane, originally gifted to New England towns by the Boston Post, to its oldest living resident.
“Thank you to the board, thank you to all the people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. At least it’s not the Boston Post Cane,” he said.
Tieger also praised many people he had worked with in his career, and his fellow colleagues in the room.
“I’m going to accept this award on behalf of you, because of all you contribute to making our business, our profession, what it is. I’m thinking tonight of so many people who have worked with us, who are no longer here,” Tieger said.
Tieger said he’s going to be continuing his work.
“It’s been an interesting 50 years. It’s a very, very sincere thank you that I give you. It’s a real honor, and I want to continue to keep doing it, so I’m not stopping,” Tieger said.
Tieger is part of the group that originally founded the board of realtors, and has been in the business for 50 years, Stone said Tuesday. He is also a longtime member of the Contoocook Valley Board of Realtors board of directors.
“He does an incredible job of mentoring new brokers in our area. This is a weird industry for that – when you set up a brokerage, you’re often working solo, without guidance or help. But he has always been there to offer assistance,” Stone said.
In addition to his work life, Stone said Tieger is highly involved in Jaffrey in other ways. He serves as the town moderator, helps to organize the town’s Memorial Day parade and is also a member of the town’s Zoning Board of Adjustment, which Stone said is an important way for Realtors to help steer development in their towns.
Stone said it was for all these reasons the board decided to honor Tieger with its first Founders Award, but also the integrity with which he carries out all those duties.
“He talks all the time about leading with the Golden Rule,” Stone said. “He is such an honest-dealing man. He’s someone we can all count on, whether or not we work for him.”
During Monday’s meeting, the board also installed its slate of officers and board of directors for the coming year. Lisa Stone was sworn in as president, Larry Alvarez as vice president, Melissa Somero as secretary and Karen Niemela as treasurer.
The board of directors for the coming year consists of Dean Deschenes, Mark Fahrenholtz, Christine Lavery, Judy Spring, Tieger, Denise Whitney and Isaac Stone.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.