Sales Associates

Long & Foster targets community service on volunteer day More than 2,000 Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. sales associates and employees volunteered across the mid-Atlantic region as part of the company's third annual community service day. Volunteers from 130 offices helped at parks, schools, shelters, day-care centers and homes June 22. "Every office is supposed to find a project and go out and do it - all on the same day," said Juli Verrier, Long...

Area home sales up a bit in December The Metropolitan Regional Information Systems Inc., a real estate information provider in Rockville and the multiple list service for Realtors, reported that 9,474 homes were sold last month, up from 9,135 in December 1998. Dollar volume for the month totaled more than $1.8 billion, compared with just over $1.6 billion in the previous year. MRIS serves more than 27,000 Realtors in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.

Realtor sponsors festival at Oregon Ridge todayColdwell Banker Grempler Realty is sponsoring the fourth annual "Celebrate America with the Kids" from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. today at Oregon Ridge Park in Hunt Valley.The free festival will feature games, a petting zoo, stage acts and visits by the Ravens mascot and the Oriole Bird. Firetrucks and a MedEvac helicopter will be on display.For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.grempler.com.News in BriefNRT Inc., the parent company of O'Conor, Piper & Flynn ERA, announced that it has acquired its 100th company, Papagno Real Estate of Boston.

Giant Food stores let shoppers pay with ATM cardsGiant Food Stores has announced that the company has initiated a MOST Point of Sale (POS) payment program in 94 of its 98 Maryland stores.The MOST POS program will allow customers to use their MOST affiliated ATM (automated teller machine) cards to pay for purchases.NB These stores will also accept Visa and Mastercard for payment.Local company head appointed to boardThe Maryland Industrial Partnerships has announced the appointment of four members to its advisory board.

Sales associates honored by Realtors groupLinda Patterson and Barbara Bohan, sales associates in the Long and Foster downtown Annapolis office, were recently honored by the Five Million Dollar Club of Anne Arundel County Association of Realtors (AAAR).Ms. Patterson, a founding member of the club, is serving a one-year term as first vice president, and Ms. Bohan is a member of the board of directors.The Five Million Dollar Club of the AAAR, established in 1989, was founded to promote professionalism within the real estate industry.

MVA's Rickert elected to association postW. Marshall Rickert, Motor Vehicle Administration administrator and Annapolis resident, has been elected to serve a 1-year term as international chairman of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators at a recent convention in Denver.Appointed MVA administrator by Gov. Harry Huges in 1985, Mr. Rickert implemented the state's first MVA express offices for driver services, oversaw the inauguration of a new digitized driver licensing system, and has played a vital role in enhancing Maryland's vehicle emissions testing program.

Two of the Baltimore area's best-known residential real estate brokerages, Prudential Preferred Properties and Meredith Real Estate/Better Homes and Gardens, are joining forces to become one of the area's largest agencies.Sales associates at both companies were notified in surprise announcements yesterday that Prudential is acquiring Meredith Real Estate for an undisclosed sum effective Tuesday. All Meredith associates will become part of the Prudential organization, and the two companies will operate under the Prudential Preferred Properties name.

Large real estate brokerage firms are growing larger. And many smaller firms are phasing out.The trend is sparked by the increasing importance of computers in today's real estate operations. An effective computer system is expensive, and it's drawing a line in the operational sand for brokers.The trend was revealed in a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors. Information was collected and analyzed from 1,800 firms nationwide.While only 3 percent of all real estate firms had a sales force of more than 50 agents, those giant firms account for more than half (53 percent)

Business group to offer workshops starting Tuesday The Women's Business Institute of Taneytown is offering a series of two-hour workshops for small-business owners or anyone thinking about starting a small business. The workshops will be held at Carroll Community College, 1601 Washington Road, and cost $15 each. Workshops are: Assertiveness Training, Tuesday: Learn how to deal with negative feelings, present ideas without hesitation, express your opinions, and display confidence and a positive image.

Hospital names Wells senior managerNorth Arundel Hospital has named Michael Wells as senior manager of the Department of Plant Operations.He will be responsible for the department's daily operations, including personnel management, budget development and construction.Mr. Wells, who is affiliated with the Chesapeake Society of Hospital Engineering and the American Hospital Association, is working toward an electrical engineering degree from the University of Maryland at Baltimore.He worked previously as a master electrician with the Johns Hopkins Medical Services.