Joyce Needler, ReMax Results, was named 2014 Realtor of the Year and Bob Sanders was named 2014 Affiliate of the Year Award at the annual Kosciusko Board of Realtors annual holiday party. (Photo provided)

The Kosciusko Board of Realtors announced its 2014 Realtor and Affiliate of the Year at its annual holiday party held at the Tippecanoe Country Club on Dec. 4, 2014.

The evening kicked off with the presentation of the 2014 Affiliate of the Year Award. KBOR is able to achieve all of its community outreach goals and provide many of its realtor services due to the partnership with affiliate members.

The affiliate of the year award is a small token of appreciation to KBOR’s 54 affiliate partners. Greg Mitchell, 2013 co-realtor of the year winner, presented the 2014 Affiliate of the Year Award to Bob Sanders, Bodkin Abstract Co. Inc.

Sanders purchased Bodkin in 1979. The firm celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2014. Sanders and Bodkin Abstract are known for its customer service and making every effort to protect all of the customer’s business dealings. Those customers include the realtors, lenders, buyers and sellers.

When Sanders is not working, his hobbies usually involve such activities as motorcycle riding and legend car racing. He and his wife, Sharon, have been married for 33 years and have three children, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Bob was KBOR’s first affiliate of the year in 1999 and now the latest affiliate of the year.

KBOR’s other 2013 co-realtor of the year, Lori Rockwell, introduced the 2014 Realtor of the Year, Joyce Needler of ReMax Results.

Needler became a realtor in 1992 and before arriving at KBOR was a member and served as board president of the Mid-Eastern Indiana Association of Realtors in Muncie. Needler has served as the KBOR Board secretary/treasurer, vice-president and was the 2014 KBOR president. She is also a driving force on the community service committee. As a surprise to Needler, her daughter, son-in-law, son and four grandchildren, all from the Indianapolis area, presented her with her award.

In addition to the realtor and affiliate of the year presentations, the KBOR Community Service Committee partnered with the holiday party committee to present a live auction, “Honoring our Military Families.” The auction was held to honor a specific group of very important people; Kosciusko County military families. Kosciusko County’s active duty servicemen and women, National Guard members and reservists have continued the state’s tradition of military service to the nation.

The auction raised $4,200 and the funds where evenly distributed to three local Kosciusko County Military Families in need.