With several past presidents alongside, and several of the Georgia Association of Realtors’ top officials on hand at Dawson Farms, Jimmy Shanken accepted the gavel as the incoming president of the Hinesville Area Board of Realtors.

“He is such a wonderful person with such a generous, sweet heart,” said Brianne Drake, president of the GAR. “He is a true servant leader. He is committed, he is passionate and he happens to be the 2024 GAR Realtor of the year.”

Shanken also serves as president of the Hinesville Rotary Club and is chairman of the Long County Development Authority. Shanken is the 2026 Georgia Association of Realtors chair of its economic policy advisory council. Shanken took the gavel from outgoing president Jessica Victoria and recalled it was Bernadette Rhambarose who urged him to get involved with the Board of Realtors.

“That has allowed me to travel to many places on behalf of the board of realtors,” he said. “I traveled to Cuba for the Obama administration because of the board of realtors.”

Shanken encouraged his fellow real estate professionals to get involved with the Board of Realtors.

“It’s more important now than ever that you be involved in your board of realtors,” he said. “You are important. You need to stand up and take action. Get out and be a part of it.”