Teton County Realtors recognize Gaitan, Law
By Thomas Dewell, Jackson Hole, Wyo.
August 28, 2009
Penny Gaitan was named Realtor of the Year and Clarene Law won Business Person of the Year on Thursday at a Teton Board of Realtors luncheon.
Gaitan, responsible broker at Art Hazen Real Estate, was nominated by colleague Tim Mayo, who recognized her honesty and reliability. Law, a 50-year valley resident who has run inns with her family and held local and state political offices, was nominated by Ed Liebzeit for her commitment to valley businesses and people.
At the Teton Pines luncheon sponsored by Jackson Hole Title & Escrow, Mayo said he recognized Gaitan’s ability to get things done.
“Penny Gaitan is somebody we can all count on,” he said.
Gaitan was nominated for the award along with Rob Deslauriers and Dave Spackman, of Sotheby’s International Realty, and David Viehman, of Jackson Hole Real Estate Associates.
Law, who has served on the school board and in the Wyoming Legislature, was nominated by Sotheby’s Realtor Ed Liebzeit.
Her fellow nominees were Jonathan Schechter, executive director of the Charture Institute, and Russ Asbell, who owns Ace Hardware along with his wife, Penny.
Liebzeit recognized Law’s long work with Town Square Inns and her public service, but he singled out her compassion for her employees and valley residents.
“As the national and then our local economy began to feel the effects of the current recession, Clarene said to me that what she worried about was the people who worked for her and others that work in all variety of jobs in the community,” Liebzeit said in his nominating form. “That is the kind of caring person she is and very likely a key to her success.”
Law was humble in her acceptance of the award, noting that anyone who lives long enough gets awards. She remembered working in Jackson when there was just on Realtor in town.
During her 14-year legislative career, law tried to enact a real estate transfer tax that would let the state collect a percentage of a home’s sale price.
Law said she was pleased to get the award, “even though some of you didn’t endorse the real estate transfer tax when I was doing it.”
