Wilkins Host Annual Awards Brunch 2012 and Celebrates 25th Year Anniversary

Skytop - The Wilkins organization, including Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates, NEPA Management Associates, Wilkins & Associates—PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, Pennsylvania First Settlement Services and Wilkins & Associates Commercial Brokers, held their 2012 Awards presentation and kick-off to the company’s 25th Anniversary at the annual company brunch held at the Skytop Lodge on January 6th. The event was well attended by over 50 employees, Managers and Realtors from the various companies.

Said Christine Scrofano-Wilkins, Exec VP/Gen Mgr, who was the Master of Ceremony, “We wanted to combine both of these events. We’ve always held an awards breakfast in years past, but this year was special because 2013 marks the 25th anniversary of the company and we wanted to do something more. Appreciate with the down-sizing and business climate over the past several years, to be rejoicing at year end is certainly a pleasurable event.”

Thomas R. Wilkins, President/CEO, founded the company in June of 1988 with 3 people in an office on Fork Street in Mt. Pocono. Wilkins laughs when he tells the story that he opened at the worst time in the real estate market because you need to understand that time was the last downturn in the market in the very early 90’s. Said Wilkins, “The downturn in the real estate market in 1988 through 1991 was nowhere near the downturn in this latest economic recession; I think we were simply too blind to see it the first time round. It was a great time to grow your business and the reality of it was we didn’t know it was a bad market.” he chuckled.

As time went on, the real estate company grew with the addition of NEPA Management Associates which followed soon after. The management part of the Wilkins organization has grown to the point that the company is recognized as, if not the largest, certainly one of the most successful Management businesses in the Poconos who offer a wide array of accounting, rental, property owner and townhome or condo management services as well as time-share, community management and conversion. There are plans in 2013 to expand Management into Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and the Allentown areas.

Currently, Wilkins is partners with Ron Parasole. General Partner and Owner of Parasole Property Management & Associates in Scranton, who handle primarily residential investment properties throughout the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area.

This same type of joint venture will be used with Wilkins’ expansion into the Lehigh Valley.

The 2012 awards presented at the Awards Breakfast included “Top 10 in Sales for 2012”; “Top Sales Person for 2012” which was awarded to Carl Maurer, Associate Broker; “Realtor of the Year” presented to Kathy Skillman, Associate Broker; “Rising Star” award to Rosemarie Lobe-Waller, CFO; “Certificate of Achievement” awards and the “Million Dollar Club” awards.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates have 3 offices in the Pocono Mountains. All offices are open 7 days a week. If you are interested in selling your home, please call any of our offices or visit us online at www.wilkins1.com.