(Chicago, May 24, 2010) The Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM^®) Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public foundation, recently honored IREM^® faculty member Steven K. Easton, CPM^®, of St. Petersburg, FL, with its Lloyd D. Hanford Sr. Distinguished Faculty Award. The Hanford award is presented periodically to a member of the IREM^® faculty who has shown extraordinary dedication to the educational process and the advancement of knowledge in the real estate management profession. It commemorates the direct contributions of Lloyd D. Hanford, Sr., one of the Institute’s early presidents and a founder of the IREM^® real estate management education program.

REVERED EDUCATOR
Easton is the founder and sole owner of Easton Realty, a full-service real estate company in St. Petersburg. He began his real estate career in single-family brokerage and has since been involved in managing multifamily housing, condominiums, and retail centers. He currently specializes in commercial brokerage and management and also is involved in construction and building.

In presenting the award to Easton, IREM^® Foundation President Edward Boudreau, Jr.,
CPM^®, noted that his contributions to IREM and the industry are truly outstanding. “He has been an IREM^® faculty member since 1986, teaching a wide variety of courses both domestically and internationally, and has served as a grader trainer, faculty advisor, and a mentor and guide for his countless students. As well, he has served on numerous IREM^® committees at the national level, as a regional vice president, and as an active member and past president of IREM’s Florida West Coast Chapter No. 44.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE OF REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT
The Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM^®) is an international community of real estate managers across all property types dedicated to ethical business practices and maximizing the value of investment real estate. An affiliate of the National Association of Realtors^®, IREM has been a trusted source for knowledge, advocacy and networking for the real estate management community for more than 77 years.

IREM is the only professional real estate management association serving both the multi-family and commercial real estate sectors and has 80 U.S. chapters, 13 international chapters, and several other partnerships around the globe. Worldwide membership includes nearly 18,000 individual members and over 535 corporate members.

IREM promotes ethical real estate management practices through its credentialed membership programs, including the Certified Property Manager^® (CPM^®) designation, the Accredited Residential Manager^® (ARM^®) certification, the Accredited Commercial Manager (ACoM) certification, and the Accredited Management Organization^® (AMO^®) accreditation. These esteemed credentials certify competence and professionalism for those engaged in real estate management. IREM also offers CPM^® Candidate, Associate, Student, and Academic memberships. All members are bound by the strictly enforced IREM^® Code of Professional Ethics.