Rembering Iowa REALTORS'® First Lady: Joan Ballantyne

Joan Ballantyne, a long-serving and respected Iowa REALTORS® leader, died on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the age of 93. 

Ballantyne served as a stalwart of Iowa REALTORS®, serving in a number of capacities, including as president in 1981. Leading the charge on a number of initiatives that had significant impact on Iowa REALTORS® and the real estate profession as a whole.  

Joanie, as she was fondly called by her friends, was a pioneer in the real estate industry, serving on local, state and national levels with grace and kindness that was respected by her peers and all who were lucky enough to come in contact with her. 

Joanie's impact on the Iowa REALTORS® family is unprecedented. She remained a leader with the state association for decades, even after her retirement. We are incredibly grateful for her forethought, passion and dedication to our profession and our members. She will be greatly missed, but remembered fondly by all who were lucky enough to meet her or feel her impact on our profession. 

If you asked any member at Iowa REALTORS® to describe Joanie, you'd receive answers such as: icon, connector, legend, welcoming, inspiring and the First Lady of Iowa REALTORS®. She was each of these things, and more to her REALTOR® family. 

She jumped feet first into the real estate world in 1961 when she sold her first home, and eventually graduated from the REALTOR® Institute of Iowa in 1970. Shortly after she became a leader at the local level serving on the Cherokee County Realty Board. From there, she enjoyed more than three decades of service to the state association, sitting on several committees and adding her voice to elevate the REALTOR® profession in our state. Additionally, the REALTOR® Foundation of Iowa thrived under Joanie's leadership and commitment. 

Ballantyne's influence reached much farther than just the state of Iowa, she was a member of the Women's Council of REALTORS® since 1972, and served as the national president in 1988. 

In addition to leading REALTORS® across the state, Joanie was active on a national stage serving on more than a dozen committees, including Board of Directors, Public Policy Coordinating Committee, and RPAC Political Involvement. Joanie was a fierce advocate for the profession. As a long-time supporter of RPAC and political issues affecting real estate, she received the L. Martin Lee Political Involvement Award in 2009 and the National Association of REALTORS® Federal Political Coordinator Meritorious Service Award in 2011. She was inducted into the RPAC Hall of Fame in 2016. 

Ballantyne received a number of other well-deserved recognitions over the years including, Iowa REALTOR® of the Year award in 1983 and in 1992 she was the recipient of the O.G. Powell Distinguished Service Award. That recognition would later go on to include her name, with outstanding REALTORS® now being recognized with the O.G. Powell/Joan Ballantyne Distinguished Service Award each year. 

She was the only Iowa recipient of the National Association of REALTORS® Distinguished Service Award in 2000. 

Joanie will be missed, not only for her leadership, but for her kindness, caring and love of her fellow REALTORS® and the profession. 

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