During Manitoba’s Realtor Week this past fall, Harry DeLeeuw received the Brian M. Collie Award for Individual Achievement in Provincial Advocacy.
The award was presented by Lorne Weiss, chair of the Manitoba Political Action Committee along with Gloria Collie, widow of Brian M. Collie, who served as the Manitoba Real Estate Association’s CEO for more than 25 years until he died in April 2015. The honour is reserved for an individual who demonstrates ingenuity and initiative in advancing MREA’s advocacy programs and relationship-building with provincial political leaders.
“I have had the opportunity to work with Harry over the past 15 years in the area of advocacy and political action on behalf of our members. His energy and commitment set the standard. I can’t think of anyone who could be more deserving of this award,” says Weiss.
DeLeeuw is founder and co-chair of Manitoba Tipi Mitawa, a First Nations home ownership program that brings stability and independence to indigenous families. He also leads the Manitoba Realtor Network, comprised of more than 200 Realtor advocates, and chairs Manitoba’s Realtor Week.
DeLeeuw has served as president of CREA, MREA and the Winnipeg Real Estate Board (now WinnipegRealtors) and is a director-at-large on MREA’s board of directors. The association says he “was a stalwart champion in the successful $2-million Realtor fundraising campaign to help build the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg” and is the founder of the Citizens Hall of Fame in Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park.
In 2014, REM featured DeLeeuw among the 25 top leaders from across Canada who has had the biggest influence on the real estate profession in the last 25 years.
