Welcoming Our July 2026 New Members to Aspire North REALTORS®

10.26.2026

By Heather Sauer

At Aspire North REALTORS®, we believe every new member strengthens our association, our profession, and the communities we serve. We are excited to welcome our July 2026 class of new REALTOR® and Affiliate members!

Through our two-day New Member Orientation, participants gained valuable knowledge, resources, and connections to help them build successful careers while upholding the highest standards of professionalism. Topics included REALTOR® ethics and etiquette, Fair Housing, fiduciary responsibilities, agency relationships, disclosure requirements, inspections, lending, title services, MLS rules and regulations, contracts and forms, grievance and arbitration procedures, REALTOR® safety, antitrust, RPAC, appraisals, committee involvement, professional development opportunities, and the rights and responsibilities of REALTOR® membership.

We are proud to recognize the following new members who were approved by the Board of Directors in July.

New REALTOR® Members

Please join us in welcoming:

Name	Office
AJ Bienkowski	eXp Realty
Robert Marriott	Property Value Services, LLC
Brooke Patty	Tandem Real Estate
Chelsea Kulpa	REO-TCRandolph-233022
Tim Smith	The Mitten Real Estate Group
Alan Balko	Century 21 Northland – Elk Rapids
Spencer Wolfe	Coldwell Banker Schmidt – Traverse City
Trisha Vroman	Keller Williams Northern Michigan
Lauren Pascua	@properties Christie's International Real Estate
Mackenzie Morelli	@properties Christie's International Real Estate
Alicia Key	The Mitten Real Estate Group
Emma Bierman	The Mitten Real Estate Group
Tammy Persson	Century 21 Northland
Andie Hobbins	Blue Lakes Real Estate Group

New Affiliate Members

Our Affiliate members are valued partners who provide essential products and services that support real estate professionals and the clients they serve. Please join us in welcoming:

Name	Office
Travis Gulick	Crystal Clear Home Inspections
Connor Smith	Mercantile Bank

We are thrilled to welcome each of these professionals to the Aspire North REALTORS® community! Whether beginning a career in real estate or supporting the industry as an Affiliate partner, we encourage our newest members to get involved through committees, educational opportunities, networking events, and community service.

Please join us in giving our July 2026 new members a warm Aspire North welcome! We look forward to seeing the connections they build and the contributions they make to our association and Northern Michigan communities.

Heather Sauer

Heather Sauer is the Human Resource Manager for Aspire North Realtors, bringing a strong background in human resources, leadership, and business strategy. She began her career in retail management while earning her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Northwood University, later transitioning into human resources at Target, where she served as an Executive Team Leader of Human Resources. During this time, she earned her MBA from the Northwood University DeVos Graduate School.

After relocating to Traverse City, Michigan, Heather continued her HR career with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), managing more than 30 client accounts and partnering closely with leadership teams on employee relations, compliance, and organizational development. In the fall of 2023, she expanded her professional experience into business development and entrepreneurship.

In addition to her role at Aspire North Realtors, Heather is also an independent travel agent, helping individuals, families, and groups plan seamless, memorable travel experiences. Her passion for service, organization, and relationship-building carries through both her HR and travel work.