Event Coverage
SILVAR Celebrates 2025 Leadership Team at Installation Gala
Last night, the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® installed its 2025 leadership team at the Los Altos Golf & Country Club. Tamara Suminski, 2025 President-elect of the California Association of REALTORS®, administered the oath of office to 2025 President Tammie Peters. Ryan Iwanaga, Christie's International Real Estate Sereno co-founder and Chief Experience Officer, installed the 2025 Board of Directors. Chris Trapani, Christie's International Real Estate Sereno co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, offered a toast to the 2025 SILVAR leadership team. 2022 SILVAR President Brett Caviness served as master of ceremonies. Peters' daughter, Aimee Bankston, led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance. Also in attendance was Santa Clara County Board Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga of District 5, who awarded 2024 President Eileen Giorgi a certificate of commendation.
Suminski reflected on how much the real estate industry has changed in the last few years and how important it is for REALTORS® to remain steadfast in providing their clients with a personalized and seamless experience. She expressed gratitude to SILVAR and its leadership team for their dedication to innovation and upholding the highest service standards to elevate the real estate industry.
Trapani spoke on the value of being in the real estate profession. "To be able to pour our hearts and souls into our clients and the communities we serve is a great privilege," he said. Trapani also reflected on his working relationship with Peters and how her leadership skills helped Sereno collectively navigate through uncertain times during the Great Recession. He stated, "At the time, our team mantra was: 'One team, one dream.' Tammie was a big part of that vision. She was always helping others discover their potential. She'll never give up when she believes in what she's fighting for and that's why she's so deserving of this honor."
Joining Peters as SILVAR's Executive Officers are Stacey Woods, a REALTOR® with Compass, President-elect; and Jim Hamilton, a REALTOR® with Compass, Treasurer and Region 9 Chair.
The 2025 Board of Directors include Past President Eileen Giorgi (Christie's International Real Estate Sereno), NAR Director Denise Welsh (Compass), District Chairs Will McLennan (Yarkin Realty), Menlo Park-Atherton; Alex Lewicki (DeLeon Realty), Palo Alto; Katherine Frey (Katherine Frey Real Estate), Los Altos-Mountain View; Sunita Merchia (Merchia Realty), Cupertino-Sunnyvale; and Navneet Parmar (Real Estate Experts), Los Gatos-Saratoga; and Directors At-large Adriane Alston (Christie's International Real Estate Sereno), Alan Barbic (Barbic Real Estate Group), Jimmy Kang (eXp Realty of California), Tracey McNeely (eXp Realty of California), and Board Attorney David Hamerslough, Esq. (Rossi, Hamerslough, Reischl & Chuck).
Peters is a REALTOR® with Christie's International Realty Sereno. She has been a REALTOR® for 25 years. She is a Certified Residential Specialist, and has earned the REALTOR® Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) endorsement from the National Association of REALTORS® and NAR's At Home with Diversity certification (AHWD).
Peters thanked Installation sponsors MLSListings (Dave Wetzel) and the Los Gatos-Saratoga District, Title Sponsors; Staging Pros, Entertainment Sponsor; Christie's International Real Estate Sereno (Chris Trapani and Ryan Iwanaga), Wells Fargo Home Mortgage (Satish Dadral) and DeLeon Realty (Ken DeLeon and Michael Repka), Major Sponsors; and Coldwell Banker Realty (Jeff Bell and Doug Evans), Compass (Dave Walsh), SILVAR's Cupertino-Sunnyvale, Los Altos-Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Menlo Park-Atherton Districts, The Agency (Jeff Barnett) and Tour Factory (Darrell Monda), Sponsors.
She thanked members and guests, the Gala committee and SILVAR staff and congratulated the 2025 board directors, committee chairs and district council members for volunteering this year. "We have an amazing group of leaders here," she said. "We've built a great thing at SILVAR, and I want us to continue doing that. We are always better together. Advocacy is the reason we're here and it's the reason we're independent contractors. We are advocates of homeownership rights and for our jobs. Thank you all for trusting me with this role and I look forward to a great year."
See below for photos from the event. You can also visit SILVAR's Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® Facebook page and the Silicon Valley REALTORS® page.
Photo Gallery
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.