The Charlotte Regional Realtor Association Housing Opportunity Foundation presented its 2009 Humanitarian Award to the Rev. George Cook Jr., senior pastor at Greater Mount Sinai Baptist Church.

Cook accepted the award at the association’s annual Holiday Luncheon on Dec. 11 at the Marriott Executive Park.

The award, established in 2007, recognizes individuals, groups or projects that make outstanding contributions to enhance the quality of life in the Qcity region.

Cook has been pastor of Greater Mount Sinai Baptist Church for more than 23 years and “has exemplified the spirit of volunteerism over much of that time,” the foundation said.

Cook’s community outreach efforts include: teaching teens through the Emerging Leaders Program; participation in the “Big Read” program sponsored by the Mecklenburg County Public Library and volunteer efforts at the Harvest Center, where he gives monthly inspirational messages to the homeless.

He also serves as board president for Central Children’s Home of North Carolina and has served on the board for Mecklenburg County Adolescent Pregnancy and as a member of the Teenage Parent Support Group. Through his duties as board chairman of the Ministry of Recovery, he volunteers with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Mental Health, providing counseling for those recovering from drug addiction, and was the recipient of the agency’s 1999 “Outstanding Leadership Award.”

In honor of Cook’s work, the association and the foundation will donate $2,000 to a nonprofit of his choice.

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Valarie R. Brooks, an agent with RE/MAX Executive Realty in SouthPark, was named one of the region’s best real estate agents by Charlotte Magazine – the only African American to make the list.

For its annual “Five Star Real Estate Agent” competition, the magazine hired an independent research firm to survey 17,250 Charlotte-area residents who had recently purchased homes and 5,000 subscribers to Charlotte magazine. An additional 250 surveys were sent to mortgage and title companies.

Survey recipients were asked to judge agents with whom they had worked based on nine criteria: customer service, communication, finding the right home, integrity, negotiation, marketing the home, market knowledge, closing preparation and overall satisfaction.

The resulting list of Five Star agents, the magazine said, is “an elite group, representing less than 4 percent of licensed agents in the Charlotte area.”

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Johnson C. Smith University senior Devo’n Williams has received an N.C .Campus Compact Community Impact Student Award.

During a recent N.C. Campus Compact conference, Williams led a workshop entitled, “Why Students Should Learn Chess.” His workshop explained how teaching chess to children can help them become more analytical, patient and focused at an early age.

Williams, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, is a communications major and reporter for the JCSU News.

N.C. Compact is a coalition of 42 universities and colleges in North Carolina, joining almost 1,200 institutions nationwide that are dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and service-learning in higher education. JCSU has been a member since 2003.

The annual awards recognize students who provide significant, innovative contributions to campus-based efforts to address community needs.

This year’s conference, held at Western Carolina University, welcomed members of JCSU’s Student Government Association and N.C. ACT Scholars Program: Jermaine Gassaway, Erica Hilton, Mecia Moore, Angela Hames, Donisha Barnes, Mikkita Stevens, Marie Ary and Williams. JCSU staff members Sherrill Hampton and Angela Jeter accompanied the students.

Editor’s Note: Names in the News is a celebration of achievement. Send submissions to editor@qcitymetro.com.

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