Howard Schaeffer, a Realtor with RE/MAX Real Estate, Allentown, is the new president of the Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors.

Schaeffer, a full-time Realtor since 2003 who specializes in commercial sales, residential home sales, new construction sales and investor relations, succeeds GLVR President Tim Tepes of Assist 2 Sell Buyers & Sellers Realty.

Schaeffer, a former active-duty United States Marine, spoke about his mission and goals for the year before more than 130 real estate professionals at an induction ceremony at Saucon Valley Country Club.

“Having a plan for my mission is how I am programmed as a Marine,” Schaeffer said.

“We have had amazing presidents in the past. It is my job to preserve their hard work, but to also leave the association better than I found it,” said Schaeffer.

“My number one goal is to take professionalism to the next level, and to construct a better sense of teamwork within our profession,” Schaeffer said.

Schaeffer said he looks forward to working with his fellow board members and GLVR staff on strengthening the Greater Lehigh Valley Real Estate Academy, which the association owns and operates, and the association’s Professional Standards process.

In addition to serving on the Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors Board of Directors, Schaeffer served on the association’s Grievance Committee 2016-2018.

Schaeffer was awarded the RE/MAX Chairman’s Club Award and elected to the RE/MAX Hall of Fame in 2012. He is the team leader for Howard Schaeffer & Associate’s Real Estate Team.

Schaeffer is a member of the Lehigh Valley Marine Corp League Detachment 296; Chairman of the Board for the Chapel of Four Chaplains Foundation; National Chaplain, Marine Corps League, and President of the Marine Corps League National Foundation and the United States Marines Youth Foundation, Inc.

The president of the association holds the position for one year and is elected by a nominating committee, which consists of the past president and two directors.

George Raad, a Realtor Emeritus who was president of GLVR (then the Lehigh Valley Association of Realtors) in 2005, installed Schaeffer as GLVR president at the Jan. 27 induction ceremony.

Raad died Jan. 29