Tampa Bay Realtor® Wins Spirit of Advocacy Award
ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida Realtors® honored Connie Johnson, a member of the Suncoast Tampa Association of Realtors® (STAR), formerly known as Greater Tampa Realtors® (GTR), as the 2025 winner of its Spirit of Advocacy Award.
Presented at the state association’s recent annual Convention & Trade Expo at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Fla., the Spirit of Advocacy Award honors a Realtor who has demonstrated excellence in advocacy at the local, state, national, and community levels over their lifetime.
A Realtor since 1988, Johnson has spent more than three decades championing private property rights, Realtor engagement, and advocating for issues that shape the profession.
A past president of GTR, she has chaired and served on numerous committees, including Governmental Affairs and Affordable Housing, and is widely known for her RPAC leadership. Over seven terms as RPAC chair, she’s boosted fundraising through creative events – from chili cook-offs to fashion shows featuring elected officials as models – and helped make GTR the first mega board in Florida to add an above-the-line RPAC contribution on dues billing.
At the state level, Johnson has been a Florida Realtors state key contact since 1994, attended every Great American Realtor Day (GARD) in Tallahassee for decades, and served on or chaired nearly every Florida Realtors political committee or forum, with more than 162 committee appointments. In 2022, after successfully battling breast cancer, she launched a plan to provide free early detection screenings for members at Florida Realtors meetings – a service that has already saved lives.
Nationally, she has been a Federal Political Coordinator for the National Association of Realtors® since 2006, is a Platinum R and double RPAC Hall of Fame member and was named a NAR 2012 Hero of the Year for her work improving homeownership opportunities and community quality of life.
Beyond the profession, Johnson’s community service includes leading large-scale volunteer projects as president of Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay, expanding the Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s wellness clinic from 900 square feet to 11,000 square feet, founding Florida Big Dog Rescue, and serving on the Florida State Veterinary Medical Board since 2012.
Florida Realtors® serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research, and legislative representation to 238,000 members in 50 boards/associations. Florida Realtors® Newsroom website is available at floridarealtors.org/newsroom.