Candace Segalini, Associate Broker with Southern Trade Realty, Inc., was named the 2025 Realtor of the Year during the Chesapeake Bay and Rivers Association of Realtors’ Honor Awards and Membership Meeting, which was held last Thursday at Gloucester’s Mobjack Tavern.
The annual meeting also saw Kayla Wills (also with Southern Trade Realty) named the 2025 Rookie of the Year and Lisa Hasty of the Anderson Legal Group receiving the Affiliate of the Year award. Additionally, the 17 Realtors who met the qualifications to earn the 2025 Honor Society Award were presented with their plaques.
The luncheon gathering was CBRAR’s first general membership meeting of the year, a chance for real estate professionals to gather together and honor their achievements over the past year as they seek to “protect the individual right of real estate ownership and to widen the opportunity to enjoy it,” as they said in the Realtor Pledge at the start of the meeting.
Realtor of the Year
First licensed in 2005, Segalini has taken on significant leadership responsibilities within the CBRAR organization, serving as a member of either the group’s Board of Directors or the Property Services Board each year since 2020.
“Through her service, she has demonstrated a deep and lasting commitment to the principles of organized real estate and to the success of this association,” 2026 CBRAR president Melanie Whitehead said in making the presentation.
In 2023, Segalini served as the organization’s president. Her commitment to service extends beyond real estate, Whitehead said, serving as a board member of the YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas and has been both a sponsor and active participant with the Mathews Outdoor Club.
“What truly sets this year’s honoree apart is something that can’t be measured in sales or titles,” Whitehead said. “It’s the way she lifts others up, the way she leads with integrity, and the way she represents what it truly means to be a Realtor.”
Rookie of the Year
The Rookie of the Year honor is bestowed on a Realtor who has been licensed less than 18 months. “In less than a year, this year’s recipient has already begun making a meaningful impact and is truly a breath of fresh air in our industry,” Whitehead said of Wills. “Her goals for 2026 include continuing her education, expanding her listings and sales, and becoming even more involved in serving our community.”
Affiliate of the Year
The award of Affiliate of the Year is given to the professional who goes above and beyond to support the group’s members and strengthens the real estate industry as a whole.
Hasty has served on several CBRAR communities, including Community Outreach, Affiliates and Education. She also participates in many of the group’s key events, such as the Honor Society and Awards meetings. She also supports organizations such as the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society and is a longtime supporter of Toys for Tots.
Honor Society Award
The Honor Society Award is bestowed on Realtors whose contributions span real estate transactions, meeting attendance, continuing education, participation with the National Association of Realtors PAC, and leadership roles at the state, local and national levels. The 2025 recipients included:
Brooke Amos, Martin Bridges, Linda Collier, ReNaye Dame, Kandy Fisk, Shannon French, Kelly Guess, JoElle Harvey, Jeanne Hockaday, Rodney Hockaday, Wendy Hogge, Tina Lester, Debbie Martin, Allison Mazzuca, Raquel Ott, S. Jean Pierce and Segalini.
Last week’s meeting also included a special recognition of Mike Poole, formerly with Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, who retired in January after 19 years’ service. “As he begins this next chapter, we wish him the very best in retirement and know he will continue doing great things through his volunteer work with the Roc Solid Foundation,” Whitehead said. Roc Solid is a nonprofit organization that provides hope for children and families fighting pediatric cancer.
Poole was presented a gift certificate to Porter’s on Main, as well as a donation made in his name to the Roc Solid Foundation.
