REALTOR® Sheryl Grider Whitehurst, ABR, CRB, GRI, e-PRO, of East Peoria is the 2012 Immediate Past President of the Illinois Association of REALTORS®. Active in real estate for 30 years, Whitehurst is a managing broker for Traders Realty in Peoria.

She is a past president of the Peoria Area Association of REALTORS® and was honored as its REALTOR® of the Year in 1991. Whitehurst has a long history of participation with the local association, serving on the PAAR Board of Directors and on various committees including serving as chair of Public Relations, Membership, Legislative, Professional Standards and the Multiple Listing Service. She is a three-time recipient of the PAAR President’s Award. She is also a pre-license and continuing education instructor of real estate.

On the statewide level, Whitehurst has chaired a variety of Illinois Association of REALTORS® (IAR) committees including Finance, Community Service, Education, Agency, Continuing Education Curriculum, Convention and Professional Standards.

Whitehurst has lent her expertise to many other IAR committees with a particular focus on REALTOR® education. She served as chair of the Professional Development Member Involvement Group and as a member of the License Law Rewrite and Education task forces.

In 2011, Whitehurst served as chair of the IAR Executive and Leadership committees, the IAR Strategic Thinkers Working Group and the National Association of REALTORS® Political Advisory Working Group.

For the National Association of REALTORS®, Whitehurst has served as a member of the Professional Standards Committee, NAR Board of Directors and the Communications Committee.

Whitehurst is a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and has also been involved with the East Peoria Athletic Boosters and is a past member of the Illinois Central College Advisory Board.