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RLI APEX Awards Program

APEX Awards Program

Sponsored by



The prestigious RLI APEX Awards Program, sponsored by The Land Report, is an annual production awards program designed to recognize the excellence and performance of our RLI members, the best in the business. Winners of our annual APEX Awards are recognized at a special awards ceremony at our annual National Land Conference. In 2023, awards for Regional Top Producers were added.

Our 2023 winners received their awards from RLI CEO Aubrie Kobernus, MBA, RCE, as well as The Land Report’s Editor Eric O’Keefe on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, during RLI’s 2024 National Land Conference in Louisville, KY, at a dinner that included special guest Chris Miller, Master Distiller Emeritus with Woodford Reserve.

The APEX Awards Program celebrated its seventh year by welcoming 200 applicants totaling a combined $6.1+ billion in qualifying transaction volume, 7,596 transaction sides, and over 966,000 acres sold. All land professionals recognized as part of the RLI APEX Awards Program are active members of RLI and had at least $5M of qualifying production volume in closed land sales in 2023.

For more information on the award winners, be sure to get a copy of The Land Report, one of the industry’s leading magazines for landowners and land professionals, which will include the top winners in the spring 2024 issue. Top awards winners will also receive national recognition in RLI’s Terra Firma magazine and in additional promotions throughout the year. All land real estate professionals are invited to join RLI and apply to the prestigious APEX Awards Program next March at NLC25 in Tucson, AZ. 

Special Recognition for our 2023 Honorees

The Land Report and the REALTORS® Land Institute have partnered together again bring maximum exposure to the APEX Awards Winners to ensure they get the national industry recognition as a top-producing agent that they deserve for receiving one of these esteemed land real estate awards. APEX Award Winners are the cream of the crop when it comes to conducting land transactions and RLI’s partnership with The Land Report will take showcasing their prestige to the next level.

APEX Award Winners for Top Producer, Wrangler, and Brokers of the Year in each category will be featured:

  • as part of a two-page spread in The Land Report’s Spring Magazine;
  • in RLI’s Terra Firma magazine’s Summer 2024 edition;
  • in a national press release;
  • on a full-page spread in The Land Report April Newsletter; and
  • in exclusive social media posts on The Land Report social channels

The Land Report will also provide the Top National Producer Award winner and each of the National Broker of the Year Award winners with:

  • 50 copies of The Land Report’s Spring Magazine; the edition featuring the year’s APEX Awards Winners, and
  • discounts on display ad space in all of The Land Report Magazine’s editions for that year!

Award winners can take advantage of all these promotions to showcase their prestige and expertise to clients, colleagues, and the industry as whole!

APEX 2023 Top Producer Award

The APEX Top National Producer Award is the most prestigious award recognizing the applicant with the highest qualifying transaction volume.

Skye Root, ALC

Skye Root, ALC

Root Agricultural Advisory | ID

APEX 2023 Wrangler Award

The APEX Wrangler Award goes to the applicant with the largest number of land real estate transaction sides closed during the year.

Andy Flack, ALC

Troy Louwagie, ALC

Hertz Real Estate Services, Inc. | IA

 

APEX 2023 Brokers of the Year


  • Ag Land Sales Crops

    Skye Root, ALC

    Root Agricultural Advisory | ID


  • Ag Land Sales Ranches

    Dax Hayden

    Hayden Outdoors | CO


  • Recreational Land Sales

    Mitch Keeley

    Whitetail Properties Real Estate | KS


  • Recreational Land Sales

    Adam Hann

    Whitetail Properties Real Estate | KS


  • Timber Land Sales

    Eric Gage, ALC

    AFM Real Estate | TX


  • Commercial Land Sales

    Ryan Sampson, ALC, CCIM

    Eshenbaugh Land Company | FL


  • Residential Land Sales

    Bill Eshenbaugh, ALC, CCIM

    Eshenbaugh Land Company | FL


  • Auction Land Sales

    Matt Adams

    Peoples Company | IA


  • Agribusiness Land Sales

    Skye Root, ALC

    Root Agricultural Advisory | ID



APEX 2023 ALC-to-ALC Networking Award

In recognition of the tremendous networking opportunities available to RLI Members, especially those that have earned the elite Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) Designation, the APEX Awards also features the ALC-to-ALC Networking Award, with two honorees.

  • 2023 Largest ALC to ALC Transaction: Dan Murphy, ALC and Seth Craft, ALC with M4Ranch Group in Lake City, CO.


APEX 2023 Top Twenty National Producer Award Winners

  • Matt Adams, Peoples Company
  • Steve Bruere, Peoples Company
  • Seth Craft, ALC, M4 Ranch Group
  • Adam Crist, ALC, Peoples Company
  • Todd Crosby, ALC, Crosby Land Company
  • Jeff Cusson, SVN Saunders
  • Matt Davis, ALC, Cushman & Wakefield
  • Chase Duesenberg, Peoples Company
  • Eric Gage, ALC, AFM Real Estate
  • Adam Hann, Whitetail Properties

  • Dax Hayden, Hayden Outdoors
  • Mitch Keeley, Whitetail Properties
  • Dan H. Kevorkian, ALC, Pearson Realty
  • Jon Kohler, Jon Kohler & Associates
  • Troy Louwagie, ALC, Hertz Real Estate Services
  • Mark Mommsen, ALC, Martin, Goodrich, and Waddell
  • Skye Root, ALC, Root Agricultural Advisory
  • Dean Saunders, ALC, CCIM, SVN Saunders
  • Sheldon Snyder, ALC, Clift Land Brokers
  • Matt Vegter, ALC, Hertz Real Estate Services

APEX 2023 Regional Brokers of the Year

The Regional Broker of the Year award recognizes the top professionals across several land categories in RLI's 10 U.S. regions.

REGION 1 (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT)                   REGION 7 (IA, IL, IN, KS, MO, NE)

Tom Howard, ALC, NH, Recreational Land Sales

Troy Louwagie, ALC, IA, Ag Land Sales Crops

Brian Utecht, ALC, MO, Ag Land Sales Ranches

REGION 2 (DE, MD, MI, NJ, OH, PA, WV)

Michael Horrigan, IN, Commercial Land Sales

Shawn Kelley, ALC, MI, Ag Land Sales Crops

Garret Armstrong, ALC, IA, Residential Land Sales

Mark Zimmerman, OH, Recreational Land Sales

Jeremy Schaefer, OH, Auction Land Sales

REGION 8 (OK, TX)

Sheldon Snyder, ALC, TX, Ag Land Sales Crops

REGION 3 (MN, ND, SD, WI)

Jason Trosper, ALC, TX, Ag Land Sales Ranches

Adam Crist, ALC, WI, Ag Land Sales Crops

Kasey Mock, TX, Recreational Land Sales

Katie Graeb, SD, Ag Land Sales Ranches

Frank Roberts, ALC, TX, Commercial Land Sales

Bob Stalberger, ALC, MN, Recreational Land Sales

Chad Andrus, ALC, TX, Residential Land Sales

Darrell Hylen, ALC, MN, Auction Land Sales

Bryan Clift, TX, Auction Land Sales

Chuck Bellatti, ALC, OK, Agribusiness Sales

REGION 4 (ID, MT, OR, WA)

Austin Callison, ID, Ag Land Sales Ranches

REGION 9 (AL, AR, KY, LA, MS, TN)

Austin Callison, ID, Residential Land Sales

Jeramy Stephens, ALC, AR, Ag Land Sales Crops

Zeke Barrett, AR, Recreational Land Sales

REGION 5 (CA, NV)

Clint Flowers, ALC, AL, Timber Land Sales

Dan H. Kevorkian, ALC, CA, Ag Land Sales Crops

Geoff Hurdle, ALC, TN, Residential Land Sales

Matt Davis, ALC, CA, Ag Land Sales Ranches

Robert King, AL, Agribusiness Land Sales

Matt Davis, ALC, CA, Timber Land Sales

Matt Davis, ALC, CA, Commercial Land Sales

REGION 10 (FL, GA, NC, SC, VA)

Jeff Cusson, FL, Ag Land Sales Crops

REGION 6 (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY)

Dean Saunders, ALC, CCIM, FL, Ag Land Sales Ranches

Ryan Hostetler, ALC, CO, Ag Land Sales Crops

Jon Kohler, FL, Recreational Land Sales

Seth Craft, ALC, CO, Recreational Land Sales

Aaron Sutton, NC, Timber Land Sales

Justin Osborn, ALC, CO, Commercial Land Sales

Jim Vidamour, ALC, CO, Residential Land Sales


APEX 2023 Producers Club

All applicants with at least $5 million of qualifying dollar production volume in closed land sales are recognized as part of the RLI APEX Producers Club.

 
Matt Adams, Peoples Company
Trina Anderson, AFM Real Estate
Eric Andrews, ALC, Realty World Carolina Properties
Chad Andrus, ALC, Mock Ranches Group
Garret Armstrong, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Jessica Armstrong, Armstrong Properties
Drew Ary, ALC, Keller Williams Advantage - Ary Land Co
Trish Ary, Keller Williams Advantage - Ary Land Co
Jared Augustine, Hertz Farm Management
Valerie Bahm, ALC, Keller Williams-Land and Water Team
Zeke Barrett, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
John Henry Barthelemy, Mock Ranches
Rich Baugh, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Doug Bear, Peoples Company
Daran Becker, Peoples Company
Chuck Bellatti, ALC, Arrowhead Land Company, LLC
Brent Bidner, Hertz Farm Management, Inc.
Clayton Blum, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Jacob Bowen, Southeastern Land Group
Sam L. Bowers, ALC, Bowers & Burns Real Estate Company
Lindsey Brown, Peoples Company
Ray Brownfield, ALC, Land Pro LLC
Jeff Browning, Living the Dream, INC.
Steve Bruere, Peoples Company
Curtis Buono, Peoples Company
Austin Callison, Hayden Outdoors LLC
Chip Camp, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Jay Cassels, ALC, Arrowhead Land Company, LLC
Anthony Chrisco, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Bryan Clift, Clift Land Brokers
Brady Cowan, Clift Land Brokers
Seth Craft, ALC, M4 Ranch Group
Adam Crist, ALC, Peoples Company
Todd Crosby, ALC, Crosby Land Company, Inc.
Adam Crumrin, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Adam Curran, Peoples Company
Jeff Cusson, SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler
Bill Davis, ALC, Colorado Luxury, Ranch + Land at: KW Foothills Realty LLC       
Matt Davis, ALC, Cushman & Wakefield
Tim Davis, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Cal Dickson, ALC, Hertz Farm Management, Inc.
Michael Dreyer, ALC, Dreyer & Associates
Chase Duesenberg, Peoples Company
Troy Dukes, Hertz Real Estate Services
Bill Eshenbaugh, ALC, CCIM, Eshenbaugh Land Company
Andy Flack, ALC, HomeLand Properties
Clint Flowers, ALC, National Land Realty
Rebecca Frantz, ALC, Hertz Farm Management, Inc.
Eric Gage, AFM Real Estate
Jeff Garrett, ALC, #1 Properties Ranch & Recreation
Matt Glander, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Greg Good, ALC, Clift Land Brokers
Jonathan Goode, ALC, Southeastern Land Group
Katie Graeb, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Linda Green, Keller Williams Realty
Matt Gruetzner, ALC, Mock Ranches - Keller Williams
Jan Gunter, ALC, Keller Williams Realty
Adam Hann, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Kyle Hansen, ALC, Hertz Real Estate Services, Inc.
Ben Harshyne, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Suzy Haslup, ALC, Meybohm Real Estate
Walter Hatchett, ALC, Jon Kohler & Associates     
Dax Hayden, Hayden Outdoors Real Estate
Jeff Heil, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Rachelle Heller, ALC, Hertz Real Estate Services, Inc.
Scott Henrichsen, Hertz Farm Management, Inc.
Kenny Herring, Peoples Company
John Herrity, Hayden Outdoors Real Estate
Adam Hester, ALC, Small Town Hunting Properties & Real Estate
Scott Hicks, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Darrell Hindman, Living The Dream Inc
Hunter Hindman, Living The Dream Outdoor Properties
Clifton Holloman, ALC, National Land Realty
Zach Holt, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Michael Horrigan, Bradley Company
Ryan Hostetler, ALC, Agprofessionals, LLC
Tom Howard, ALC, NH Conservation Real Estate
David Hueneke, Iowa Farmland Brokers
Geoff Hurdle, ALC, Hurdle Land & Realty
Darrell Hylen, ALC, Hertz Farm Management
Jennifer Janet, ALC, 573 Realty Group
Lisa Johnson, ALC, Horsepower Real Estate
Wendy Johnson, ALC, Texas Landmark Properties
Ryan Kay, ALC, Hertz Real Estate Services, Inc.
Mitch Keeley, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Shawn Kelley, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Dan H. Kevorkian, ALC, Pearson Realty
Chad Kies, Hertz Real Estate Services, Inc.
Joel King ALC, Real Living Elite
Robert King, Southeastern Land Group
Johnny Klemme, Geswein Farm & Land Realty, LLC
John Knipe, ALC, Knipe Land Company
Jon Kohler, Jon Kohler & Associates
Zurick Labrier, ALC, Mason & Morse Ranch Company
T. Sean  Lance, ALC, REALM Capital Advisors 
Brent Lawson, ALC, Root Agricultural Advisory
Eric Leisy, ALC, Great Southern Land, LLC
Jacob Lemons, National Land Realty
Jason Lestina, ALC, Land Pro LLC
Stanley Lierz, ALC, Hertz Farm Management, Inc.
Troy Louwagie, ALC, Hertz Real Estate Services, Inc.







 
Rusty Lowe, ALC, Century 21 Harvey Properties Inc.
Sean Maloy, ALC, Mossy Oak Properties NC Land and Farms Realty
Grantson Martin, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Mac Martin, ALC, United Country Gulfland Real Estate
Brian Massey, Hertz Farm Management, Inc.
Shawn Massey, ALC, The Shopping Center Group
Mike Matre, ALC, SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler
Peter Mazeine, ALC, National Land Realty
Venus McBride, ALC, Horsepower Real Estate
Tyler McConnell, ALC, Comey & Shepherd, Southern Ohio Properties
Clay McCullar, ALC, McCullar Properties Group
Tom McFarlane, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Jason McGee, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Meredith McKinney, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Alan McNeil, Peoples Company
Nick Meixell, Hertz Farm Management, Inc.
Jerrod Meyer, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Jesse Meyer, Peoples Company
Landon Miller, Keller Williams Advantage - Ary Land Co
Bill Minor, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Kasey Mock, Mock Ranches Keller Williams 
Mark Mommsen, ALC, Martin, Goodrich & Waddell, Inc.
Jeff Moon, ALC, AgWest Land Brokers
Melanie Moore, Armstrong Properties
Joel Morris, Sundgren Realty
Dan Murphy, ALC, M4 Ranch Group
Hayden Nichols, John Hall & Company
Sean O'Grady, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Justin Olk, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Josh Ongley, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Edwin Orr, ALC, TMM Real Estate, LLC, Timber Marketing & Management of the Carolinas, Inc.
Justin Osborn, ALC, The Wells Group
Michael Oswalt, ALC, Small Town Hunting Properties & Real Estate
Clay Patrick, ALC, Crosby & Associates, Inc
Christopher Peacock, ALC, Halderman Real Estate Services, Inc
Hadley Perkins, ALC, Clift Land Brokers
Calvin Perryman, ALC, Southeastern Land Group
Clayton Pilgrim, ALC, Century 21 Harvey Properties
Doran Post, Peoples Company
Max Ramsey, ALC, Mock Ranches Keller Williams
John Reburn, Peoples Company
Chad Reifschneider, Hertz Real Estate Services 
Brent Reneau, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Bruce Renfrew, ALC, California Outdoor Properties
Todd Renfrew, ALC, California Outdoor Properties
Ben Richardson, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Koby Rickertsen, ALC, American Legacy Land Co
Frank Roberts, ALC, RE/MAX Landmark
Billy Rollins, ALC, LSI Companies
Skye Root, ALC, Root Agricultural Advisory
Ryan Sampson, ALC, CCIM, Eshenbaugh Land Company
Dean Saunders, ALC, CCIM, SVN Saunders Ralston Danzler
Trent Saunders, ALC, SVN Saunders Ralston Danzler
Jeremy Schaefer, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Eric Schlutz, ALC, Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors
Luke Schrader, Schrader Real Estate and Auction
Ryan R. Schroeter, ALC, National Land Realty
Dave Schutt, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Tyler Sellens, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Jake Sickels, Peoples Company
Elliott Siefert, Hertz Real Estate Services, Inc.
Chris Smith, ALC, Hertz Farm Management, Inc.
Danny Smith, ALC, CCIM, Smith & Smith Realty
Nicholas Z. Smith, Peoples Company
Spencer Smith, ALC, Hertz Farm Management, Inc.
Tom Smith, ALC, Tom Smith Land and Homes
Travis Smock, Peoples Company
Sheldon Snyder, ALC, Clift Land Brokers
Doyle Spencer, ALC, RE/MAX Integrity
Bob Stalberger, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Chase Steggall, Peoples Company
Jeramy Stephens, ALC, National Land Realty
Michael Strahan, ALC, Eshenbaugh Land Company
Elizabeth Strom, Murray Wise Associates LLC
Aaron Sutton, National Land Realty
Jeremiah Thompson, SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler
Craig Townsend, Mason & Morse Ranch Company
Jason Trosper, ALC, Keller Williams
Eric Turpen, Clift Land Brokers
Brian Utecht, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Matt Vegter, ALC, Hertz Real Estate Services, Inc.
Jim Vidamour, ALC, Fay Ranches Inc.
Henry Walker, Luxury Homes International
Lisa Walker, Luxury Homes International
Luke Wallace, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Russ Walters, Southeastern Land Group
Chris Weaver, ALC, Whitetail Properties Real Estate
Ben Wellons, ALC, Wellons Real Estate
Bruce West, Tom Smith Land & Homes
Justin Wheeler, ALC, First Mid Ag Services
Ann Whitaker, Whitaker Marketing Group
David Whitaker, ALC, Whitaker Marketing Group
Tommy Wiles, #1 Properties Ranch and Recreation
Eric Wilkinson, ALC, Hertz Farm Management, Inc.
Luke Worrell, ALC, Worrell Land Services, LLC
Douglas R. Yegge, Peoples Company
Eric Zellers, ALC, Keller Williams Advantage - Ary Land Co
Andrew Zellmer, Peoples Company
Mark Zimmerman, Whitetail Properties Real Estate