Lawrence Named UA’s ACRE Education Director

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – James T. Lawrence, a 33-year real estate executive and educator, has been named education director of the Alabama Center for Real Estate, or ACRE, part of The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce.

“We are extremely fortunate to find an individual with Jim’s background and professional experience for this very important position,” said Grayson M. Glaze, executive director of ACRE.

“As the real estate industry continues to gradually recover, education and training will be an important component of our mission as we move forward. Jim knows the real estate industry, he knows the state, and he knows the people.”

Lawrence, a native of Troy, has a bachelor’s degree from The Citadel and a master’s degree from The University of Alabama. He is a U.S. Army veteran. For his service in Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star, The Purple Heart, the Air Medal and The Army Commendation Medal.

He has been president of Lawrence-Arendall-Humphries Real Estate in Birmingham since 1992 and was affiliated with Johnson-Rast and Hays in Birmingham from 1978 through 1991. He is a member of the National Association of REALTORS, the Alabama Association of REALTORS and the Birmingham Association of REALTORS.

He served as chair of the education trustees of the Alabama Association of REALTORS and has been involved in real estate education for three decades. He was the president of the Birmingham Association of REALTORS in 2007, Birmingham’s REALTOR of the Year in 1989 and recipient of the Tom Rast President’s Cup in 2005.

“It is an honor to be added to the ACRE team as the new education director,” Lawrence said. “Now I can focus on education fulltime. ACRE has offered me a tremendous opportunity to teach real estate throughout the entire state.”

Lawrence said his first priority will be the continuing education for real estate licensees.  “We are already into the second year of the Alabama license renewal period, and all real estate agents in the state are required to complete 15 hours of continuing education,” he said.

ACRE was established in 1995 by an act of the Alabama Legislature in cooperation with, and support from, the Alabama Real Estate Commission and the Alabama Association of REALTORS.

“The original name of the organization was the Alabama Real Estate Research & Education Center, or AREREC,” said Lawrence, “and my appointment demonstrates a full-time commitment by ACRE to the original education mission of the Center. My goal is to continue to raise the level of professionalism of licensees. As a resource available to all licensees in Alabama, we will accomplish that goal.”

Lawrence attends Briarwood Presbyterian Church, where he has held several positions. He was a member of the Leadership Birmingham Class of 2007-08 and has been on the ACRE Leadership Council since 2009.

He and his wife, Kathy, have one son, Talbot, who is married to Jen.