Harcourts Christchurch realtor honoured with REINZ fellowship

Christchurch’s Patricia Bowden, the founder of one of Harcourts most successful property management businesses, has received the rare honour of being made a Fellow of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand.

Mrs Bowden, who established the award-winning Accommodation Centre in Christchurch and now runs it with her son Nigel, was awarded a special certificate in recognition of her elevation to fellowship at the 2010 REINZ Residential Property Management Awards Dinner in Wellington last weekend at which the announcement was made.

Harcourts New Zealand CEO Hayden Duncan says the honour is well deserved.

“In addition to leading a very successful and highly-regarded business Mrs Bowden has also given exceptional service to both REINZ and the wider property management industry,” he says.

“With Harcourts since 1990, Pat has been instrumental in establishing the Accommodation Centre as one of the leading property management companies in New Zealand and has also played a key role in the industry too, including through her membership of the REINZ National Property Managers Special Interest Group Committee, as the founding member and long-time chair of the Christchurch property managers committee and as a key organiser of the annual property managers’ conference.

“Given her achievements in business and her service to the property management industry I’m thrilled to see Pat receive this special honour.”

Mrs Bowden says she is humbled to have been made a fellow of REINZ.

“The work I’ve put in over the years has never been done with any sort of recognition in mind but simply because I’ve been committed to raising the professionalism of property managers in New Zealand and have enjoyed being involved.  

“This accolade came as a complete surprise,” she says, “and I feel very honoured.”