Joanna Tusing
Director of Member Engagement / Assistant Director of Promotions
Joanna Tusing has re-joined the staff at the Greater Milwaukee Association of REALTORS® this November! Joanna previously worked for GMAR from 2002 to 2008 managing the Home and Garden Show and assisting with member events. For the past 10 years, Joanna was a Project Coordinator where she oversaw projects in the residential and commercial building industry. In her new role at GMAR, Joanna will be focused on assisting with the Home and Garden Show, managing the VIP Tickets, handling the SentriLock program as well as helping with member events.”
Debbie Running
Director of First Impressions
Debbie Running rejoined the GMAR staff September of 2023. Previously she served as Governmental Affairs Director from 1987-1989. She has more than 30 years of experience as a non-profit professional across industries. As Director of First Impressions, Debbie deals with inbound communications, SentriLock and assists with member events. Debbie and her husband, Brian, have three adult children, and live in Waukesha.
Sharon Heilman
Director of Lasting Impressions
Sharon Heilman has rejoined the staff at the Greater Milwaukee Association of REALTORS® (GMAR) as of December 2023. Sharon became a licensed REALTOR® in 1999 and has worked at Prudential, which later became First Weber, and finally HomeSale Realty. She also worked for GMAR from 2004 to 2006, where she contributed to multiple events and various other projects. In 2009, Sharon began to focus on furthering her education, earning both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Wisconsin Lutheran College. She also took on roles at WCTC as an event planner and adjunct instructor in Hospitality. Currently, Sharon moonlights at Mount Mary University as both an instructor and a Safety Ambassador.
In her current role at GMAR, Sharon assists in many areas, including the Home and Garden Show, Youth Foundation, Event Planning, and Sentrilock. Sharon has lived in multiple neighborhoods throughout the Greater Milwaukee area, though she often mentions that her heart belongs to Sherman Park. Finally, Sharon is the proud mother of five amazing boys, ranging in age from 15 to 29, which she considers the favorite chapter of her story.
Laura Crowley
Director of Communications
Laura joined our team in March 2022 after working at the Experimental Aircraft Association. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Art with a minor in Photography from Edgewood College in Madison. As Director of Communications, Laura manages all GMAR social media platforms, handles the creation and distribution of the Thursday and Sunday newsletters, designs event flyers, registration materials, and programs, and takes photos at our members-only events, among other duties. She lives in Bay View, Milwaukee, with her husband, Drazen, and their Australian Shepherd, Moose.
Mike Ruzicka
President
Mike Ruzicka has been the president of the Greater Milwaukee Association of REALTORS® (GMAR) since October 1999. He is responsible for managing the 5,000-member professional organization and represents an industry with annual sales of over $15 billion in southeastern Wisconsin. The Association’s core services consist of government affairs, ethics enforcement, multiple listing service, and promotions.
Mike started with the GMAR in 1996 serving as government affairs director. He came from the Metropolitan Builders Association (MBA), where he was also government affairs director.
Prior to his joining the MBA Mike worked on a US Senate campaign in Wisconsin. Mike’s career in politics began as a staff intern for a US Senator and for the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1990.
A 1989 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Mike received a Bachelors degree in Political Science and Economics. Mike, and his wife Kathy, live in Cedarburg, WI with their five children.
Scott Bush
VP of Operations
Scott Bush is the administrator of the Professional Standards Process which includes the arbitration and mediation of real estate business disputes. In addition, the professional standards process reviews complaints against GMAR members and determines by peer review hearings if violations of the Realtors® Code of Ethics have occurred.
Scott serves as Board secretary on the GMAR Youth Foundation Board of Directors. The Youth Foundation funds youth-based programs in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Washington Counties involving the arts, social services and education.
Scott conducts the new member orientation class and is a NAR certified Professional Standards instructor. Scott also is the GMAR representative for community outreach efforts involving housing affordability programs and equal opportunity in housing.
Marne Stuck
Government Affairs Director
Marne Stuck has been the Government Affairs Director at the Greater Milwaukee Association of REALTORS® (GMAR) since 2003. Marne came to the GMAR from the State Legislature and Executive Office where she worked for State Representatives John Townsend, Gregg Underheim and for the Governor.
As Government Affairs Director, Marne is responsible for monitoring legislative issues in the 4 county area which GMAR serves. This includes monitoring sign ordinances, code compliance issues, city and county budgets, land use issues and other issues as they affect REALTORS® and homeowners.
Marne is also responsible for staffing the REALTORS® Political Action Committee. (RPAC) The RPAC works to support and elect candidates who support legislation that promotes home ownership and protects private property rights.
Michelle Kohn
Director of Membership and Events
Michelle joined the GMAR in June of 2016. As Membership Director, her goal is to make becoming a member of the GMAR as easy as possible and to assist current members with membership issues.
Michelle is also involved with orientation, social events, and other membership benefits.