Charles Fawver wins Austin Chamber’s lifetime achievement award

After Jerry Wolesky read through the long list of accolades and achievements that go with running a successful real estate business for 43 years, he called Charles Fawver to the podium, and Fawver proclaimed, “Who is that guy? I’d like to meet him.”

The accolades were for Fawver, owner of the Fawver Agency, this year’s recipient of the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce lifetime achievement award. And while Fawver took the humble approach, saying others in Austin are as deserving as he is, those who know him best disagree.

Wolesky, who has worked with Fawver for 35 years, called him an Austin leader with a passion for his family, faith and his business who works with honesty and fairness.

“He’s always had a passion for putting the deal together,” Wolesky said, adding that Fawver’s entrepreneurship is legendary. An example is the South Pointe subdivision, a partnership between Fawver and Arro Construction where the two turned 40 acres of land in south Austin into 68 single-family townhomes.

“I’m flattered,” Fawver said of receiving the award. “There are many people who I think are more deserving, but in saying that, I feel proud that they would bestow this on me.”

Fawver, a past president of the Board of Realtors — a charter member of the Chamber’s 100 Club and a member of the Chamber for all 43 years his business has existed — credits a lot of the Fawver Agency’s success to his wife, Louis, who is the Jack-of-all-trades for the real estate company, also working as its secretary since it opened.

“The business would probably run easier without me than without her,” Fawver said.

Fawver was born on a farm west of Austin and graduated from Austin High School. He is a member of the Our Savior’s Lutheran Church board of directors, and has been an advisor to the carpentry department at Riverland Community College for 35 years.

Chamber elects 2012 board members

In addition, the board unanimously elected seven nominees for the Chamber board. The nominees were:

—Barry Irish, president of Sterling State Bank. Irish is 2012 president of the Chamber, and will serve his second term on the board.

—Mel Gilbertson, Senior Vice President of Operations at Quality Pork Processors, Inc., is a member of the Chamber Executive Committee and will serve his second term on the board.

—Dave Churchill, publisher of the Austin Daily Herald, will serve his first term on the board.

—Marlene Blaser, owner of Quiznos Sub, will serve her second term on the board. She is also a member of the Chamber Ambassadors.

—Kim Hillberg, is an auditor with CliftonLarsonAllen. She is a member of the Chamber Executive Committee and will serve her second term on the board.

—Sam Ewing, Astrup Drug, is also a current member of the Executive Committee and will serve his second term.

—Justin Bickler, owner of Simplified Technology Solutions, will serve his first term on the board. Bickler is also a Chamber Ambassador.