FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sharon Stone
COLUMBIA, S.C. (September 30, 2026) — South Carolina REALTOR® (SCR) member and Realtor® at Pee Dee Elite Realty, Keon Aldrich, has been named the association’s 2026 REALTOR® of the Year. The announcement was made during the association’s legal conference, Business Unusual, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia.
The South Carolina REALTOR® of the Year program is the association’s most prestigious annual award. It was established in 1955 and is designed to honor and recognize those Realtor® members who have contributed most to the advancement of the South Carolina real estate profession and community.
Aldrich’s recognition reflects a career defined by service at the local, state and national levels. She has held numerous leadership positions within the REALTOR® organization, including president of the Pee Dee REALTOR® Association, SCR Region 4 vice president, Region 4 REALTOR® Political Action Committee trustee and member of SCR’s Legislative, Finance, Grievance and Professional Standards committees. She also served as a director for the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).
Aldrich was elected SCR president for 2025, becoming the association’s first Black president. Throughout her leadership year, she represented SCR’s more than 29,000 members while advancing the association’s mission and advocating for REALTORS® and property owners across South Carolina.
Her commitment to leadership began well before her presidency. Aldrich is a graduate of the SCR Leadership Academy and has spent years mentoring, volunteering and helping strengthen the REALTOR® organization. She will be chairing the 2027 Leadership Academy class. Her community involvement includes service with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Harvest Hope.
“Keon’s impact on this association goes far beyond the positions she has held,” said SCR President Corwyn Melette. “She leads by serving others, bringing people together and making sure the Realtor® voice is heard. Her commitment to our members, our profession and her community exemplifies what this award represents.”
Photo credit: Carl Kerridge Photography
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South Carolina REALTORS® (SCR), the largest professional trade association in the state, serves as the voice of real estate for more than 29,000 members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. REALTOR® is a registered trademark that identifies a professional in real estate who subscribes to a strict code of ethics as a member of SCR and the National Association of REALTORS®.
