A St. Joseph real estate agent has been named Salesperson of the Year by the Missouri Association of Realtors.

Bob Bucher, a Realtor with Reece & Nichols Ide Capital Realty, received the award at the organization’s conference in September.

“It was a very nice honor,” Mr. Bucher said.

He admits he was sincerely surprised at winning the award over other nominees. The association represents more than 25,000 Missouri real estate agents.

“I knew I’d been nominated but basically I had no clue that I got it until I got to the banquet and there were a bunch of people there from Reece & Nichols,” he said. “They said it was because I’d been nominated. They were pulling one over on me.”

Mr. Bucher has had an impressive 12 years in real estate in St. Joseph. His first year he received the Outstanding Newcomer of the Year award and just four years later was honored as Realtor Salesperson of the Year, both by the St. Joseph Regional Association of Realtors.

He has served two terms as president of that association, named one of the “Ten Who Count” in 2006 and honored three times by the board with the Realtor Service Award.

Mr. Bucher moved to Joseph from North English, Iowa, after graduating from Iowa State University. He worked for Schreiber Mills, becoming vice president and then general manager. When the company sold in 1989, Mr. Bucher became the new company’s local manager until he changed careers and became a real estate agent in 1996.

Business reporter Jennifer Hall can be reached at jennhall@npgco.com.