By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer

MADISON – In light of winning the 2014 Realtor of the Year Award from the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors, Madison resident Bill Ward of Bill Ward Real Estate Team remembers the winding path he took to become a realtor early in 1993.

Ward attended the University of Alabama from 1984-91, becoming involved with the marching band there and eventually becoming drumline instructor in 1991.

When he realized a career change was needed to support a family, he relented and took the courses pertinent to becoming a realtor. Ward found a broker to hold his license and soon after heard of a job opening in North Alabama – a land foreign to him.

After a short time here, he called his wife and told her the honest truth.

“I told her, ‘I really, really like it up here.’ It only took two weeks,” he said.

So he and Diann, his wife of now-20 years, settled in South Huntsville. The Ward family soon became involved with Asbury United Methodist Church after Bill began playing drums for the orchestra and praise band, and they came to a line in the sand.

“We had to find a new home or find a new church,” he said.

The Wards moved to Madison in 2001 and Bill said he and his family enjoy it immensely.

“We definitely would not want to move from here,” he said. “You can run into people you know all the time, but it’s big enough that you have plenty to do.”

Ward said he enjoys eating at Casablanca and Sam & Greg’s Pizzeria. He spends “quite a bit of time at Palmer Park” as an umpire for youth baseball; Ward was previously a president of the Madison Recreation Board.

As for the Realtor of the Year award?

“I can’t stress how big of an honor it is.”

If you or anyone you know would like to share your story with the City of Madison, please call The Madison Record at 256-772-6677.