A new feature in our REcap this year is a weekly spotlight of our elected leaders.  We want you to get to know the volunteers who have devoted their time and talents to serve our industry and our members.  Next up, is MLS Secretary / Treasurer, Jim Thurston.  Jim Thurston brings his 25 years of experience from a business development perspective in specialty finance as a lender and a developer of recreational, residential and commercial real estate. During his career in finance he traveled across the country developing strategic business relationships with countless small companies. Throughout, Jim learned that it’s not just about getting a deal done and moving on to the next transaction, but it’s about building a long-term relationships.  This is the third year he has served on the MLS Board and also serves as an Ombudsman, Town Liaison and co-chairs the Finance and Audit Committee.  He has served on MLS Administrative Review panels and is working on both affiliate development and rental research workgroups.  On his downtime, Jim enjoys fishing, hiking, cooking and happy hour, not particularly in that order. He has a passion for cooking, grilling and creating new dishes to share with family and friends.