Kay and her husband Duane moved to the beautiful Ozarks and have made it their home since leaving Phoenix in 1972. They opened Gerken & Associates in 1975 and have maintained their reputation as one of the leading real estate firms in Branson.
An active member in the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors®, Kay served as Board President in 1991 and received the Realtor® of the Year Award in 1992. A proponent continuing real estate education, she achieved numerous designations during her career. They include, Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB), Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI), Leadership Training Graduate (LTG), and Performance Management Network (PMN). She was instrumental in forming the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors Leadership Academy, a program to immerse career-minded members into the governance and value of Realtor® membership. In 2017, she received the “Distinguished Service Award”; the first Realtor in the Tri-Lakes area to receive this recognition.
Kay served as the 2004 President of the Missouri Association of Realtors: an organization with over 24,000 members. Through her continued leadership, Kay was recognized by her peers by receiving the 2008 Missouri Realtor of the Year award.
Kay has played an active role in the Branson Tri-Lakes community. She has served as Chairman of the Board for the College of the Ozarks Associates, as an Ambassador for the Branson Chamber of Commerce, an active member of the Catholic Church and a dedicated volunteer for the library.
Her sons, Charlie and Jeff, received their broker licenses, bringing their skills and expertise to the firm. Jeff now serves as the Designated Broker of Gerken & Associates continuing the firm’s mission of “providing better than expected service”.
Kay continues to play a vital role at G&A through her roles in management, training, and mentoring. Outside of real estate, she enjoys ballroom dancing with Duane, traveling the globe, spending time with her two grandchildren, and reading a good book.