About The Team
Meet Your Realtors
MAELEA, ERIC, AND TROY all share a love of education and service for the people in their community. With close to a decade of real estate experience, Eric’s knowledge and training have made him a natural leader and mentor. That insight, mixed with Eric’s ability to connect with people led Troy to seek him out as a partner in real estate endeavors. After working together on multiple real estate transactions, Troy and Eric discovered their personalities and skillsets clicked and complemented each other.
Maelea’s career as a public educator has given her a strong base to work with people of all kinds and solve complex and challenging problems. Her success in public education also pushed her to create a consulting business for collaborative solutions to seemingly impossible dilemmas. That drive for collaborative leadership drove her to work together with Eric and Troy in an environment built on teamwork, camaraderie, and goals. Any gaps Eric and Troy struggled filling were quickly filled by Maelea, and the team was born.
Living in Blount County, the members of the team feel connected to the outdoors, mountains, and one-of-a-kind community at the Foothills of the Smoky Mountains. That connection has inspired them to form and work together as The Appalachian Team. With an emphasis on preserving Blount County’s history, culture, and landscape, the team chose this name in recognition of the draw and impact the county’s mountains in the Appalachian Mountain Range have on the community and its citizens. In everything they do, The Appalachian Team works to maintain the beauty and peace of Blount County and East Tennessee while emphasizing their desire to educate all people on the process of buying, selling, or leasing property. Whatever your needs, the Appalachian Team looks forward to walking with you on your real estate journey.
Eric Rice
Eric left the Midwest Plains of Kansas and came to the mountains of East Tennessee in 2005. Since 2015, he has dedicated himself to providing unparalleled service and market knowledge for Leconte Realty. In 2018, Eric received his Broker’s license and has since received designations as a GRI and ABR as well as serving on both the Education and Grievance committees for the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors®. Eric also helped initiate and manage the Property Management arm of Leconte Realty, a full service management company serving rental owners in the area.
Eric has earned a BS from Kansas State and an MS from the University of Tennessee. Besides his family Eric’s greatest asset is that while he takes his job seriously, he doesn’t take himself too seriously.
Maelea Galyon
Growing up here, raising my son here, building a life here, and watching this area grow has brought me so much joy. When Troy asked me to join him in real estate, it seemed only natural to say “Yes!” Helping folks find the perfect home for their specific stage in life seems like a natural extension of sharing my appreciation for East Tennessee. I love the fact that I get to call this place home and that I get to share it with others!
When I’m not showing homes, you can find me providing leadership, coaching to local businesses, singing in my band, or playing with my grandchildren. I’m game for most anything that allows me to enjoy all the things that East TN has to offer!
Troy Galyon
As a lifelong East Tennesseean and Appalachian Trail hiker, I have a deep seated connection to this region. As a realtor, I am able to provide honest and efficient service in Blount, Monroe, Loudon, Knox and Sevier counties. Whether you hope to buy, sell, or lease a new home, acreage, or commercial property, I am your one stop shop to better real estate transactions.
Hailing from a multi-generational real estate family, I have the experience and the network to help my clients find the real estate they need. When I’m not helping clients, you can find me running, hiking, or spending time with my wife Sarah, two sons Abel and Ezra, daughter Edie and our dog Winnie. Whether you join me in business or on a hike, I hope to see you soon! Happy Trails.
Troy’s Story
Conquering the Appalachian trail
Growing up in East Tennessee, I always felt at home in the mountains and dreamed of one day hiking the Appalachian Trail. During my senior year of studies at the University of Tennessee, my father was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. This was the beginning of my Appalachian Trail journey as I decided I would hike the trail’s entirety, from Georgia to Maine, to raise money for cancer research. After a grueling 107 days to finish the 2,200-mile trail, I returned home in time to act as a full-time caregiver for my dad. Before he passed away, my dad said the journey I took for him along the AT was the greatest gift he ever received. Traversing thousands of miles taught me about life, pain, grief, and connection. My experiences on the Appalachian Trail helped me to understand that everyone deserves honesty and kindness because we are all on the same path, all walking toward a better version of ourselves, moving in the same direction together. In turn, I hope to walk with my clients on their real estate journey. Though the trail can sometimes be rocky, I’m confident that my experience both on and off the beaten path can benefit you. Have questions? Visit my Contact page to request more information! Troy Galyon talks about hiking the Appalachian Trail for cancer research.
