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The National Association of Realtors President Tracy Kasper and its leadership team have officially begun their year-long term, according to an announcement on Monday. Kasper, President-Elect Kevin Sears, First Vice President Kevin Brown, Treasurer Gregory Hrabcak and VP of Association Affairs Erik Sain were installed after the board of directors meeting at NAR NXT in Anaheim, California.
Kasper was not available for comment; however, NAR’s post about the team’s installation garnered several comments from Realtors wishing Kasper and her team the best as the association readies itself to go deeper into the battle over buyer-broker commissions and attempts to regain trust after the fallout from a string of headline-making sexual harassment allegations.
“Congrats to all,” wrote Ron Carpenito. “Thank you for all you do, and all the best for a successful year ahead!”
Kasper was thrust into the president’s chair in August when former president Kenny Parcell resigned amid a firestorm of disturbing sexual harassment allegations outlined in The New York Times. Kasper, an experienced broker-owner from Idaho, was immediately tasked with calming the association’s 1.6 million members and outlining the path for accountability and reconciliation.
“We recognize there is lots of concern, anger and disappointment, and we want to acknowledge the people who have come forward and shared their stories and those of you who have shared your perspective over the past few days,” she said a few hours after taking the helm from Parcell. “We have taken everything we have heard to heart. Our commitment to our staff and our members is unwavering, and we will continue to enhance the way we foster a welcoming, safe and respectful workplace.”
During the first few months of her term, Kasper tapped organizational culture expert Shaun Harper to spearhead the Culture Presidential Advisory Group, whose findings were shared during the NAR NXT conference. She’s also navigated the early retirements of former CEO Bob Goldberg and NAR Head of Human Resources Donna Gland, who will step down from her post at the end of the year.
Interim CEO Nykia Wright said she’s excited to work with Kasper and her team in charting NAR’s next chapter, as the real estate industry barrels toward an unsure, yet exciting, future.
“The interim position is powerful because it gives an organization enough breathing room to step back and think critically about its next chapter. There are no rushed decisions — only deliberate, thoughtful steps taken in the best interest of the enterprise,” Wright said in a Q&A published alongside the 2024 leadership team installation announcement on Monday. “I am coming to this role to work alongside member and staff leadership as it takes steps to strengthen the organization. My experience driving transformational change for mission-driven organizations positions me to help NAR embark on the next phase of leading our industry.”
Here’s NAR’s 2024 leadership lineup:
Tracy Kasper
President Tracy Kasper is the broker-owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Silverhawk Realty in Nampa, Idaho. Kasper has served on NAR’s board of directors since 2016 when she was elected as the president of the Idaho Association of Realtors.
President-Elect Kevin Sears is the broker-partner of Sears Real Estate in Springfield, Massachusetts. Sears has an extensive leadership history that includes serving as NAR’s 2017 VP of government affairs and the Massachusetts Association of Realtors president in 2010. He also served as the Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons’ chairman of the board in 2011 and 2016.
Kevin Brown
First Vice President Kevin Brown is the broker-owner of Better Homes Realty and Brown Commercial Investment Real Estate Services in Oakland, California. Brown was president of the California Association of Realtors in 2014 and has served on NAR’s board of directors since 2011.
Treasurer Gregory Hrabcak leads Hanna Commercial Real Estate’s commercial and property management divisions in Westerville, Ohio. Hrabcak has been a member of NAR’s Finance Committee since 2015 and served as the association’s Region 5 vice president (covering Michigan and Ohio) in 2020. This is the second year of his two-year term.
Erik Sain
Vice President of Association Affairs Erik Sain is a district sales manager for Florida’s largest independent brokerage, The Keys Co. The West Palm Beach-based Realtor was NAR’s Realtor Party Disbursements Liaison in 2018 and Public Policy Coordinating Committee Chair in 2017.
Vice President of Advocacy Nate Johnson is president of The Real Estate Solutions Group at Redkey Realty Leaders in St. Louis, Missouri. Johnson has chaired NAR’s Sustainability Advisory Group and Smart Growth Advisory Board and served as the Missouri Association of Realtors president in 2018.
Nykia Wright
Interim CEO Nykia Wright is the co-founder of SaaS solution SonicMESSENGER, and most recently served as the CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times. Wright has degrees from the University of Cambridge, Carnegie Mellon University and The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
The association also installed 13 regional vice presidents, who “oversee the work of the association and serve as NAR spokespersons; attend their region’s conferences; and chair the regional caucuses held at NAR’s two annual meetings.”
The 2024 regional vice presidents are as follows:
- Stephen Medeiros; Dartmouth, Massachusetts: Region 1 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
- Jennifer Stevenson; Ogdensburg, New York: Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania)
- Jay Mitchell; Virginia Beach, Virginia: Region 3 (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia)
- David Kent; Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina: Region 4 (North Carolina, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee)
- Faron King; Blairsville, Georgia: Region 5 (Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Sara Calo; Mayfield, Ohio: Region 6 (Michigan, Ohio)
- Bernice Helman; Terre Haute, Indiana: Region 7 (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin)
- Scott Wendl; Johnston, Iowa: Region 8 (Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota)
- Amy Bladow; Norman, Oklahoma: Region 9 (Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma)
- Marvin Jolly; Plano, Texas: Region 10 (Texas, Louisiana)
- Devon Viehman; Jackson, Wyoming: Region 11 (Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming)
- Evelyn Arnott; Fairbanks, Alaska: Region 12 (Idaho, Alaska, Montana, Oregon, Washington)
- Jennifer Branchini; Pleasanton, California: Region 13 (Hawaii, California, Guam)
