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NAR always hosts a great program each August in Chicago, the annual Leadership Summit, and this year was no exception. AEs and their incoming presidents got a chance to not only build a strong partnership but strengthen their association’s relationship with NAR.
One of the most helpful takeaways from this event for me is a better understanding of NAR’s priorities for the coming year. Incoming NAR President Vince Malta shared with us NAR’s upcoming strategic priorities for 2020. There are four guiding principles that NAR will focus on:
- Collaborating for positive impacts on housing equality and affordability.
- Driving community development.
- Retaining REALTORS®’ role as the best source of property information for consumers.
- Enhancing the value of membership.
The last priority, enhancing the value of membership, will require a coordinated NAR, state, and local effort. As outlined at the summit: “NAR will focus on understanding the members on a deeper level in order to deliver relevant content and services based on their individual wants and needs.” Achieving this goal will require NAR to work hand in hand with us at the state and local level to improve the way we collect and share member data.
There is so much more we can learn about our members. As AEs, we work every day to enhance the member experience and deliver value, so more and accurate data can only help our cause.
It has been a busy year for the AE Committee. Workgroups tackled a wide array of topics from core standards to global business councils to AEI 2.0. All of these groups were powered by the amazing NAR staff and a great group of AE colleagues who were willing to share their time and expertise. My thanks to all involved for a wonderful effort.
New this year was the decision to split the AEC Committee meeting from the AE Forum. It was our view that running the two programs simultaneously robbed both of their maximum effectiveness. The first go-through at the May Legislative Meetings in Washington, D.C., was positive enough for us to try it again at the NAR convention in San Francisco.
As I close out my term as the AEC chair, I have so many people to thank. Our vice chair, John Sebree, RCE, CEO of the Missouri Association of REALTORS®, was instrumental in every decision made this year. The AEC will be well guided by John in 2020 along with Vice Chair Janet Kane, RCE, CAE, CEO of the MetroTex Association of REALTORS®.
The chairs and vice chairs of the AEC workgroups did a wonderful job turning discussion items into actionable proposals and goals. Congratulations to Ryan Conrad, Jim Haisler, and the AEI Governors for a fantastic event in Austin, Texas, this past year. The NAR staff led by the incomparable Cindy Sampalis was and is amazing.
And last, but not least, a thank you to NAR’s Leadership. President John Smaby, President-elect Vince Malta, First Vice President Charlie Oppler, Immediate Past President Elizabeth Mendenhall, Treasurer John Flor, and NAR CEO Bob Goldberg were accessible and supportive throughout the year. As a team, we worked together to ultimately enhance the value of REALTOR® membership.