People on the Move: CMLS leader to step down; Compass adds M&A exec 

Editor's note: As an industry with millions of agents and over 100,000 brokerage companies, new leaders rise to the top every day. Here we highlight executives and other notable leaders who've recently taken on, or stepped away from, roles that influence the residential real estate landscape.

Denee Evans leaving CMLS after 10 years

The Council of Multiple Listing Services is facing a leadership change as longtime CEO Denee Evans prepares to step down. Evans, who has held the role for the past decade, will conclude her tenure at the end of the year.

Her departure plans were announced one week after CMLS introduced Rene Galicia as its new chief operating officer. Galicia joined CMLS after serving as EVP, Policy Counsel & Strategic Partnerships at Bright MLS. He also previously oversaw MLS engagement at the National Association of Realtors.

Evans joined the trade association in 2014 as its first full-time staff member. In the years that followed, she became "instrumental in establishing CMLS as a leading force within organized real estate — advocating for transparency, consumer value, and marketplace efficiency," according to a press release.

Evans described her time at CMLS, which represents more than 230 MLSs, as "the honor of a lifetime." She said she feels "confident in what comes next" for the association and is "fully committed to supporting a smooth transition and continuing our momentum through 2025" as the search begins for a new CEO.

CMLS Board Chair John DiMichele praised Evans for helping "shape the modern identity" of the association. "Her leadership, passion and vision have positioned the MLS as an essential component of a fair and efficient real estate marketplace," he said. "Her contributions will have a lasting influence on our members and the industry at large." 

Compass taps brokerage CEO to lead M&A efforts

A real estate executive with over 20 years of brand growth experience has joined Compass as its new executive vice president of mergers and acquisitions. Lacey Conway, who moves onto the leadership team after serving as CEO of Latter & Blum, will focus on "strategic, purposeful growth" at Compass, according to a company press release.

Conway spent over two decades in a leadership position at Latter & Blum, a New Orleans-based brokerage that operated independently for more than 100 years before it was acquired by Compass last spring. Latter & Blum grew significantly under Conway's stewardship through expansions and acquisitions in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, the company noted.

At the time of Compass' acquisition, Latter & Blum comprised 3,100 agents and had just closed out 2023 with $3.6 billion in sales volume. Conway described the brokerage's decision to join Compass as a strategic one designed to "empower our agents to win even more business without sacrificing the things you all love about our company."

Her appointment was announced just a few months after other major M&A news for Compass, which acquired @properties and Christie's International Real Estate in a $444 million deal that was finalized in January.

Conway's "expertise and deep alignment with our mission will be instrumental as we continue to expand our community of top-tier brokerages and exceptional agents," Compass CFO Kalani Reelitz said. "We are thrilled to have Lacey lead the next phase of our M&A strategy."

Lofty adds former Zillow exec to its sales team

Real estate sales veteran Andrew Wild has joined Lofty as the AI-powered platform's vice president of enterprise sales. As he steps into the position, Wild will focus on developing new partnerships and expanding existing ones between Lofty and brokerages across the country, according to the company.

Wild previously held a leadership role at Tom Ferry and led enterprise sales at both Dotloop and Premier Broker. He spent more than 15 years at Zillow and was one of the original revenue team members when he joined the home search giant in 2007.

At Lofty, Wild will "help drive the next phase of growth in enterprise real estate tech," he said in a press release. "I'm especially looking forward to helping Lofty build on its growing enterprise adoption and AI innovation, which is finally giving the company a seat at the table in major enterprise tech conversations."

Wild added that he sees "huge potential to give brokers and teams more control over lead-to-transaction workflows — outside of the portals — and to truly drive business results."

Rechat brings on growth and communications leader

Lofty isn't the only proptech company with an eye on growth. Rechat, an AI-powered operating platform, has expanded its leadership team with the addition of Audie Chamberlain as head of strategic growth and communications. 

Rechat has already been growing rapidly, the company said in a news release, with large firms including Pacific Sotheby's and Douglas Elliman adopting its tech. 

"We're excited to welcome Audie to our leadership team," Rechat CEO Shayan Hamidi said in the announcement. "Brokerages are telling us they want one platform to power their entire business — marketing, CRM, transactions, and beyond. That's exactly what Rechat delivers, and Audie is the right leader to help us expand that message to more customers and markets."

In addition to driving strategic growth, Chamberlain, who founded the integrated marketing firm Lion & Orb, will oversee marketing and branding efforts.

"Rechat is the most comprehensive platform I've ever seen in real estate," Chamberlain said, calling it "the industry's first true 'Super App.'"