NAR hires trademark attorney; MoxiWorks VP moves to C-suite 

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.

NAR hires intellectual property lawyer to protect Realtor brand

The National Association of Realtors has appointed Leslie Nettleford-Freeman as associate general counsel and vice president of legal affairs and brand protection, a newly created role at the association. 

A seasoned intellectual property attorney, Nettleford-Freeman brings over 20 years of experience in trademark enforcement and legal strategy to NAR, according to a news release. She most recently served as associate general counsel at AARP and works as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center. 

Nettleford-Freeman's hiring reflects "NAR's commitment ensuring that the Realtor brand continues to represent the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and expertise," the company stated. She officially joins the association on Aug. 4.

"Leslie's deep expertise in intellectual property law and her innovative approach to brand protection make her the ideal leader to champion the Realtor trademark," NAR CEO Nykia Wright said in the announcement. Nettleford-Freeman said protecting NAR's brand "is not just about legal enforcement — it's about preserving the trust and professionalism that our members represent."

At AARP, Nettleford-Freeman led "major trademark enforcement campaigns" and formed a "brand protection team" focused in part on protecting seniors from scams, according to NAR. She also developed internal intellectual property training programs for the organization's staff. 

The appointment is the latest of several leadership hires and promotions at NAR this year, including two additions to the communications team, an education and events leader, a new CFO and the association's first industry relations executive.

MoxiWorks promotes VP to chief customer officer 

Prominent proptech player MoxiWorks has announced the promotion of Dave Greenbaum to chief customer officer, a newly created role focused on leading the end-to-end customer experience across its AI-powered real estate platform, the company said this week.

Greenbaum, a veteran operations and customer success executive and former vice president of customer engagement at MoxiWorks, now oversees client success, satisfaction and retention efforts for more than 3,000 brokerages and 400,000 agents, according to a news release.

"Dave's leadership is defined by his deep empathy for customers and an unrelenting focus on outcomes," MoxiWorks CEO Eric Elfman said in the announcement. "He's a natural fit for this role and has already made a lasting impact."

Greenbaum joined MoxiWorks through its 2022 acquisition of ActivePipe and has since led strategic improvements in support models and client engagement, the company said. Under his guidance, MoxiWorks has achieved a customer satisfaction score exceeding 95%.

"I'm honored to take on this role and to continue shaping the future of how we serve our clients," Greenbaum said.

MoxiWorks has seen a number of executive leadership and strategic changes since disruption-minded Elfman replaced longtime CEO York Baur in June 2024. The company sold off MoxiBalance, its accounting product, in May as it shifted focus to sales and marketing. A month earlier, MoxiWorks appointed a new CFO — a role that had been vacant for years — and brought in its first chief marketing officer as well as a chief of staff last October.

Fannie Mae adds mortgage industry pro to its board

Mortgage professional and entrepreneur Barry Habib has joined Fannie Mae's board of directors, according to a July 23 SEC filing. His appointment took effect on July 21.

Habib has worked as a market and mortgage strategist at companies including RPM Mortgage and Residential Finance, and he is the founder and CEO of MBS Highway, a software platform aimed at helping mortgage professionals understand the significance of rate and bond market activity. He also frequently tours the country to speak at industry events.

The board committees on which Habib will serve have not yet been determined, according to the SEC filing, but will be disclosed in a future filing, it noted.

Habib's appointment comes nearly four months after Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte made sweeping changes to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac boards and named himself the chair of each. In Habib's case, he will remain on the board until the next annual board member election — unless he resigns or is removed before that time, according to the filing.