NAR’s C-suite grows (again); new execs at NCAR, Realtor.ca 

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 appoints first chief data officer

The National Association of Realtors is expanding its leadership team once again with the addition of a new chief data officer role. The move is "a major milestone in NAR's ongoing digital transformation" and reinforces "its commitment to leveraging technology to enhance member value," the association said.

NAR has appointed David Conroy to fill the position. Conroy, who will also serve as SVP of strategy and innovation, is expected to begin his new job in early January.

The appointment marks a homecoming of sorts for Conroy, who was once a software engineer at NAR and later served as the association's director of technology and innovation from 2019 through mid-2024. Conroy is currently the chief technology officer at the California Association of Realtors and was years earlier the director of information technology at the Massachusetts Association of Realtors.

As chief data officer, Conroy will focus on guiding NAR's data strategy and on scaling and integrating tech systems used internally, according to a news release. He noted that having "a unified, purposeful data and innovation agenda is essential" as the industry "enters an era of accelerating technology change."

CEO Nykia Wright also described data as "one of NAR's most important strategic assets," adding that the way they tackle data strategy moving forward "will shape where our association goes next."

"David's vision, leadership, and track record of transformational technology work will help deepen our analytic capabilities, streamline operations, and drive innovation in ways that give our members a strategic advantage," Wright said.

Conroy's appointment is the latest in a series of leadership additions at NAR, something Wright acknowledged in September when she noted that NAR's executive team has been "re-engineered." Other prominent 2025 hires include Matthew Cenedella as CFO; Jarrod Grasso as NAR's first-ever SVP of industry relations; Leslie Nettleford-Freeman as associate general counsel and VP of legal affairs and brand protection; and execs overseeing member engagement, communications and education.

NAR alum takes on leadership role in North Carolina

The NC Association of Realtors has announced that Amanda Stinton will serve as its new COO starting on Dec. 15. Stinton brings over 17 years of leadership experience in the industry, a background that the association said will benefit its growth efforts.

Stinton most recently served as CEO for the Women's Council of Realtors from Sept. 2023 to May 2025. While there, Stinton placed 185th on T3 Sixty's 2025 Swanepoel Power 200 rankings. (Note: Real Estate News is an editorially independent division of T3 Sixty.)

She previously spent nearly 16 years at NAR, where she rose to a director-level position focused on sustainability and leadership.

In her new role at the NC Association of Realtors, Stinton will help CEO Andrea Bushnell oversee daily operations while working to push the organization's leadership development and long-term strategic goals forward, according to a news release.

Stinton's "deep experience in strategic planning and leadership development will be a tremendous asset" to the organization, Bushnell said. "Her leadership will help us continue to evolve and deliver exceptional value to our 55,000 members."

"The best is yet to come working with this team and serving the well-respected members of North Carolina," Stinton wrote in a post on LinkedIn. "I'm energized by the opportunity to continue working with Realtors to empower professional growth, enrich communities, and innovate."

Realtor.ca names new CEO

Scott Neil has been appointed to serve as Realtor.ca Canada Inc.'s new CEO. He will take the reins at the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) subsidiary on Jan. 5, while interim CEO Janice Myers will remain CEO of CREA.

Neil brings over two decades of leadership experience, with past roles at eBay, Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz and more. He most recently was the CEO at Kijiji Canada, where he focused on restructuring the business, embracing AI and scaling up the company's real estate channels.

Neil intends to lead growth efforts in his new role. "This platform is a trusted part of how Canadians discover, explore, and understand real estate," he said in a news release. "I look forward to building on this foundation, driving innovation, expanding revenue opportunities, and strengthening the experience and value we deliver to Realtors and to the millions of Canadians who use this platform every day."

David Oikle, chair of the Realtor.ca board of directors, praised Neil's "track record of innovation, growth, and operational excellence."

"Scott's vision aligns with our mission to empower Realtors and deliver exceptional value to Canadian consumers," Oikle said.