Elliman hires chief of staff; new presidents at NAHREP, JPAR 

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.

Chief of staff to help guide Elliman's 'corporate transformation'

Douglas Elliman announced this week that Areeje Akhtar Oriol has joined the New York-based firm as chief of staff to President and CEO Michael Liebowitz. In addition to supporting Liebowitz, Oriol will focus on the brokerage company's strategic goals and organizational alignment in collaboration with its senior leadership team.

With more than 15 years of experience in digital media, tech and residential real estate, Oriol brings a throughline focus on luxury consumers to Elliman, according to a news release. She previously spent six years at Google, where she advised several high-profile clients — including Shiseido, L'Oréal, Colgate-Palmolive and Reckitt Benckiser — and also founded the consulting firm Assemblage.

Oriol praised Douglas Elliman as "one of the most recognized names in luxury real estate," noting in the announcement that she is joining the firm at "a genuinely compelling moment" in its evolution.

"I've spent my career working at the intersection of the luxury consumer, the advisors who serve them and the platforms that enable that work," Oriol said. "The opportunity to bring that experience to bear alongside Michael and the leadership team is one I'm incredibly energized by."

Liebowitz also underscored the timing of Oriol's arrival, declaring that the firm's "corporate transformation has taken hold" and that he "wanted someone alongside me who understands branding partnerships, the luxury agent and consumer and the infrastructure required to serve them at the highest level."

Part of that transformation, Liebowitz noted during the company's Q4 earnings call in March, includes the recent appointments of new C-level executives and the launch of Elliman's international and mortgage divisions last year.

Industry's 'very best' moves up at NAHREP

Edwin Acevedo, founder and broker/owner of Century 21 LOTUS, has been installed as the 2026 national president of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP).

Acevedo succeeds 2025 President Oralia Herrera and 2024 President Nora Aguirre. He has held leadership roles across NAHREP at the local, regional and national levels, focusing on expanding access to homeownership and mentoring real estate professionals.

Acevedo, who was named NAHREP's 2026 president-elect last spring, was sworn in at the organization's annual Homeownership and Housing Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., in late March. Acevedo is the third consecutive — and sixth overall — NAHREP national president affiliated with the Century 21 brand, according to a news release.

"Edwin represents the very best of our industry — a leader who has built his business on service, lifted others as he has grown, and understands that homeownership is about far more than a transaction," Century 21 President and CEO Mike Miedler said.

As NAHREP's 2026 president, Acevedo's "passion for empowering families, building bridges across communities, and advocating for greater access and opportunity will help shape a stronger, more inclusive future for our industry," Miedler added.

35-year industry vet steps into expanded leadership role at JPAR

Tony Delgado has taken the reins as president of JPAR Real Estate, the Plano, Texas-based brokerage with operations in two dozen states. RIS Media was first to report on Delgado's promotion.

Delgado began his real estate career more than three decades ago as an agent and broker, according to his LinkedIn page, assuming his new role this month after serving for several years as JPAR's designated broker and vice president of broker support. As president, he will lead the brokerage's strategic direction, growth efforts and operations while continuing to serve as the firm's responsible broker.

"I work closely with our executive team, brokerage leaders, and agents to drive production, strengthen culture, and position the company for long-term success in a rapidly evolving industry," he wrote on LinkedIn.

A 2021 press release announcing his previous promotion to the role of VP of broker support at JPAR described Delgado as "an invaluable asset to our agents" and praised the "track record of success" he has established since acquiring his real estate license in 1991.

In a news release announcing Delgado's latest promotion, JPAR CEO Rick Davidson noted that he "has been at the center of the work that matters most to our agents — support, mentorship, and problem-solving."

"Tony's appointment bolsters our leadership team and allows for further focus on growth and the changes that are necessary in an ever-evolving industry," Davidson added.

Editor's note: AI was used in the initial drafting of this content, which was then thoroughly reviewed, fact-checked and revised by a Real Estate News editor.