eXp promotes exec with ‘360-degree view’ to help the firm scale 

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.

eXp CMO takes on a new 'chief' role

Wendy Forsythe, a seasoned real estate executive who has spent the past two years as chief marketing officer at eXp Realty, has a new role at the cloud-based brokerage: chief operating officer. She succeeds Patrick O'Neill, who is leaving the company.

Forsythe wasn't new to the C-suite when she arrived at eXp. Before joining the firm in the spring of 2024, Forsythe held the chief operating officer role at HomeSmart International and served as chief strategy officer at Fathom Holdings. She also spent over a year as president at Compass overseeing the brokerage's California, Hawaii and Nevada operations.

Her leadership background and previous experience as an agent and brokerage owner gives Forsythe "a 360-degree view across the real estate ecosystem, from the front lines to the executive suite," eXp said in a news release.

Her "combination of field-level agent empathy, operational excellence, and a proven track record of scaling large brokerages and brands makes her the right leader for our next chapter," CEO Leo Pareja added.

In a June 9 post on LinkedIn, Forsythe wrote that "grateful" is a term that "doesn't begin to cover" her feelings about this new opportunity. She thanked Pareja and eXp World Holdings CEO Glenn Sanford for their "continued trust and for believing in what's possible when we build something bigger together."

"Stepping into the COO role is both an honor and a responsibility I don't take lightly," she added.

Forsythe will continue to support eXp's marketing strategy while transitioning to her new role, the company said.

Brands by Integra names new CEO

Brands by Integra, a multi-brand real estate company comprising several Century 21 franchises across parts of the Northeast, Midwest and South, has appointed Dan Firda as the company's new CEO.

Firda joins the national real estate network with over two decades of leadership experience, having most recently served as national VP of franchise growth at Compass International Holdings and previously leading growth efforts at Anywhere Real Estate, prior to its acquisition by Compass.

Over the course of his career, Firda has "built a reputation for driving franchise expansion, strengthening broker relationships, and delivering exceptional retention results," Brands by Integra said in a June 8 announcement on social media. "Under his leadership, the franchise growth division achieved an industry-leading 96% franchisee renewal rate while helping execute some of the largest franchise mergers in company history," the company added. 

In his new role, Firda will lead daily operations and "help accelerate our vision for market expansion, technology innovation, and strategic acquisitions," the announcement said.

Jim D'Amico, Brands by Integra's founder and former CEO, will now chair the company's board with a focus on long-term strategy.

Sotheby's promotes 'deeply committed' regional leader

Sotheby's International Realty has appointed Marissa Ghesquiere to serve as the company's regional president for its Eastern and Central regions, the real estate executive announced in a post on LinkedIn.

Ghesquiere has been linked to the Sotheby's brand for nearly two decades. She previously served as a brokerage manager and, most recently, as a regional executive vice president. In addition to overseeing the company's operations in New York, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Texas and New Mexico as part of her new role, Ghesquiere said she will continue leading East Side Manhattan Brokerage, "a business that I love and a role that I'm passionate about."

In her post, Ghesquiere expressed excitement about the opportunity "to shape the future of the company I've called home for nineteen years."

"The Sotheby's International Realty brand means everything to me," Ghesquiere added. "I'm honored by this appointment, energized by the agents, leaders and teams across these regions and I'm deeply committed to the work ahead."

NTREIS SVP appointment reflects org's 'investment in modernization'

North Texas Real Estate Information Systems (NTREIS) has appointed Mike Murphy to serve as senior vice president of integrated solutions, a newly created role focused on technology integrations, vendor partnerships and data services, the MLS announced.

Murphy joins NTREIS with more than 20 years of experience in MLS operations and real estate technology, according to a news release. He most recently served as chief operations officer at Central Texas MLS and previously held roles at CoreLogic (now Cotality) and Rapattoni Corporation. In addition to his new role, Murphy currently serves as 2026 chair of the Texas Realtors MLS & Technology Committee and holds the CMLX3 and C2EX designations.

As a member of NTREIS's senior leadership team, Murphy will oversee third-party technology partnerships and lead the organization's integration strategy, with responsibility for aligning technology, operations and vendor relationships. The role supports NTREIS's broader efforts to modernize its MLS infrastructure and expand operational capabilities.

Murphy "brings a rare combination of deep operational expertise and technical acumen that is exactly what NTREIS needs at this moment," CEO Chris Carrillo said. "As we look to onboard compliance and modernize our MLS platforms, his experience will provide needed horsepower and perspective to the team."

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.