Southwest Florida’s largest Realtor association appoints new CEO
John Leonardi joins RPCRA from Buffalo Niagara Realtors. Plus, Bright MLS prepares to launch “AI Academy”; ABoR marks 100 years in Central Texas.
Editor's note: From regional and statewide players to locals focused on a single market, multiple listings services and Realtor associations are the backbone of residential real estate. Here we highlight some of the latest news about the organizations that are shaping the future of the industry.
John Leonardi to succeed retiring RPCRA CEO
The Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association (RPCRA), Southwest Florida's largest trade association, announced Monday that its board of directors has picked a new CEO.
John Leonardi, who most recently served as CEO of Buffalo Niagara Realtors and WNY Real Estate Information Services in New York, will also serve as CEO of Florida Gulf Coast Multiple Listing Service. He brings over 15 years of experience in association and operations leadership and is set to take on his new duties in Florida starting Oct. 26, according to a news release
Leonardi described his leadership philosophy as "bringing good people together, giving them the freedom to do their jobs, and never being afraid to change what isn't working."
More than 250 candidates applied for the CEO role and 50 initial interviews were conducted over the past few months, with Leonardi ultimately surfacing as the top pick for the role, the association said. He will succeed outgoing CEO Sean O'Brien, who announced earlier this year that he will be retiring after over nine years at RPCRA and three years as the association's CEO.
Shane Spring, RPCRA's 2026 president, said the association is grateful to O'Brien for his time serving the association's 9,400 members and added that the leadership team is "confident in [Leonardi's] ability to lead both organizations" moving forward.
Bright to launch AI education program for subscribers
Bright MLS is developing an AI-powered learning platform with CYPHER Learning that will consolidate education and training resources while providing personalized instruction for Bright subscribers.
Expected to launch by the end of this year, the platform will serve as the foundation for Bright's AI Academy, a program that will focus on helping subscribers apply AI to their everyday business activities. The academy will cover practical uses — such as improving productivity, client service and adapting to changes in industry practices — and will incorporate Bright's proprietary products, workflows and resources, according to a news release.
The platform will bring product education, on-demand training, live webinars, resources and certification programs into one environment. Subscribers will receive personalized course recommendations, AI-assisted access to Bright's knowledge base, self-paced learning, assessments and certificates.
"Our responsibility as an MLS is to help professionals understand how to use these technologies effectively and apply them to their businesses," Bright MLS President and CEO Brian Donnellan said. "The AI Academy gives us a way to make that education practical, personalized and continuously evolving as the technology changes."
ABoR celebrates 100-year anniversary
The Austin Board of Realtors (ABoR) last week marked 100 years since launching. The milestone anniversary was commemorated at an event in central Texas, where Austin Mayor Kirk Watson gave ABoR and Unlock MLS President John Crowe a key to the city, according to The Austin-American Statesman.
ABoR CEO Emily Girard also recognized the moment in a Sept. 9 post on LinkedIn, noting that much is different now than when the organization first formed back in 1926.
"Austin has changed. The way people buy and sell homes has changed. The technology our members use has changed. And ABoR has changed along with them," Girard wrote.
"That perspective matters as we think about what comes next," Girard added. "We don't know what the next 100 years will bring, but our history tells us we don't need to have every answer today, but we do need to pay attention and listen to the people we serve."
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.