New leader takes the reins at Long & Foster 

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.

Long & Foster announces leadership handoff

HomeServices of America and Long & Foster Companies have named Daniel Dennis president and CEO of Long & Foster, a move that marks the return of a former HomeServices executive as Patrick Bain prepares to depart the company.

Bain is stepping down after 16 years with Long & Foster, the past three and a half of which he spent as president and CEO. Bain, who informed the company of his decision to step away earlier this year, will collaborate with Dennis in the coming weeks to ensure a smooth transition, according to a news release.

Dennis most recently worked as SVP of sales and services at REMAX, a position he stepped into in the spring of 2025. He previously led Roberts Brothers, an Alabama-based HomeServices brokerage, for over a decade before becoming president of Illustrated Properties in South Florida.

In his new role, Dennis will oversee Long & Foster's residential brokerage and work with regional and local leadership across the company and its affiliated businesses. His initial priorities will include meeting with agents, employees and leaders while building on the company's existing operations and market positions.

"Long & Foster is an iconic company with an extraordinary history, but what excites me most is the opportunity in front of us," Dennis said. "I have tremendous respect for what has been built here, and I am excited to listen, learn and work alongside our leaders and agents to make an already great company even stronger."

Vesta Home adds exec with 'proven creative leadership'

Vesta Home has named Michael Brown its new chief creative officer, adding an executive with more than 15 years of experience to lead the company's furniture collections and luxury interior design business.

Brown spent over 15 years at RH. He most recently led RH Interior Design, which he co-founded in 2011, as the company's senior vice president. Before his tenure at RH began, Brown co-founded Custom Lime, a Los Angeles-based firm where he designed and renovated homes and created custom furniture for high-net-worth and celebrity clients, according to a news release.

At Vesta Home, Brown will help develop the company's furniture collections and will oversee the creative direction of its expanding interior design division, working closely with CEO Julian Buckner and the company's design and leadership teams.

Brown "understands that great interior design starts with how someone wants to live, and that the furniture, materials, art and objects all have to be in harmony to tell that story," Buckner said. "As we deepen Vesta Home's interior design offering and continue to develop our own collections, Michael brings his proven creative leadership and perspective to help define where we go next."

Brown's appointment comes on the heels of the addition of Michael El-Saleh, who joined Vesta Home last month as vice president of national sales.

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.