Jim Kinney, the vice president of luxury sales at Baird & Warner, will be treasurer of IAR in 2013.
Longtime Chicago Realtor Jim Kinney will be the Illinois Association of Realtor’s (IAR) treasurer in 2013, a role that will allow him full access to all the advocacy, education and outreach efforts of the association.
Kinney, whose works as the vice president of luxury sales at Baird & Warner, said in an interview with Chicago Agent that one of his primary responsibilities will be advocating how IAR is “essential to the health and well-being of the real estate market.”
As part of IAR’s leadership team, Kinney will be in a unique position to encourage not only contributions and support from the association’s 39,000 members, but also to explain and demonstrate how important their services are for Illinois real estate.
For instance, Kinney said that IAR membership has declined by more than 20,000 members in recent years, and because of that, IAR will be raising its dues in 2013. Along with chairing the association’s finance committee and overseeing the implementation of those new fees, Kinney will work with the rest of the leadership team to reach out to the local members of IAR and explain why the increase is necessary. That local emphasis, Kinney said, will complement his work with national organizations and larger Realtor conventions.
There will also be a substantial educational component to the Treasurer’s position, Kinney said. He’ll be working with IAR to develop new training courses that capitalize on the latest real estate trends (for instance, IAR has been offering courses in distressed sales to train agents in that emerging market) while ensuring that agents stay within the boundaries of the law. With real estate becoming an increasing digital business, Kinney stressed the importance of a law-abiding approach to technology in the industry.
Lastly, Kinney said he’ll be working through a long-term progression of responsibilities as IAR’s Treasurer. After his stint as treasurer ends in 2014, Kinney will assume the role of president-elect, and then in 2015, he will become IAR’s president. After that role concludes in 2016, Kinney will then join IAR’s extensive advisory committee, a collection of past presidents who help direct the association’s policies.
Kinney said he is excited about his new role with IAR, but he is no stranger to administrative duties at the association level.
“I have an intimate working knowledge of associations,” Kinney said.
He was the 2009 president for CRB, and he was involved in the GRI Institute for more than six years, a relationship that culminated with his position as dean of the institute.