Keller Williams ONEChicago is expanding with a new office in Bronzeville, set to open in the first quarter of 2023. In anticipation, the company has now announced four new hires who will lead the team.
La’Dweena Smith, the chief executive officer of Keller Williams ONEChicago, will continue in her current role at the new site. She’s been with the KW since 2008 and began a leadership position there in 2016 as a productivity coach. Smith has been involved in several office launches for KW.
The other three hires — Nate Thompson, Jerome Harper and Rashauna Scott — are new to Keller Williams.
Most recently, Thompson served as the designated managing broker for Baird & Warner’s South Loop and Northwest Indiana office. He will take on the same role for KW ONEChicago and, additionally, has been named senior vice president of compliance for all locations. In 2020, he earned an Agents’ Choice Award for Managing Broker of the Year.
Like Thompson, Harper came from Baird & Warner South Loop and Northwest Indiana office where he served as assistant manager. At KW, he will be senior vice president of growth for all locations. He is also a Chicago Association of REALTORS® Neighborhood Award winner.
“In addition to helping clients buy and sell real estate, we are helping people build wealth and achieve their professional goals,” Harper said in a press release. “We understand that representation can be a catalyst for change and are excited to bring educational resources to the south side.”
Scott joins KW from Kale Realty and has over a decade of experience in real estate. She was named a Top Producer by the Chicago Association of REALTORS® two years in a row. At KW, her responsibilities will center around business development for the new office.
“Our goal is to help the community navigate through the challenges of home ownership and create generational wealth,” Scott said, reflecting on the role of the new office. “We are honored by this opportunity to provide sophisticated service, support and education in the communities that are near and dear to our hearts.”
Julia Lashay Israel, head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at KW, also commented on what the move signals for the KW brand. “These core leaders showcase our enduring commitment to the growth of our diverse associates into key leadership positions across our brand,” she said. “Being that Chicago is the birthplace of the Fair Housing Act, led by Martin Luther King Jr. and the Freedom Movement, there is no better place than the South Side of Chicago to continue this important work.”