Nykia Wright has been named the permanent CEO for the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the organization announced Monday.

Wright had served as interim CEO since November, when former CEO Bob Goldberg retired.

“I am thrilled Nykia is staying on board to lead us through this time of transformation,” NAR President Kevin Sears said in a news release. “She has been instrumental in leading us up to this point, and her unwavering commitment to our members make her the ideal steward for guiding our association through the evolving real estate landscape.” 

Wright helped guide the association through the legal settlement that spurred new rules for NAR members that took effect Aug. 17. Those rules include removing commissions from the MLS and requiring signed buyer’s agent agreements. 

Wright’s immediate priorities will include ongoing education, training and compliance for consumers and agents, NAR said.

“I am honored to have earned the confidence and trust from the leadership team to guide this organization at such a critical point,” Wright said. “I am committed to ensuring our association remains a powerful and effective voice for the industry and to fulfilling our goal to bring the privilege of homeownership to more Americans.

“I am clear-eyed about our past and present, and I am hyper-focused on building trust with NAR’s many stakeholders so that we can be successful in ensuring we are bringing the best of NAR to each and every one of our members.”

Wright was previously the CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times, navigating the newspaper through a merger with WBEZ. Prior to leading the Sun-Times, Wright was a strategy and business transformation consultant, advising organizations on operational, financial and performance improvement matters.

Wright is the co-founder of SonicMESSENGER, a software-as-a-service startup. She sits on the board of the Better Government Association and is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at her alma mater, the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.