Michelle Mills Clement, CEO
Antje Gehrken, President
Sarah Ware, President-Elect
Drussy Hernandez, Treasurer
Nykea Pippion McGriff, Immediate Past President
This year, an all-women team leads the Chicago Association of Realtors, one of the most-visible ways the association continues to break new ground in the industry. The board of directors has diverse representation from all of Chicago’s neighborhoods, ensuring they are equipped to make decisions that have a positive impact.
The association continues to showcase their forward-thinking leadership by hosting the first-ever Chicago Realtors 360° Summit: Leading with Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, which focused on building equitable solutions to shape the future of Chicago, rethinking the client experience using data and making a business case for DEI best practices. Another new program, the Leadership Accelerator, helps Realtors prepare for the next step in their career, ensuring a diverse and prepared leadership for the future.
CAR is laser-focused on ensuring real estate professionals have the tools they need to succeed. Last fall, they unveiled a consumer-focused website, BuySellOwnChicago.com, which amplifies the importance of a Realtor, and provides tips and resources at every stage of the transaction. They debuted a new commercial-focused forms-and-contracts system, the Legal Library, to deliver an easy, low-cost, customizable solution to challenges commercial practitioners faced. Plus, the continued enhancement of their Photofy library of professionally designed, customizable social media graphics and monthly statistical snapshots give Realtors tools to use to keep their clients informed.
In conjunction with member feedback, the association enhanced their online learning platform, debuting new educational bundles to deliver a full professional development package in one easy process. They also revamped their fair housing course in collaboration with the National Fair Housing Alliance, resulting in a highly engaging class that addresses how certain practices and statements may signal bias to clients, plus how to eliminate them moving forward.
These are just a few of the many ways CAR unites all facets of the industry as a leading advocate for real estate, driving Realtors’ business success and the economic development of Chicago’s communities.
