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.
Zillow expands its C-suite
Zillow has announced the promotion of one top executive and added another in moves the home search giant said will strengthen its leadership team.
CFO to take on COO duties: Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Hofmann is adding the chief operating officer title to his resume, according to Zillow’s Aug. 5 news release.
In addition to continuing to oversee the company’s financial strategy, Hofmann will now guide its daily operations, taking on the role held by Jun Choo since 2024. Choo, according to the announcement, “is stepping down from the role to focus on his health” but will remain at Zillow in an advisory capacity until the end of the year.
Hofman joined the company in 2017 as senior director of corporate development after holding leadership roles at Goldman Sachs and BRR Partners. He has been promoted multiple times over the years and has served as CFO since mid-2023.
Zillow said it decided to add the COO role to Hofmann’s existing responsibilities “because of his proven track record” at the company.
“Hofmann is an exceptional financial and operational leader and a critical strategic partner to the entire executive team and me,” Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman said in a news release. “His deep understanding of our business, combined with the strength of the finance leadership team he has cultivated, gives us great confidence that this expanded role will accelerate our ability to execute and scale.”
Two newly promoted leaders — SVP of Strategy & Operations Katie Berroth, and SVP and GM of Mortgages Eric Wilson — will now report to Hofmann, Zillow added, calling them “seasoned and well-regarded” executives who bring “deep institutional knowledge and proven leadership” to their new roles.
Legal and policy exec joins leadership team: Zillow also appointed Cassandra “Sandi” Knight as its first chief legal and policy officer, a new role that comes as the company continues fighting legal battles on multiple fronts.
The role was created to reflect the portal’s “commitment to embedding legal and policy leadership at the highest level of the organization,” Zillow said in the announcement.
Knight brings over two decades of experience to the role. She most recently served as VP of litigation at Google, where she oversaw “some of the most consequential and novel cases of the modern technology era,” according to a news release, and previously held leadership roles on the legal teams at PayPal and Morgan Stanley.
Knight’s “exceptional legal career, her deep compliance expertise, and her experience leading through transformational moments make her the right person for Zillow,” Wacksman said.
HomeServices elevates leaders with decades of combined experience
HomeServices of America has appointed Gretchen Rosenberg to serve as vice president of industry affairs and engagement, adding the longtime Kentwood Real Estate leader to its executive team as the company expands its national leadership efforts.
The company also announced that Myriam Pierre Warren is joining its C-suite as chief legal officer.
A ‘uniquely suited’ leader: Rosenberg steps into her new role after 28 years with Kentwood, a Denver-based HomeServices affiliate focused on luxury sales. She began as an agent at the firm, climbing the ranks until she was appointed president and CEO eight years ago.
As part of HomeServices’ executive leadership team, Rosenberg will represent the company across the industry, oversee relationships with associations and other stakeholders, monitor regulatory and competitive developments and lead initiatives focused on agent and consumer engagement, according to a news release.
“Gretchen is a thoughtful, strategic leader whose ability to connect what’s happening in local markets with the broader direction of our industry makes her uniquely suited for this role,” HomeServices President and CEO Chris Kelly said. “Her leadership, collaborative approach and deep understanding of our business will strengthen our industry relationships while bringing even greater alignment across our network.”
Her appointment is part of a broader leadership transition at Kentwood, which has appointed COO Dierk Herbermann to serve as president and promoted Amy Herrington from director of agent services to director of operations. Rosenberg will remain affiliated with Kentwood as executive chair and will provide strategic guidance during the transition, the company said.
‘Vision, leadership and business acumen’: HomeServices has also promoted Myriam Pierre Warren, a longtime in-house attorney who will now oversee the company’s enterprise legal organization.
Pierre Warren has advised HomeServices for more than 14 years, most recently serving as associate general counsel after previously holding the role of senior counsel. During her tenure, she worked across the company’s brokerage, mortgage, title, insurance and franchise businesses and played a key role in legal and regulatory matters alongside former Chief Legal Officer Dana Strandmo.
As the newest member of the company’s C-suite, Pierre Warren will lead HomeServices’ legal organization and oversee efforts to strengthen internal collaboration, deepen partnerships with business leaders and enhance the delivery of legal services across the enterprise.
Throughout HomeServices’ “extensive national search” for its new chief legal officer, Pierre Warren emerged as a candidate who “consistently demonstrated the vision, leadership and business acumen needed to lead our legal organization into its next chapter,” Kelly said in a news release.
“Her deep understanding of our enterprise, collaborative leadership style, and commitment to delivering practical, strategic legal counsel make her uniquely qualified for this role,” he added.
RPR makes 2 C-suite promotions
National Association of Realtors subsidiary Realtors Property Resource (RPR) has promoted Emily Line to chief strategy officer and Janine Sieja to chief product officer, expanding the leadership responsibilities of both executives as the company continues developing its technology platform.
Helping RPR operate ‘at its best’: Line has nearly 20 years of experience working within the NAR family of organizations. She joined RPR in 2012 as vice president of commercial services, later serving as VP of member experience and then senior VP of strategic engagement.
In her new role, she will oversee RPR’s strategic engagement across member experience, broker services, industry relations and commercial services, according to a news release.
RPR is “at its best” when it allows Realtors’ needs to “guide our strategy,” Line said. “I’m excited to continue setting strategy alongside our talented team and strengthening partnerships with Associations, MLSs and brokerages to deliver meaningful value for our members while positioning RPR for what’s next.”
‘Keen for any challenge’: Sieja, who is also a RESO board member, has worked at RPR since 2011, when she joined as VP of product management. She has continued serving in leadership roles with the product team over the past 15 years.
As chief product officer, Sieja will now lead the company’s product strategy and development efforts as RPR continues to expand technology offerings for real estate professionals, according to a news release.
“Our Product team is keen for any challenge,” Sieja said. “The integrity of our data and tools is paramount, so training and empowering teammates to meet our high standards and keeping the Realtor at the forefront is a big part of what I do.”
RPR said the promotions reflect the leadership both executives have already provided across the organization and are intended to align its product development and strategic initiatives as it evolves its platform.
CMLS leans into advocacy with new role
The Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) has announced the creation of a new director of advocacy position — a “significant step” in the advancement of the organization’s policy work, according to newly minted CEO Jessica Edgerton.
The person who is eventually hired for the full-time remote role will report to Edgerton with a focus on serving as the primary point person for the association’s government relations and policy strategy at the local, state and national levels.
“There has never been a more critical moment for the MLS to have a strong, amplified voice protecting one of the most essential institutions in real estate,” Edgerton said of the new position, adding that CMLS is “moving forward fast into the future.”
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.