I can’t tell you how excited I am to have the opportunity to continue to work alongside so many talented members of the REALTOR® family to strengthen this incredible profession. On behalf of CREA’s 2013-2014 Board of Directors, I’d like to share some thoughts on three themes that will be guiding our work over the coming year: community, collaboration, and governance.
Community
Coming from the small town of Stratford, Ontario, where we raised our family, I have seen the benefits of coming together as a community for a common goal. The vibrancy and well-being of any community depends on leadership, hard work, commitment, and the engagement of many. The work we do as REALTORS®, on behalf of our cities, towns, and neighbourhoods, is not just about building community for the present – it’s also about building community for future generations to come. Professionally we all belong to another community: organized real estate. Its success is dependent on the same ingredients that help our communities succeed: leadership, hard work, and commitment.
Collaboration
In this time of change and challenge, representatives from all levels of organized real estate and thousands of members have engaged in deep conversations, sharing opinions and ideas about the current state and future of our industry. Discussion and reflection have been and continue to be stimulated. Plans have been proposed and plans continue to evolve. We have disagreed, sometimes passionately; however, I believe we continue to share a common goal, and that is to enhance our profession and ensure its continued relevance not just for today, but for tomorrow. It is only through collaboration, using our unique talents to the best of our ability, that we are going to achieve this goal.
Governance
The community we have built through this collaboration requires a strong foundation. One of the major initiatives that I am happy to see we are working on is a governance review. This review will ensure we have the proper foundation, board composition, and processes in place to act effectively on your behalf. As we manage this change and others, we will remain focused on member needs, not personal ones; on being strategic in our thinking and less operational in our doing; and on being transparent and open in communication to build and maintain trust.
This year will be an important year of change – in governance and collaborative leadership. Our Board of Directors looks forward to your continued input and confidence. You have my commitment that this will be a year in which we continue to co-create our future. We will succeed by being stronger together.
