Nykia Wright was named the CEO of the Chicago-based National Association of Realtors Monday.
Wright has been serving in the role on an interim basis since November and was the former CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times. She stepped down in January 2023 following the newspaper’s merger with public radio station WBEZ-FM 91.5 and transformation into a nonprofit under Chicago Public Media. Wright started as chief operating officer at the Sun-Times in 2017 and was named CEO the following year.
The announcement comes on the heels of the implementation of NAR’s new model rules for home buying and selling and follows a series of leadership changes at the organization over the past year. NAR has seen two presidents and a CEO resign following allegations of sexual harassment against its former President Kenny Parcell. Bob Goldberg, NAR’s CEO before Wright, stepped down more than a year before his anticipated departure after staff members called for the resignations of executives like Goldberg in September of last year.
Wright said in a Monday news release that she is “clear eyed about our past and present” and “hyper-focused on building trust with NAR’s many stakeholders.”
“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 in the news release. “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,” Wright said.
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Wright helmed the more than 1.5 million member trade association as it reached a landmark settlement earlier this year that resulted from numerous class-action, antitrust lawsuits brought by home sellers over the commissions they paid to real estate brokers. NAR agreed to pay $418 million to resolve litigation against the organization and its members. The suits were filed against NAR and real estate brokerages nationwide.
Wright is also leading the rollout of NAR’s “Culture Transformation Commission,” a group of more than 70 members — including state and local association staff and NAR staff — that was created to “identify and break down impediments to being an inclusive, welcoming and respectful organization for all individuals and to ensure that the association meets the evolving needs of members well into the future,” according to the news release.
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The news release said Wright will continue to focus on guiding NAR through its practice changes and prioritizing “education, training and compliance for consumers and agents.”
“I am thrilled Nykia is staying on board to lead us through this time of transformation,” said Kevin Sears, NAR’s current president. “She has been instrumental in leading us up to this point, and her unwavering commitment to our members makes her the ideal steward for guiding our association through the evolving real estate landscape.”