REALTORS® from across Texas met in Austin in February to learn about the latest real estate topics, network with colleagues, and conduct association business.

Chairman Jef Conn kicked off the event and introduced keynote speaker Terry Watson, a business growth expert, who delighted the packed room with humor, insights, and business advice. Among his tips, he recommended that REALTORS® focus on providing an amazing client experience by asking people what the most important thing is to them. He finished his remarks by telling attendees they could make more money by having more fun. “People need to laugh,” he said.

Watson’s remarks were followed by Travis Kessler, longtime president and CEO of Texas REALTORS®, announcing that he will retire in March 2025. “It is a privilege to spend my entire 47-year career in REALTOR® associations,” Kessler said. Joined onstage by his wife, Shelley, Kessler outlined the process to find the next president and CEO.

Leaders Elected

The Board of Directors elected Tony Lloyd as 2025 Secretary/Treasurer, Jennifer Wauhob as 2025 Chairman-Elect, and recognized Christy Gessler for her ascension as 2025 Chairman of the Board. Jef Conn will be the 2025 Immediate Past Chairman.

Wayne Dunson (Odessa, Region 6) and Michica Guillory (Houston, Region 12) were elected as regional vice presidents to immediately fill unexpired terms. The Board of Directors also elected the following 2025 regional vice presidents for a two-year term beginning December 1, 2024: Region 2 –Jamie Dalzell, Abilene; Region 3 – Alberto Vazquez, Arlington, and Brenda Taylor, Greater Lewisville; Region 4 – Amanda Phillips, Greater Texoma, and Bill Cox, Collin County; Region 5 – Kelly Raulston, Greater Tyler; Region 6 – Wayne Dunson, Odessa; Region 7 – Stephanie Besett Ryan, Four Rivers; Region 8 – Kandi Luensmann, Fort Hood, and Sarah Norman, Bryan College Station; Region 9 – Angie Williams, Lufkin; Region 12 (MetroTex) – Johnny Mowad, Ginger Gill, Hanne Sagalowsky, Franceanna Campagna, Kendra Norwood, Michael (Kevin) Caskey, and Richard Gregory; Region 13 (San Antonio) – Will Curtis and Cortney Gill; Region 14 (Houston) – Michica Guillory, Deborah Spangler, Jo Ann Stevens, Michael Wong, Shae Cottar, Thomas Mouton, Karishma Asrani, Tina Wilcher; and Region 15 (Austin) – Job Hammond and Teresa Scott-Tibbs.

Litigation Update

The Executive Board approved two motions to make resources available for the several dozen Texas codefendants in the antitrust lawsuits. Changes to the Legal Defense Fund rules were approved to facilitate providing assistance to the codefendants. Six million dollars in IMPAF funding was approved for association advocacy statewide and locally to communicate and promote the role REALTORS® play in guiding clients through the complexities of real estate transactions, how client representation and broker compensation under the MLS benefit consumers, and the many ways REALTORS® make a difference in the communities they serve. Additionally, Texas REALTORS® attorneys visited all committee meetings and provided members with an update on the litigation.

Insightful Sessions

Texas Commercial Round-Up attendees heard from Texas Real Estate Research Center Research Director Daniel Oney as he outlined market conditions and outlooks for retail, office, industrial, and other commercial sectors. In Avoiding Contract Pitfalls, Ginger Unger, encouraged attendees to learn about the Texas REALTORS® commercial forms to improve the service they provide clients. During Tenant Responsibility and Real Estate Management, Victor Henry discussed how tenant representation is underutilized in the commercial real estate arena. Rhonda Hamilton spoke at the Mastering Buyer Representation session about letting clients know their choices and making it clear why having an agent is a good thing.

According to Michael Wilt of the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation during the session Priced Out: Who Swiped My Housing Market, people will need to get comfortable with smaller homes to make a dent in the housing-supply shortage.

At the MLS Forum, panelists Thomas Mouton, Emily Bibby, and Ashley Gentry discussed the top MLS tools available and how agents and brokers can best use them. During the combined Diversity and Leasing & Property Management Forum, the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division speakers, William Cooper, Patrick Williams, and Bryan Snoddy, detailed the complaint process and their vision to create an environment free from discrimination.

Vanessa Burgess, Ashley Cook, and Jeremy Brewer spoke at the Risk Reduction Forum about buyer representation agreements, ethics violations, contract mistakes, and the importance of understanding forms. At The Future of ETJs, Taylor Mayor Brandt Rydell dove deep into the real-world effects municipal and county governments have seen from recent legislative action on extra-territorial jurisdiction. On the subject of future development in counties across Texas, Williamson County Commissioner Russ Boles noted that all the water we use is developed from reservoirs and treatment plants and that there is a strong need for the Legislature to continue their focus on developing more water to keep up with growth.

At the Governmental Affairs Forum, committee chairs Pepe Aranda (Political Involvement), Adrainne Prince, (Texas REALTORS® Issues PAC), Melinda Randall (TREPAC), and Michael Langford (Public Policy Oversight) gave updates on the association’s activities in the legislative, political, regulatory, and issues activities. Scott Braddock from the Quorum Report and Jeremy Wallace from the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News discussed the current political environment in a special edition of the Texas Take political podcast.

The Greater El Paso Association of REALTORS® received the 2023 Lehman Local Board Governmental Affairs Achievement Award for outstanding advocacy efforts by a local association. Strike Force Awards for dedication to grassroots activities went to Cindi Bulla, Amarillo; Leticia Gallegos, North Texas; Ashley Hambright, San Angelo; Scott Kesner, El Paso; Rick Snow, El Paso; and Kay Spiva, Abilene. Ashley Hambright also was named Grassroots Advocate of the Year.

Recognition for Outstanding Contributions

Texas REALTORS® honored members, programs, and local associations for their work in 2023:

  • Education, Innovation category: Global Real Estate Proficiency: Integrating Multicultural Awareness and Spanish MLS Expertise, MetroTex
  • Education, Marketing category: Technology Education Program, MetroTex
  • Education, Series or Shorts category: Selling the Suburbs: WC Specialist Certification, Williamson County
  • Education, Legal category: Safeguarding Your Real Estate Success, Houston
  • Educator of the Year: Alisha Austin, Round Rock
  • Tom D. Morton Award: Emily Chenevert, Austin
  • Texas REALTOR® Good Neighbor Award: Jean Shine, Fort Hood
  • Texas REALTORS® Diversity Recognition Award: Arlington, Greater Fort Worth, Greater McAllen, MetroTex, and San Antonio
  • Texas Accredited Commercial Specialist program scholarship recipients: La Juana Chambers Lawson, San Antonio; Tiffany Franklin, Houston; Felicia Galvez, Fort Hood; and Sulthan Mohammad, Plano
  • YPN REALTORS® To Watch: Will Curtis, San Antonio; Chris Tye, Dallas-Fort Worth; Justus Carlile, North Texas; Shelly Scanlin, Houston; Joel Cooke, West Texas; Thalina Garcia, Houston.

Texas REALTOR® of the Year

Mario Arriaga of the Houston Association of REALTORS® was honored as 2023 Texas REALTOR® of the Year. With experience spanning five decades, Arriaga has positively influenced the REALTOR® association and the real estate industry with his leadership and countless contributions.

“Real estate has been an amazing career choice,” said Arriaga. “While it certainly has had its ups and downs, it has afforded me the opportunity to meet and advise so many clients in their quest to own and invest in a variety of real estate properties. I would do it over again.”

His early years in real estate centered largely around the Conroe area and eventually extended to other areas of Houston. Since then, Arriaga has played an integral role in shaping the real estate community, lending his expertise while serving on numerous advisory groups and committees.

He has served on the National Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors since 2010, vice chair of the NAR Global Business and Alliances Committee in 2018 and is a member of the NAR RPAC Hall of Fame and President’s Circle. He promoted commercial real estate during the NAR C5 Commercial Summit in 2021 and 2022.

In 2016, Arriaga served as chairman of the Houston Association of REALTORS®. He’s played an active role in HAR advisory groups and held leadership positions, chairing the commercial information exchange in 2013 and the governmental affairs advisory group in 2010. His legacy also includes a pivotal role in the Montgomery County REALTORS® merger with HAR.

Arriaga has served as a member of the Board of Directors for Texas REALTORS®, is a former TREPAC trustee, and led the public policy oversight committee in 2022. He received the Texas REALTORS® Strike Force award for grassroots advocacy in 2006 and 2010. Arriaga was a champion for the Texas REALTORS® data relevancy project, working with the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M, and was appointed by then-Governor Rick Perry as an advisory board member of the center.

Arriaga urges his fellow REALTORS® to actively engage in their local associations and assume leadership roles. “These efforts play a pivotal role in promoting the professionalism in our industry.”

Board of Directors

Directors heard updates from TREC Executive Director Chelsea Buchholtz and Chair Scott Kesner, the Texas Real Estate Research Center’s previous Executive Director and current Director of Strategic Initiatives Gary Maler and new Executive Director Pamela Canon, and NAR Region 10 Vice President Marvin Jolly.

Lindsay Wright, Association Executive of the Greater Texoma Association of REALTORS®, was recognized for earning the REALTORS® Association Certified Executive (RCE) designation.

Texas REALTORS® Immediate Past Chairman Marcus Phipps thanked staff and members for their support during his time as the top elected leader of the association. “It’s been real, authentic fun to serve as your chairman. It’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve each and every one of you. I hope when I’m done, I’ll leave Texas REALTORS® just a little bit better than it was a few years ago.”