Another successful Winter Meeting is in the books! With 1,597 members registered, attendees met in Austin to participate in education sessions on the latest real estate hot topics, network with REALTORS® across Texas, and take care of association business.

Entertaining Opening Session and Retirement Announcement

Chairman Jef Conn kicked off the event and introduced keynote speaker Terry Watson, an internationally known business growth expert. Watson delighted the room packed with hundreds of REALTORS®, eliciting the kind of laughs usually reserved for a standup comedian.

While entertaining the audience, he shared business advice, wellness tips, book and video recommendations, and plenty of anecdotes. Among his insights, he recommended that REALTORS® stop focusing on “customer service” and instead provide an amazing experience. Key among the steps to do so is to ask clients 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 by his wife, Shelley, onstage, Kessler outlined the process to find the next president and CEO.

Leadership Updates

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

The following members were elected by the Board of Directors as regional vice presidents to immediately fill unexpired terms:     

  • Region 6 Wayne Dunson, Odessa  
  • Region 14 Michica Guillory, Houston    

The Board of Directors also elected the following 2025 Regional Vice Presidents of Texas REALTORS ® for a two-year term beginning December 1, 2024 and ending November 30, 2026:  

  • Region 2 Jamie Dalzell, Abilene
  • Region 3 Alberto Vazquez, Arlington
  • Region 3 Brenda Taylor, Greater Lewisville
  • Region 4 Amanda Phillips, Greater Texoma
  • Region 4 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
  • Region 8 Sarah Norman, Bryan College Station
  • Region 9 Angie Williams, Lufkin
  • Region 12 Johnny Mowad, MetroTex
  • Region 12 Ginger Gill, MetroTex
  • Region 12 Hanne Sagalowsky, MetroTex
  • Region 12 Franceanna Campagna, MetroTex
  • Region 12 Kendra Norwood, MetroTex
  • Region 12 Michael (Kevin) Caskey, MetroTex
  • Region 12 Richard Gregory, MetroTex
  • Region 13 William Curtis, San Antonio
  • Region 13 Cortney Gill, San Antonio
  • Region 14 Michica Guillory, Houston
  • Region 14 Deborah Spangler, Houston
  • Region 14 Jo Ann Stevens, Houston
  • Region 14 Michael Wong, Houston
  • Region 14 Shae Cottar, Houston
  • Region 14 Thomas Mouton, Houston
  • Region 14 Karishma Asrani, Houston
  • Region 14 Tina Wilcher, Houston
  • Region 15 Job Hammond, Austin
  • Region 15 Teresa Scott Tibbs, Austin

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, and $6 million 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 Expert-Led Sessions and Forums 

As part of the commercial day programming, Daniel Oney, MPA, Ph.D., research director with the Texas Real Estate Research Center, provided an economic overview of data for commercial real estate professionals. In the “Texas Commercial Round-Up,” attendees learned about market conditions and outlooks for retail, office, industrial, and other commercial sectors. Oney gave many examples of Texas’s favorable environment for commercial real estate and stated that “build to rent” is a story for the future.

In “Avoiding Contract Pitfalls,” Ginger Unger, owner of Secor One Commercial Group, outlined many Texas REALTORS® forms available for commercial practitioners. She encouraged attendees to learn all the forms to improve the service they provide clients.

During “Tenant Responsibility and Real Estate Management,” Victor Henry, commercial broker at Don Quick & Associates, discussed how tenant representation is underutilized in the commercial real estate arena. He mentioned looking for opportunities in the small businesses you interact with regularly, such as gas stations, restaurants, and lawyers.

At the “Mastering Buyer Representation” session with Rhonda Hamilton, she spoke about recalculating how you talk to the client. “Let them know their choices and make it clear why having an agent is a good thing.”

What’s the housing market outlook? According to Michael Wilt, External Relations Sr. Manager of the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation, during the “Priced Out: Who Swiped My Housing Market” session, July 2012 was the last time we had a “healthy” housing supply of six months in Texas. “We need to get comfortable with smaller homes if we are going to make a dent.”

At “MLS Champion’s Chat: Tools, Tactics, and Triumphs” forum, panelists Emily Bibby, Director of Austin Board of REALTORS®; Thomas Mouton, President of the Houston Association of REALTORS®; Ashley Gentry, President of the MetroTex Association of REALTORS®, discussed the top MLS tools available and how agents and brokers can use the tools in their day-to-day business. 

During the combined Diversity and Leasing & Property Management Forum, “Straight From the Source: Assessing Texas Fair Housing Claims,” the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights division speakers Patrick Williams, Manager of Fair Housing Investigations, William Cooper, Lead Investigator, and Bryan Snoddy, Director, spoke on the complaint process and their vision to create an environment in which residents of Texas are free from discrimination.

Vanessa Burgess, General Counsel for TREC; Jeremy Brewer, VP of Risk Management and General Counsel for SABOR; and Ashley Cook, Founder of ZOCCAM, were part of the Risk Reduction Forum “Going for Gold (Standard): Best Practices for Brokerages: A Panel Discussion with Industry Attorneys.” They spoke on buyer rep agreements, ethics violations, contract mistakes, and the importance of understanding forms. “Your biggest risk is not your new agents,” Burgess said. “It’s agents who have been in business for seven years. Those are the folks who statistically get the most complaints filed against them.” 

“The Future of ETJs: Challenges & Opportunities for Local Governments” dove deep into the real-world effects municipal and county governments have seen from recent legislative action on extra-territorial jurisdiction. “Taylor has lost more than 3,000 acres of land in its ETJ,” said Brandt Rydell, Mayor of Taylor, TX, referring to new legislation that allows property owners to “disannex” from ETJs. Rydell went on to talk about how this will change the long-term planning of Texas cities.

On the subject of future development in counties across the state, Russ Boles, Williamson County Commissioner, noted that all the water we use is developed from reservoirs and treatment plants and he believes there is a strong need for the Legislature to continue their focus on developing more water in order to keep up with our rapid rate of growth.

What Happened at the Governmental Affairs Forum?

Pepe Aranda, 2024 Chair of the Political Involvement Committee, opened the session with a tribute to longtime Texas REALTOR® and private-property rights advocate Eva Jean Dalton, who passed away unexpectedly in December.  Aranda also discussed the contentious and consequential primary election. He encouraged members to go to texasrealtorssupport.com and to go to the polls for the primary election. “Make a difference at the primary election.” Make yourself a goal for how many people you can get to the polls.  

Special guests 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 Texas REALTORS® community is strong and we’re going to do well together in 2024,” said Melinda Randall, 2024 Chair of TREPAC. Randall also announced current 2024 fundraising numbers and noted that Texas has more major investors than any other state in the U.S. and that 39 Texas Realtors will be inducted into the RPAC Hall of Fame.  

Adrainne Prince, 2024 Chair of the Texas REALTORS® Issues PAC (TRIP), outlined how TRIP can help local associations run campaigns for and against local issues and said to let us know if there’s something brewing in your city that could affect property rights and reminded attendees that all funding must be requested by local associations.

According to 2024 Chair of Public Policy Oversight Committee Michael Langford, “We are in our policy development process because we can’t sit back and wait to see what happens in the 2025 legislative session; we need to be prepared. Everyone will have a chance to take a survey about our positions.” He asked members to email who have ideas about legislation.

Tom Schwenk, 2023 Chair Political Involvement Committee, announced the 2023 Grassroots Advocate of the Year: Ashley Hambright from the San Angelo Association of REALTORS®, for her role in a local issue campaign in Tom Green County. Schwenk said Hambright “Understands the grassroots as well as anyone—and does something about it.”

In accepting the award, Hambright said the award was “Humbling, a huge honor.” Hambright continued, “I’m nothing as an MVP without the team behind me. My team in San Angelo, my executive team, and thank you to Texas REALTORS® for providing the resources.” 

In an emotional and heartfelt presentation, Marcus Phipps, 2023 chair of Texas REALTORS®, announced the Greater El Paso Association of REALTORS® as the winner of the 2023 Mark Lehman Local Board Governmental Affairs Achievement Award for outstanding advocacy efforts by a local association. This is the first Lehman Award given since former Vice President of Governmental Affairs Mark Lehman passed away in August.

In the acceptance speech, GEPAR Government Affairs Director Ernesto Garcia said the award was thanks to the “dedication and hard work and spirit of every member of the Greater El Paso Association of REALTORS®.” Garcia continued, “Your hard work, resilience, and dedication to the cause was the driving force behind all of our success. We have shown what we can achieve with your support and involvement, and we will reach even greater heights.”  

Additional Recognition for Outstanding Contributions

Texas REALTORS® honored members, programs, and local associations for their work in 2023 at the award luncheon and STARs Reception.

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

Celebrating Texas REALTOR® of the Year 

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

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 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.

Board of Directors 

TREC Executive Director Chelsea Buchholtz and Chair Scott Kesner gave an update and thanked Texas REALTORS® for the association’s work during the previous legislative session. “We are here for you,” Buchholtz said, stressing that TREC leaders welcome input from REALTORS®.  

The Texas Real Estate Research Center’s Gary Maler thanked members for their support during his 18 years as executive director. Maler has transitioned to a role serving as director of strategic initiatives, where he will spearhead regional research projects, partnering with analysts in smaller metros and “micropolitan” areas of Texas. Studies will be unique to each location and meaningful to the community.

Pamela Canon, who has been at the center for 12 years and was recently named executive director, spoke of staff changes, new researchers, and new data support. She commented that what hasn’t changed is our commitment to REALTORS® to providing relevant, robust research that helps you understand your industry and its driving forces. 

Marvin Jolly, NAR Region 10 Vice President, gave an NAR update, highlighting several priorities at the national level, such as working to extend the National Flood Insurance Program for five years.  

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

Marcus Phipps, Immediate Past Chairman, thanked the 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.”

View photos from the meeting here. Look for a recap with photos in the March/April issue of Texas REALTOR® magazine.