Vicki Cox Golder

Vicki Cox Golder, a REALTOR® from Tucson, Arizona, is the 2010 President of the National Association of REALTORS®. The Voice for Real Estate®, NAR is America’s largest trade asso

Golder, a REALTOR® for 35 years, is owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates in Tucson, specializing in commercial, farm, and land brokerage, as well as building and development. She holds the professional designation of Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB).

At the national level, she has served on NAR’s Board of Directors since 1993 and previously served as first vice president in 2008. She chaired the Issues Mobilization Committee in 2000 and the Political Communications Committee in 1997; she also chaired the Board Leadership Forums in 1995 and the Large Board Subforums in 1993. In 2005, she served as NAR's regional vice president for Region XI, which includes Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Other committee service includes Political Action and Land Use and Environment. In 2003, Golder was liaison to the State and Political Issues committees. She has been an RPAC Trustee since 2002.

Christopher Gardner

The inspiration for the film "The Pursuit of Happyness," Christopher Gardner is the head of his own successful brokerage firm - but just 25 years ago, he was homeless, carrying all his possessions on his back, and occasionally living in a bathroom at a train station. A true testament to perseverance, Gardner tells his story of overcoming obstacles, "breaking cycles," and reaching hard-won success. He recounts his fears of failure, the exhaustion of his pursuit, and his great appreciation for those who helped him. Gardner is a captivating speaker whose storytelling and humor light up the room.

The amazing story of Gardner’s life was published as an autobiography, "The Pursuit of Happyness," (Amistad/Harper Collins) in May 2006, and was also the inspiration for the movie starring Will Smith. Gardner's newest book, "Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be," was released in May 2009.

His childhood was marked by poverty, domestic violence, alcoholism, sexual abuse, and family illiteracy. Gardner published his autobiography out of a desire to shed light on these universal issues and show they do not have to define you.

He earned a spot in the Dean Witter Reynolds training program but became homeless when he could not make ends meet on his meager trainee salary. Today, Gardner is involved with homelessness initiatives assisting families to stay intact, and assisting homeless men and women who are employed but still cannot get by. It is estimated that 12 percent of the homeless population in the United States is employed; in some communities that estimate is as high as 30 percent.

In 1987 he founded the brokerage firm Gardner Rich in Chicago from his home with just $10,000. Gardner Rich LLC. is an institutional brokerage firm specializing in the execution of debt, equity, and derivative products transactions for some of the nation’s largest institutions, public pension plans, and unions.

Dedicated to improving the well-being of children through positive paternal involvement, Gardner is a board member of the National Fatherhood Initiative, and received the group’s Father of the Year Award in 2002. He serves on the board of the National Education Foundation and sponsors two annual awards: the National Education Association’s National Educational Support Personnel Award and the American Federation of Teachers’ Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel (PSRP) Award. He also serves on the board of the International Rescue Committee, which works to provide access to safety, sanctuary, and sustainable change for millions of people whose lives have been shattered by violence and oppression. Gardner is still very committed to Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, where he and his son received assistance in the early 1980s. He has helped fund a project that creates low-income housing and opportunities for employment in the notoriously poor Tenderloin area of the city.

 

Gil Gross

Gil Gross is an award-winning radio journalist who has reported the news to millions of Americans and interviewed pop culture icons and heads-of-state alike. In addition to hosting "Real Estate Today," a national radio show produced by NAR, Gross shares his broad knowledge of local, national, and international issues weekday afternoons with listeners across the Bay Area on San Francisco’s legendary KGO AM 810. As a newsman and humorist he has also combined his talents as Paul Harvey’s chief substitute at ABC and as the main substitute for Charles Osgood at CBS.

A journalist for more than three decades, Gross became the youngest anchorman in ABC News history at age 23. All the while he worked as morning news anchor on WLS Chicago. He went on to win a string of investigative and journalism awards for international reporting covering major events of our time, from 9/11 to the war in Iraq. He has worked at iconic New York radio stations such as WABC, WCBS, WOR, and hosted his own national program for a number of years on CBS Radio.

Gross lives with his wife, actress-singer Rhoda Bodzin, and their son, Spencer Darrow Gross, three cats and an ever-growing collection of more than 10 thousand LPs and CDs.

Doug Hinderer

Doug Hinderer is the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at the National Association of REALTORS®. He has 28 years of experience in human resources and has been with the Association for 17 years. Prior to joining NAR, he held a number of HR positions in the for-profit sector.

Hinderer has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Illinois State University and has done extensive graduate work in the area of Organizational Communication. In 1995, he earned his Senior Professional in Human Resources designation from the Society for Human Resources Management. This certification is awarded after completing a thorough course of study and passing a comprehensive exam.

He has had articles published on human resources topics in both REALTOR® Association Executive and REALTOR® magazines.

Keith Holm

Keith Holm, RCE, is the Executive Vice President of the St. Paul Area Association of REALTORS®, St. Paul, Minnesota. He has served as EVP of the association since 1982. When not working, Holm's favorite place to be is his lake home in Northern Wisconsin, on the south shore of Lake Superior.

He has served on numerous NAR committees and workgroups, including MLS, Member Policy, Finance, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Committee. In 2005, Holm served as chair of the NAR Association Executives Committee, and he is a member of the Bud Smith Leadership Society.

In 2009 his top priority is to stay positive and work on creating new programs and partnerships. One of his favorite quotes comes from Walt Disney: "I only hope we never lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse." It just shows that incredible things can happen from one very simple idea.

Brooke Hunt

Brooke Hunt is the 2010 National Association of REALTORS® Vice President & Liaison to Committees. She is also a Texas REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty, the Buehler's and Associates in Flower Mound, Texas, and is the 2009 chairman of the Texas Association of REALTORS®. In her position as the association’s top officer, she fulfills an important role on the leadership team.

With more than 23 years of real estate experience, Hunt is a committed advocate for the industry and has served the REALTOR® family at the local, state, and national levels throughout her career. Active at the National Association of REALTORS® since 1999, she has served as a director since 2001. In that time, she has served on various committees, including Professional Standards, Public Policy Coordinating, and the Political Advocacy Advisory Group. In 2006, Hunt chaired the REALTOR® Political Involvement Committee, leading the grassroots efforts of REALTORS® across the country. Most recently, she served on the Executive Committee in 2008.

Laurene K. Janik

Laurene K. Janik is the General Counsel for the National Association of REALTORS®. Janik has been with NAR since 1977. As general counsel, she is responsible for assuring that the programs, policies, and activities of NAR are in compliance with the law. She also is responsible for defending the Association against legal challenges and initiating litigation to protect and preserve association assets and policies as necessary. She is a frequent speaker at REALTOR® association meetings across the country, and is well known throughout the organization for helping state and local association presidents and executive officers better understand legal issues and responsibilities.

Janik received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, and she received a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University of Chicago. She is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Bar in Illinois, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the Chicago Bar Association.

 Alison Levine

Levine is no stranger to risk-taking. She has survived sub-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds, sudden avalanches, and a career on Wall Street – all without the use of supplemental oxygen. Surprisingly, she was born with a life-threatening heart condition that precluded most demanding physical activities. She has climbed peaks on every continent, served as the team captain of the first American Women’s Everest Expedition, and skied across the Arctic Circle to the geographic North Pole.

Every climb requires a unique approach, whether it's up the face of Everest, the corporate ladder, or into a position of market leadership.  Levine draws upon two decades of business experience in order to deliver her message. Her presentation offers a unique perspective on the topics of leadership, teamwork, innovation, and dealing with a changing environment. Her breathtaking visuals will take you on a journey up Mount Everest, across the Polar Regions, and over to war-torn Uganda – places where determination is every bit as important as skill when it comes to survival, and willpower is the most essential piece of equipment.

Levine currently serves as an adjunct professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point in the Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership. She also has her own consulting firm, Daredevil Strategies, which specializes in organizational effectiveness, leadership development, and team dynamics. By drawing parallels between staying alive in the mountains and thriving in a fast-paced business world, she focuses on the topics of leadership, teamwork, overcoming odds, taking responsible risks, and dealing with changing environments.

 Vince Malta

Vince Malta is the 2010 National Association of REALTORS® Vice President & Liaison to Government Affairs. He is also a REALTOR® specializing in the sale and management of San Francisco real estate and is a co-owner of Malta & Co., Inc.

He obtained his Bachelor of Science at the University of San Francisco in 1981 and was awarded the Wall Street Journal Award for academic achievement, leadership potential, and entrepreneurial spirit. He obtained his Juris Doctorate from U.S.F. in 1984. Malta has been a REALTOR® since 1984, and served as 1993 President of the San Francisco Association of REALTORS®, and 2006 President of the California Association of REALTORS®. He was awarded REALTOR® of the Year for San Francisco in 1996 and for the State of California in 2006. He was the 2008 chairman of the Public Policy Coordinating Committee of the National Association of REALTORS®, and is chairman of a Presidential Advisory Group providing policy for the reformation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Ron Phipps

Ronald Phipps, GRI, CRS, ePRO, a REALTOR® from Warwick, Rhode Island, is the 2010 President-Elect of the National Association of REALTORS®.  Phipps, a REALTOR® for 30 years, is principle broker of Phipps Realty, Inc. in Warwick, specializing in residential brokerage. He holds the professional designations of Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and has e-PRO certification.  He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA in 1979.

At the national level, Phipps has served as a national director since 2000. In 2003, he was a vice president for NAR's Region I, which includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. He was the presidential liaison for Information, Education, and Conventions in 2004. In 2006, he was presidential liaison for Housing and Diversity. He has chaired NAR's President's Advisory Group for the Virtual Office Websites (VOW) workgroup and also chaired NAR's PAG on MLS Rules and Regulations, and was a member of NAR's PAG on Buyer Brokerage. Phipps’ accomplishments include Operation Home Delivery, a joint venture for NAR and Habitat International to build 54 homes in the Gulf region for Katrina victims. 

At the state level, Phipps was president of the Rhode Island Association of REALTORS® in 2000. He was also president of State-Wide Multi-Listing Service (MLS), Inc. in 1993. Phipps was named the Rhode Island's "REALTOR® of the Year" by his peers in 1995.

Dale Stinton

Dale Stinton is the chief executive officer of the NATIONALASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.  Stinton, who was NAR’s chief financial and chief information officer, took over the NAR reins on November 1, 2005. Stinton joined NAR 25 years ago and became CFO in 1991. He served as acting CEO and executive vice president in 1996 and became CFO/CIO in 1998.

He has been a key member of the team that directed the association’s long-term strategic information and technology agenda including the far-reaching 2nd Century Initiatives, Realtor.com, Sentrilock, RE FormsNet, and the very successful NAR E-Commerce system. Stinton oversaw the development, financing and construction of NAR's new $47 million award-winning Washington, D.C., office building and the establishment of the $52 million Strategic Investment Reserve.

Stinton worked with NAR leadership to set up the Realtors® Housing Relief Fund in 2001 to raise funds and ensure that more than 1,200 families would not lose their homes as a result of the terrorist attacks on September 11, and has managed the REALTORS® Relief Foundation, which has raised funds to aid victims of the hurricanes in 2004, the tsunami in South Asia, and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Stinton is a Certified Association Executive (CAE), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and has achieved the REALTOR® association Certified Executive (RCE) designation. He earned his M.B.A. from DePaul University and his B.S. from Western Illinois University.

Dale, his wife, Maryann, and their children Brad, Ashley, and Greg are from Saint Charles, Ill.

Michael Tchong

The founder of Ubercool, Michael Tchong, is an internationally recognized speaker on emerging trends in business, culture, and media. He is a highly energizing and motivational speaker.

Clio Awards Executive Director Andrew Jaffe said it best: [Tchong has] "a gift for waking up an audience -- not only in print, but in person.' His ability to rivet audiences is due to an articulate command of trends and data, which help anchor his visions in a pointed manner.

Member of Congress Nancy Pelosi remarked after one Congressional tour, "Your willingness to engage in frank and open discussion made the tour exceptional."UNICAST Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Allie Shaw notes, "It's rare that any speaker can move such a large percentage of the audience, particularly a group that crafts messages and advertising strategy for a living."

Widely sought for his expertise, Tchong has been cited in numerous media including ADWEEK, Bloomberg, Brandweek, Business Week, CNET, CNN, Independent (UK), The London Times, The New York Post, The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Variety, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and WIRED.

 Cathy Whatley

Cathy Whatley, CIPS, CRS®, GRI, LTG, 2003 President of the National Association of REALTORS® from Jacksonville, FL, is the broker-owner of Buck & Buck, Inc., but she is also actively engaged in sales and property management as a practitioner.

During Cathy's year as NAR President, she made the Housing Opportunity Program her priority, testifying numerous times before Congress on housing issues. (She encouraged local and state associations to undertake one housing opportunity initiative during 2003 and leaders across the country implemented some truly amazing programs.) She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Move, Inc., the company that operates Realtor.com, and vice-chairs JEA, the 8th largest municipal utility in the country.

Leadership words of wisdom from Cathy; "Your words last longer than your year" and "Being bold is better than avoiding pain."

 Lawrence Yun

Lawrence Yun is Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Research at the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. He writes regular columns on real estate market trends, creates NAR’s forecasts, and participates in many economic forecasting panels, including Blue Chip and the Harvard University Industrial Economist Council. He regularly appears on CNBC, BBC, and Bloomberg TV and is a frequent speaker at Real Estate conferences throughout the United States. USA Today recently listed him among the top 10 economic forecasters in the country.

Dr. Yun has been with NAR since 2000. Prior to that, he worked as an economic consultant to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Education. While a research associate at the University of Maryland for three years, Yun developed the graduate economics curriculum for and taught free market economics in the former Soviet Union as that country transitioned from communism to a free-market system.

Dr. Yun received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland at College Park.