People on the Move at RateMyAgent, Christie's SoCal powerhouse, Relevate 

Editor's note: As an industry with millions of agents and over 100,000 brokerage companies, new leaders rise to the top every day. Here we highlight executives and other notable leaders who've recently taken on, or stepped away from, roles that influence the residential real estate landscape. 

Jim Crisera leaves MoxiWorks for RateMyAgent

RMA Global, the parent company of Australia-based RateMyAgent.com, has appointed Jim Crisera as its new CEO, according to a March 5 filing with the Australian Securities Exchange.

Crisera joins RateMyAgent from MoxiWorks, where he has been chief operating officer since 2021. His 25-year career spans leadership roles in sales, marketing, finance and customer service. Prior to MoxiWorks, he spent more than 11 years at account planning software company Altify, where he served as president and CFO.

When joining MoxiWorks, Crisera emphasized his customer focus: "It's all about putting the customer at the center of what you're doing and focusing on the best possible outcome for each and every one of them," he said at the time.

RateMyAgent, an agent review aggregator, has been growing in the U.S. real estate market since its entry in 2018. The company has agent reviews from all 50 states, and in February 2023, announced a significant partnership with Realtor.com. eXp Realty added RateMyAgent to its Solutions group in May.

RMA board members Ashley Farrugia, currently serving as interim CEO, and Shane Greenan, interim chief operating officer, will return to their non-executive director roles when Crisera formally takes on the CEO post.

SoCal Christie's firm hires EVP with an eye on expansion

AKG, a Beverly Hills-based Christie's International Real Estate powerhouse, has named Jamie Duran as executive vice president and managing director.

Duran will be tasked with leading "a major expansion of the brand," according to the announcement. AKG is led by luxury broker Aaron Kirman, who left Compass and brought his multibillion-dollar team to Christie's in November 2022. 

The move is a significant one for Duran, who has spent her entire 34-year real estate career at Coldwell Banker. She was most recently president of the Southern California region for Coldwell Banker Realty where she oversaw nearly 5,000 agents in offices across the region. 

She has also received multiple leadership awards and was named Industry Leader of the Year in 2019 by the North San Diego County Association of Realtors, and has been included four times in the Swanepoel Power 200 ranking of the most powerful leaders in residential real estate.

In her new role as EVP at Christie's AKG, Duran will lead the firm's efforts to build "an elite alliance" across the brand's network. 

"Now is the time to impact the SoCal market with intention and drive to serve sophisticated clientele and attract the best agents who have local knowledge and reputation," Duran said. "The evolution of today's industry has proven to us that you don't need to be the biggest to be the best. We are simply focused on offering the best in class service and advisors. When we do that, winning is inevitable," she added.

AKG has already been on a growth trajectory. According to Christie's, the firm has more than 100 agents and closed $1.8 billion in sales in 2023, and regional expansion is a priority.

As the firm looks to expand further, founder and CEO Kirman emphasized what he believes differentiates AKG from other luxury brands: "We are not a 'reality TV brokerage' or a publicly traded real estate company that puts shareholders ahead of agents and clients. We want our clients to know that we're offering an elevated, professional, relationship-driven experience, and we want agents to know that we're here to provide a career destination."

Relevate brings on new director of industry relations

Relevate, an association management software company, has announced the hiring of Sheila Dodson as director of industry relations.

The appointment aligns with the upcoming launch of Relevate SSO, a single-sign-on and communication platform designed to handle identity management and streamline communications, as well as a new service offering, Relevate Consulting, which Dodson will lead. 

In her consulting capacity, Dodson will work with MLS and association leaders to help them develop and drive strategic initiatives around operations and member engagement, among other areas.

Dodson brings a background in MLS and association management and has a track record of "turning around distressed associations, pioneering digital advancements, and leading advocacy efforts," the announcement stated. She was most recently senior vice president at the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors in North Carolina.

"Sheila's appointment as Director of Industry Relations marks an inflection point for Relevate," said Mark Richburg, Relevate CEO. "With her exceptional industry experience, evidenced by her many industry awards and designations, Sheila is among the most respected professionals in our field. Her insights and leadership are exactly what we need to spearhead our new Relevate Consulting service for Realtor associations and MLSs," Richburg added.