A new CEO for REcolorado; C-level execs join MoxiWorks, Opendoor 

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. 

REcolorado CEO looks to 'propel the company to its next chapter'

Dana Bennett has been named president and CEO of REcolorado, bringing more than three decades of MLS and brokerage experience to the role as the organization looks toward its future as a privately held entity.

"Dana brings the ideal combination of local market expertise and strong industry relationships — exactly what we need as we shape a new path for the future of our industry," said Joseph Burks, who heads up the MLS's ownership. "Her passion for being a collaborative MLS partner is unmatched, and her reputation for integrity and leadership is well known throughout this market."

Burks' company, MAZL LLC, announced on Sept. 27 that it had completed its acquisition of REcolorado, a move that generated some pushback. Now he and the MLS' new CEO are both promising to add value for subscribers and, as Bennett put it, "propel the company into its next chapter." Larry McGee, who had been serving as interim president and CEO of REcolorado, will move into a senior advisor role.

Bennett previously served as vice president and chief business development officer for REcolorado, also has more than a decade of experience as broker/owner of Seasons Real Estate Group. In addition, she has earned a number of top industry credentials from the National Association of Realtors, the Council of Multiple Listing Services and the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO). 

In a 2023 interview with RESO, Bennett talked about the benefits of thinking like a for-profit organization: "Let's not be afraid to have the conversation about developing customer segments. Can we do a data deal? Maybe a product dev with a title company? With a mortgage company?"

MoxiWorks adds CMO and chief of staff as it reshapes its future

After adding a CEO from outside the industry in June, MoxiWorks is going in a similar direction with the hiring of its first chief marketing officer. Ben Tao brings more than two decades of experience at companies ranging from startups to major players like Dell and IBM.

Tao also exudes enthusiasm for the challenge ahead as real estate faces a time of tremendous change.

"It's not just one change, it's three or four or five things at the same time," including significant financial pressures on its customers, Tao told Real Estate News. "Change is obviously scary for the industry. I get that, but I think of myself as an entrepreneur, a business person who happens to do marketing."

And the entrepreneur in him is excited at the challenge of redefining how technology can be applied to real estate — and how one of the industry's top marketing and sales platforms can disrupt itself. 

"We're developing a new platform" and reaching beyond large enterprise customers into the "mid-market space and expanding into working directly with agents," Tao said. "You will see us starting to bring these new experiences to market next year."

Eric Elfman, MoxiWorks CEO, praised Tao's "technical expertise, diverse marketing background, and passion for innovation, adding that "Ben has already hit the ground running, and we're excited to see the impact he will have as we continue to grow and innovate."

MoxiWorks also announced the hiring of Jackson Mayes as chief of staff. Mayes has held a variety of sales leadership roles, the company said, and brings significant expertise with SaaS ("software as a service") organizations.

2 tech leaders join Opendoor's C-suite

The iBuyer Opendoor is adding two technology leaders to its executive suite: Selim Freiha and Shrisha Radhakrishna.

Freiha will serve as chief financial officer and comes to Opendoor as the company continues to trim losses following a challenging time in the iBuying space. Radhakrishna joins Opendoor as chief technology and product officer.

The iBuyer has been bullish about its future in the wake of the NAR settlement and industry practice changes. Weeks after the NAR deal was announced in March, Opendoor CEO Carrie Wheeler said the company was "perfectly positioned to capitalize on this change."

The addition of Freiha and Radhakrishna "will be instrumental as we continue shaping the future of real estate," Wheeler said in a news release. Both executives will begin their new roles in November.

Freiha brings an extensive background in tech and e-commerce to the CFO role, most recently serving as VP of financial planning and analysis at Alphabet, the parent company of Google. Previously, he held various finance-related roles at eBay during his 17 years with the online auction company. Wheeler — who was Opendoor's CFO before moving into the CEO role at the end of 2022 — said Freiha's experience made him "an ideal fit to help drive our next chapter of growth and financial performance."

Radhakrishna comes to the iBuyer from LegalZoom, where he held a similar C-level position, following more than 10 years at Intuit. His "exceptional track record in building transformative digital solutions aligns perfectly with Opendoor's commitment to creating seamless and innovative customer experiences," said Wheeler.