People on the Move: A new CEO for San Diego Realtors 

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. 

SDAR's new CEO brings strong association experience

Longtime association leader Tessa Hultz has been named CEO of the San Diego Association of Realtors, becoming the third person to occupy the position in less than two years.

Former CEO Mike Mercurio was removed amid allegations of embezzlement in mid-2023, and Cory Shepard, who had served as general manager for Coldwell Banker West for more than a decade, took over, promising "a new chapter of progress and prosperity."

Now Hultz is in charge.

"Tessa's proven track record of fostering collaborative solutions makes her uniquely qualified to guide us during this period of change and growth," said Spencer Lugash, SDAR board president.

Hultz, who has been in association management since 2005, comes to San Diego by way of the Greater Los Angeles Realtors Association, where she became CEO in January. Before that, she was CEO of the Long Island Board of Realtors, where they said that "her commitment to keeping Realtors central to the transaction and Association advocacy efforts is unwavering."

Mercurio had been CEO of SDAR and its wholly owned subsidiary, San Diego MLS. However, those positions have since been split. Tech trailblazer and longtime SDAR leader Saul Klein was named CEO of SDMLS in January 2024.

Industry icon Sherry Chris departs executive advisor role at Anywhere

Sherry Chris, who retired last year from her role as president and CEO of the Anywhere Expansion Brands portfolio, ended her tenure as an executive adviser at the company this month.

"So many relationships created and friends made over almost 20 years," she said in a post on LinkedIn marking her last day at Anywhere.

Chris was chosen to launch the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate brand in 2008, growing it across more than 40 U.S. states and six countries, and establishing it as a finger-on-the-pulse lifestyle brand. ERA, meanwhile, expanded to 43 U.S. states and 34 countries during Chris' tenure. 

She also stepped down as co-chair of What Moves Her, a group created to support women on their leadership journeys in real estate. 

Constellation elevates president, reshapes org

Constellation Software has unified its suite of products — Market Leader, Top Producer, Showcase IDX, Diverse Solutions, Zurple, Smartzip and Offrs — under the Constellation1 brand, with Brant Morwald now serving as president of Constellation Real Estate Group.

"This strategic move will bring together a distinct suite of industry-leading products which allows us to deliver enhanced value to our customers and partners," Morwald said.

Morwald joined the company in 2019 as vice president and was promoted to president of Constellation1 in 2023. In his new capacity, he will lead the unified brand and oversee the data services division. Former Constellation Real Estate Group President Andrew Binkley is now president of Alpha, Constellation Software's investment and acquisitions arm. 

Some additional moves:

• Andrew Seminari is now general manager of the newly created data services division.

• Robert Vickers has been appointed head of operations and strategic initiatives for Constellation1, while Mark Mathis is now SVP of enterprise sales.