People on the Move at RE/MAX, Virginia Realtors, Constellation1 

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. 

RE/MAX names new strategy EVP 

Travis Saxton, a real estate technology, digital marketing and consulting professional, has joined RE/MAX Holdings as executive vice president of strategy, reporting directly to CEO Erik Carlson, the company announced this week. Carlson called the appointment "a major addition to the team." 

Saxton will be responsible for leading technology-focused strategic initiatives with the goal of strengthening RE/MAX operations and bolstering affiliate growth, according to a news release. He brings significant experience in brokerage consulting and technology leadership, most recently as the head of T3 Sixty's enterprise solutions division. He previously served as VP of technology at RealTrends. (Note: Real Estate News and T3 Sixty share a founder, Stefan Swanepoel.)

That experience, said Carlson, "will be invaluable as we continue to execute our vision for the Company. Directly or indirectly, his knowledge, insights and forward-thinking mentality will help shape our systems and offerings across all our brands." 

In his consulting capacity, Saxton said he "had the privilege of working with RE/MAX brokerages and teams over the years, and I have always been impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit of the network and the Company's commitment to innovation. My goal is to help bring even more intelligent, strategic change to the Company, ensuring that we leverage the power of technology to maximize business outcomes for everyone in our network."  

This is the third significant leadership announcement from RE/MAX this month. In early January, the company confirmed that Amy Lessinger, who was promoted to the role of president in Feb. 2024, was resigning after nearly three decades with the brokerage. Last week, Chris Lim, a former president of Christie's International Real Estate, was named chief growth officer. 

Longtime Virginia Realtors exec promoted to CEO

Rick Lugg has traded in one set of C-level titles for another as he takes the helm at Virginia Realtors, the state's largest trade association serving nearly 35,000 real estate professionals.

Lugg, who's been with Virginia Realtors since 2009, previously served as the association's chief financial officer and chief operating officer. He was named CEO "following a comprehensive search," said association President Lorraine Arora in a news release. 

Former CEO Terrie Suit announced her retirement in September.

In addition to his association experience, Lugg has a background in management and information technology, making him "well equipped to excel in this role," Arora said. "For 15 years, his leadership, innovation, and thoughtful approach have helped propel our association forward. With Rick at the helm, we are confident in a bright future for our organization."

Lugg called the promotion an "incredible opportunity to help deepen our efforts on behalf of all Virginians hoping to achieve the goal of homeownership."

Constellation1 adds a quartet of execs

Constellation Real Estate Group, which offers an array of real estate technology products and data services, is continuing to reshape its leadership team. 

Last month, the company announced the promotion of Brant Morwald, who took on an expanded role as president of Constellation Real Estate Group. The move coincided with the company's decision to unify its products under the Constellation1 brand. Three other leaders moved into new executive roles to align with the reorganization. 

Now, four more execs are joining the company as senior vice presidents:

Scott Petronis was named SVP of product. He previously served as chief product and chief technology officer at eXp and chief technology officer at Inside Real Estate, and has worked in a consulting capacity for several proptech companies. 

Mark Mathis joined as SVP of enterprise sales after serving as VP of sales at Homes.com, LoopNet and Realtor.com.

Greg Beckman was appointed SVP of technology. He has led engineering teams at companies spanning multiple industries, including information services and human resources, and was VP of product and technology at CARFAX Canada. 

Elisha Elliott was promoted to SVP of customer experience after joining Constellation1 as VP of account management in 2024. She previously led customer success and client services teams at several large companies. 

"These new leaders are a crucial and strategic investment in our mission to create a more seamless, efficient, and frictionless real estate ecosystem," Morwald said in a news release.