CMLS CEO to depart; Compass names people leader; new CEO at Buffini 

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.

CMLS leader prepares to leave as CEO search continues

Nearly a year after announcing that her time at the Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) was winding down, CEO Denee Evans has shared that her final day is quickly approaching.

In a letter to member MLS leaders and CMLS staff, Evans said that May 31 will be her last day.

"It is hard to fully capture what this organization and this community have meant to me. This adventure has been filled with growth, challenge, and opportunity, but more than anything, it has been defined by the people," Evans wrote, adding words of thanks for "your friendship, your mentorship, and your honesty."

When Evans first announced plans to leave the organization last May, she expected to depart by the end of 2025. But as she noted in her letter, a new permanent CEO has not yet been appointed.

Finding the right person to serve as her successor "is so important," Evans wrote. "CMLS has begun the search and expects to identify a leader this summer who will carry this work forward and guide the organization into its next chapter, building on a strong foundation already in place."

In the meantime, Amy Gorce — the CEO of REdistribute and an MLS executive with decades of experience — will serve as interim CEO, the letter noted.

Compass appoints Tanya Reu-Narvaez as chief people officer

Tanya Reu-Narvaez has officially been named chief people officer of Compass International Holdings — a title she also held at Anywhere — positioning her to lead enterprise talent strategy across the firm's global operations.

Reu-Narvaez will oversee the People Enablement Team for the combined company, including total rewards, talent acquisition and organizational development across nine brands and four business lines serving 340,000 real estate professionals and broker-owners, the company said in a news release. 

She brings 24 years of experience from Anywhere/Realogy, including nearly two decades as SVP of human resources before moving into the C-suite, where her work focused on executive talent, internal mobility and culture initiatives tied to business transformation. She has also served on the national boards of NAHREP and AREAA. At Compass, she is expected to support a more connected in-office culture and align global talent efforts to drive growth.

Reu-Narvaez "knows that real estate is a people business, and she has the vision and experience to make every employee feel empowered," Robert Reffkin, chairman and CEO of Compass International Holdings, said in the announcement. "That energy will ripple through the entire company and help our real estate professionals be more successful."

Reu-Narvaez echoed that sentiment, noting that "as our real estate professionals come together on one platform, it's the people they interact with — those who help them learn, greet them in the office, and answer their questions — who make this company truly special and agent-centric."

"We're ultimately investing in the success of every agent and broker we serve," she added.

Buffini & Company announces leadership shift

The real estate coaching and training organization Buffini & Company has restructured its leadership, naming Darin Dawson CEO and moving founder Brian Buffini into a chairman role, a shift the company said is aimed at supporting future growth and operational scale.

Buffini will focus on content, events and promoting the company's "Work by Referral" approach, while Dawson takes over day-to-day operations, including product development, marketing and sales, according to a news release. Dawson joined the company in 2024 as chief revenue officer and previously co-founded BombBomb, a video messaging platform, which the company said grew to more than 100,000 users across 48 countries.

"I founded this company to impact and improve lives, and that mission has never burned brighter," Buffini said, noting that the role change will allow him "to do what I do best." Dawson, meanwhile, "is the right leader to run the company I built, and together, we're going to take Buffini & Company to heights I've always dreamed of," Buffini added.

"I'm honored to lead the next chapter," Dawson said. "My job is to take Brian's vision and build scalable systems that deliver on it. With Brian leading the mission and me running the operation, this company has never been in a stronger position to grow."

Editor's note: AI was used in the initial drafting of this content, which was then thoroughly reviewed, fact-checked and revised by a Real Estate News editor.