{"id":1849,"date":"2018-01-08T15:08:00","date_gmt":"2018-01-08T15:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.realtrends.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/08\/pam-oconnor\/"},"modified":"2025-03-13T02:32:26","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T02:32:26","slug":"pam-oconnor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.realtrends.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/08\/pam-oconnor\/","title":{"rendered":"LeadingRE Announces Retirement of President\/CEO Pam O\u2019Connor"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Executive who led global real estate community since its founding passes the baton as network CEO<\/strong><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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 <\/span>Leading Real Estate Companies of the World\u00ae<\/a> announced today that Pam O\u2019Connor<\/a> will leave her position as president and CEO, effective March 31. O\u2019Connor, who has been at the helm of the company since its founding in 1997, is stepping down with plans to remain active in the industry in a consultative capacity, including joining the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World\u00ae (LeadingRE) Board of Directors for the coming year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul Boomsma, who currently serves a dual role as LeadingRE chief operating officer and president of Luxury Portfolio International\u00ae, will assume responsibilities as president and CEO upon O\u2019Connor\u2019s retirement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPam has been the force behind the remarkable growth of our network,\u201d said LeadingRE Chairman of the Board Joe Horning, president of Shorewest Realtors. \u201cWith incredible passion, talent and dedication, Pam has spent decades building programs that support the success of independent brokerages. Her influence across the industry is undeniable, and we are immeasurably thankful for her years of leadership.\u201d  <\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

O\u2019Connor began her career in the promotion department of WSB Television in Atlanta and later co-owned Bryson-O\u2019Connor Public Relations in Atlanta, but her professional focus has long been in the real estate industry. The first woman executive to head a major real estate network in 1985, her experience managing real estate and relocation organizations extends back 30 years to prior networks All Points Relocation Service and RELO\u00ae.   <\/span><\/p>\n

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I\u2019ve known Pam O\u2019Connor for most of my 41-year career in residential real estate. She has been a competitor, a rival, a friend, and a great leader of our industry all that time. She was there for the founding of LeadingRE, guiding it to grow and prosper despite the hardship of the past 20 years. I will miss her as the head of LeadingRE, but wish her the best in all the endeavors that are still in front of her. She is just terrific.<\/p>\n

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During a time of consolidation for major independent real estate networks in the late 1990s, she was selected to head a new organization formed when leaders from fifty of America\u2019s most respected real estate firms joined forces to launch a new non-franchise alternative for independent brokerages. This organization became the global powerhouse that today is Leading Real Estate Companies of the World\u00ae. <\/span><\/p>\n

Among the milestones achieved under Pam\u2019s leadership, LeadingRE has:<\/span><\/p>\n