Broker's Edge: Speakers

Agenda/Schedule
Accommodations & Travel
Speakers
Sponsors
FAQ

Stay tuned for information on future Broker's Edge events. Meet the speakers who presented at the 2024 Broker's Edge event in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Keynote Speaker:

Joe Rand

Chief Creative Officer, Howard Hanna | Rand Realty

Joe's Bio

Joe Rand has an extensive background as a business professional, public official, and community leader.

As a business professional, Joe is currently the Chief Creative Officer for Howard Hanna | Rand Realty, one of the largest companies in the New York tristate region with over 25 offices and 1,200 agents, closing over 6,000 transactions worth over $3 billion in volume in 2022. An industry thought leader, he has written two leading industry books – Disruptors, Discounters, and Doubters and How to be a Great Real Estate Agent – both of which were named by Inman Media as the most significant real estate books of their publication year. He has spoken at numerous industry conferences, including Real Estate Connect, the RIS Media CEO Summit, REALTOR® Triple Play, and the Women’s Council of REALTORS® national meetings. In his career, Rand has been honored by RIS Media with one of the inaugural industry Newsmaker Awards, recognized by Inman News as one of the Top 100 Real Estate Influencers, and recognized in the Real Estate Almanac from T360 Advisors in the Swanepoel Power 200 as one of the most influential people in real estate. Closer to home, he is also the 2020 recipient of the "REALTOR of the Year" award from the Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS® in New York.

As a public official, Joe was first appointed to a partial term on the Village of Nyack Board in 2021, at the height of the COVID pandemic. He was then elected to a full term in November 2021, and then appointed as Deputy Mayor in January 2023. As a member of the Board, Joe was the first chair of the Nyack Business Council, and raised over $40,000 from private funds to provide COVID-compliant event programming throughout 2021, including the first "Pride Promenade" to celebrate the community’s LGBTQ+ community. He was also part of major public policy initiatives to reinforce the Village infrastructure, enhance energy-efficiency, and raise new sources of non-property-tax revenues. He is currently running unopposed for Mayor of the Village, and will take office in January 2024.

Finally, as a community leader, Joe has been both a leading philanthropist in Rockland County and a major contributor to local nonprofit organizations. His non-profit service includes 10 years on the Board of SUNY Rockland, where he is currently Vice-Chair, and nine years on the Board of United Hospice, which he finished as Vice-Chair. He has also advised or been involved in committee work for Venture Together, the Edward Hopper Museum and Study Center, the Center for Safety and Change, Rockland Pride, and the Rockland Community Foundation. For his contributions to the community, he has been honored either personally or as a leader of his company by the following organizations: Habitat for Humanity (2023), United Hospice (Community Leadership Award) (2018), Rockland Pride Center (Inaugural LGBTQ Business Champion Award) (2017), Westchester Business Council (Hall of Fame Induction) (2017), Nyack YMCA (Community Service Award) (2017), Rockland Salvation Army ("Doing the Most Good" Award) (2014), Rockland Meals on Wheels (Community Outreach Award) (2014), Rockland Development Council (Corporate Leadership Award) (2013), and the Rockland Economic Development Corporation (Award of Distinction) (2011).

Joe is married to Linie Chang Rand, who is the Chair of the Center for Safety and Change, the leading service provider to survivors of gender-based and domestic violence. Together, they live with two children and three dogs in Nyack.

Additional Speakers:

Kim Allard

Broker/Owner, Century 21 Professionals

Kim's Bio

Kimberly Allard is the Broker/Owner of Century 21 Professionals in Braintree, Mass. and a faculty member at Dynamic Directions with Adorna Carroll. She has been licensed in the Commonwealth since 1998.

Most recently she served as one of 13 Regional Vice Presidents for the National Association of REALTORS® representing Region 1 which is VT, NH, ME, MA, RI, and CT in 2022.

She was awarded the Milton H. Shaw, Distinguished Service Award from MAR in 2022 She was the 2017 recipient of the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) Real Estate Educator of the Year.

In 2017 She was inducted into the REALTOR® Political Action Hall of Fame, which at the time had been achieved by less than 750 of over 1.2 million members. She was awarded the 2016 Public Policy and Advocacy award from the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® In 2013, she was elected President of the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® and still lends her time and talents to chair and serve on numerous NAR committees as well as serving on the National Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors since 2010.

In 2010 she was not only the REALTOR® of the Year for the South Shore REALTORS®, but was selected as the State REALTOR® of the Year for Massachusetts.

Since 2013, she has served as the Federal Political Coordinator for Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-MA).

She was elected as 2006 President of the South Shore Association of REALTORS® and received the Association’s Outstanding Service award in 2007. Kimberly is approved to teach real estate continuing education in Mass. and was appointed in 2016 by the Governor to serve as a commissioner for the Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salesperson for the Division of Occupational Licensure for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through 2022.

Justin Davidson

General Counsel & Director of Government Affairs, Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®

Justin's bio

Justin Davidson is the General Counsel & Director of Government Affairs for the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®. In this role he leads the association’s legal and advocacy efforts. Prior to joining MAR, Justin served in a number of roles in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, most notably as counsel for the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure. He is a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School.

Craig Foley

Chief Sustainability Officer, LAER Realty Partners

Craig's bio

Craig Foley is a leading national voice on sustainability in the real estate industry. Craig’s combination of real estate and energy management skills give him a unique perspective about sustainable energy solutions and subject matter expertise on greening the MLS, high-performance home valuation and marketing, and the impact of climate change on the real estate industry. He is a LEED Green Associate and the chief sustainability officer for LAER Realty Partners. As a real estate broker, he has sold several high-performance projects in and around Greater Boston. He is also the team co-founder of REthink39 Group. REthink39 is devoted to lowering the 39% of U.S. energy consumption attributed to the built environment and believes they can be part of a solution with every transaction closed.

As a real estate consultant, he has partnered with a broad range of companies including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, Honeywell, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Elevate Energy, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. Craig was one of five people in the U.S. to receive the EverGreen Award by the National Association of REALTORS® in 2013. His committee work at NAR includes chairing the Sustainability Advisory Group in 2019 and will be the 2022 chair of the Land Use, property Rights and Environment Committee. In 2020 Craig was honored to be asked to chair NAR President Vince Malta’s Advisory Group on Sustainability. He also has served on Fannie Mae’s Energy Advisory Council and the Energy Efficiency Task Force for Freddie Mac. Craig was also named a 2023 Newsmaker by RISMedia.

Burton Kelso

Chief Tech Expert, Integral

Burton's bio

Burton Kelso is the Chief Tech Expert at Integral, an IT support and computer services company, TEDx, and national keynote speaker, as well as a media tech expert who regularly appears on national and international TV and radio shows offering viewers easy tips on computers, technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. As computers and their related gadgets become more and more part of our everyday lives, he’s here to help you get the most out of your devices. His vision is to remove the frustrations and complexity of computers and technology and open people up to a world of new ideas, experiences, and opportunities. He loves technology, he’s read all of the manuals, and he’s serious about making technology fun, safe, and easy to use for everyone!

Alex Lange

Vice President of Innovation and Strategy, National Association of REALTORS®

Alex's bio

Alex is Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at NAR. His team is charged with researching trends and emerging technologies that impact homeownership and expose leaders to an action-based approach to manage, harness, and leverage the constant change around them. Before NAR, Alex was the former CEO of Forbes Global Properties, CEO of UpstreamRE and President of Home Captain. A Certified Foresight Practitioner ("Futurist") and graduate of Harvard's General Management Program, Alex got his start in technology as a U.S. Army paratrooper before entering the private sector and later being included in the Global Top 1,000 Chief Technology Officers (Bloomberg, S&P, The Global Leaders).

Peter Ruffini

Broker/Owner, RE/MAX Connections

Peter's bio

Peter is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Connections, with three offices serving Massachusetts and Connecticut. He has been licensed, and a REALTOR®, since 1996.

Peter served as President of the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® in 2014. He received the MAR Private Property Rights Award in 2019 and the MAR Milton H. Shaw Distinguished Service Award in 2020. He served as a Director for the National Association of REALTORS® for 11 years, was Chair of the NAR REALTOR® Party Member Involvement Committee in 2017, and is the incoming Vice Chair for the NAR State & Local Issues Mobilization Support Committee.

Peter has been a member of the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons for eight years and has served as Chair since 2022. Peter holds the following designations/certifications: CRB, GRI, CBR, CNE, ePRO®, BPOR, SFR®, PSA, SRS, RENE, AHWD, C2EX, and has completed NAR’s Fairhaven program.

Eric Sain

2024 Vice President of Association Affairs, National Association of REALTORS®

Eric's bio

Eric Sain (GRI, CIPS, C2EX, AHWD, ePRO), a REALTOR® from West Palm Beach, Florida, is 2024 Vice President of Association Affairs for the National Association of REALTORS®.

Eric, an accomplished 25-year industry veteran, is a district sales manager in Palm Beach Gardens with the Keyes Co., Florida’s largest independent brokerage.

A proud graduate of NAR Leadership Academy 2012, Eric has held a variety of leadership roles at the national level: 2016 REALTOR® Party Fundraising Trustee, 2018 REALTOR® Party Disbursements Liaison, 2017 Public Policy Coordinating Committee Chair, 2020 C2EX Chair and 2022 Meetings & Conference Committee Co-Chair. Most recently, he served as 2023 Regional Vice President for Region 5, composed of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Eric has also served at the state and local levels. At Florida REALTORS®, he served as 2019 president, RPAC Trustee and Chairman and Public Policy Chair. He’s also served on countless other PAGs and committees. Eric served as the 2008-09 president of what is now Broward Palm Beaches and St. Lucie REALTORS®, where he started their local Young Professionals Network in 2008.

Eric has earned many awards, including being named Florida REALTORS® REALTOR® of the Year in 2020 and REALTOR® Associate of the Year in 2010. In 2021, he was awarded the TrailBlazer of the Year for his local association and their REALTOR® of the Year in 2010.

A multi-talented professional, Eric is a productivity and accountability coach in his role as district sales manager as well as an entertaining emcee and speaker. He previously worked in the entertainment industry as a featured performer in videos, television specials, live theatre and touring companies. He’s fortunate to have worked with some of the industry's leading artists, including Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, Billy Ray Cyrus, Reba McEntire, the Mandrell Sisters, Lee Greenwood, Willie Nelson, Lucy Arnaz, Gregory Hines, and many more.

Eric and his partner, John, live in downtown West Palm Beach and enjoy traveling to our country’s national parks, riding their motorcycles along the coast, Airstreaming, fun times at the beach, and being entertained by their dog, Selma.

Jonathan Schreiber

Legislative and Regulatory Counsel, Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®

Jonathan's bio

Jonathan Schreiber is Legislative and Regulatory Counsel for the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®. He focuses on legislative and regulatory advocacy for the Association and works on legal matters. Prior to joining MAR, Jonathan was a Senior Policy Analyst at Iron Mountain and a Legislative and Public Policy Manager for the Boston Bar Association. He is a graduate of the Boston University School of Law and the University of Connecticut.

Kevin Sears

2024 President, National Association of REALTORS®

Kevin's bio

Kevin Sears (AHWD, C2EX), a REALTOR® from Springfield, Mass., is President of the National Association of REALTORS®. He is Broker/Partner of Sears Real Estate, specializing in single-family brokerage and property management. He has served NAR in numerous capacities, including as a President’s Liaison in 2019 and as NAR Vice President of Government Affairs in 2017.

Kevin has been recognized as an RPAC Major Investor since 2004 and has been a “Golden R” investor and member of the President’s Circle since 2007. He has twice been inducted into NAR’s RPAC Hall of Fame. He also served as the long-time Federal Political Coordinator to Bay State Congressman Richard Neal (D-Springfield).

Kevin chaired an RPAC Disbursements Presidential Advisory Group in 2021. In addition, he served as Chair of the NAR RPAC Trustees in 2011 and 2015 and Chair of the REALTOR® Party Trustees for State and Local Campaign Services Committee in 2013. In 2016, he chaired the REALTOR® Party of the Future Strategic Planning Work Group. Also in 2016, he was NAR’s Vice President for Region 1, comprised of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® elected Kevin President in 2010. In addition to serving in leadership, Kevin has been a member of the MAR Board of Directors since 2000. In 2006, MAR named him REALTOR® of the Year and in 2015 he received the Milton H. Shaw Distinguished Service Award.

The REALTOR® Association of Pioneer Valley (Mass.) elected Kevin their president in 2005. He has chaired a number of the association’s committees and in 2006, the association named him their REALTOR® of the Year.

Kevin is also a champion for his community. In 2011, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick appointed him as Chairman of the Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons (the state’s real estate commission), a position he was reappointed to in 2016 by Gov. Charlie Baker.

In his hometown of Springfield, Kevin has been involved with the Rental Housing Association of Greater Springfield, the Forest Park Civic Association, the Springfield Rotary Club, the Cathedral High School Board of Trustees, the Chamber of Commerce, and is a Trustee of the Mason Wright Retirement Community.

Kevin received a B.A. in History from Providence College and earned his MBA from Western New England University.

Matt Troiani

NAR Senior Counsel & Director of Legal Affairs, National Association of REALTORS®

Matt's bio

Matt Troiani is a Senior Counsel and Director of Legal Affairs at the National Association of REALTORS® with over 16 years of experience representing associations and corporations in the residential and commercial real estate and finance sectors. Prior to joining NAR, Matt served as Vice President of Professional Development and Chief Counsel at the Northern Virginia Association of REALTORS®, where he oversaw the education and professional services teams and provided legal guidance on the association’s governance and day-to-day operations. Matt administered a legal hotline and served as Staff Liaison to the Standard Forms Committee, Nominating Committee, Attorney Roundtable, Real Estate Finance & Settlements Forum, and Commercial Council.

Matt lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife, Christina, and their son Jack. Matt earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maryland School of Law, where he served as a staff member of The Business Lawyer, the Official ABA Section of Business Law, and as an associate editor for The Journal of Business and Technology Law. Matt earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, during which time he studied abroad in London and taught English and coached soccer at a summer camp in France. In his spare time, Matt enjoys coaching soccer, traveling, reading, cooking, playing guitar, and teaching.

Lawrence Yun

Chief Economist, National Association of REALTORS®

Lawrence's bio

Lawrence Yun is Chief Economist and oversees the Research group at the National Association of REALTORS®. He supervises and is responsible for a wide range of research activity for the association including NAR's Existing Home Sales statistics, Affordability Index, and Home Buyers and Sellers Profile Report. He regularly provides commentary on real estate market trends for its 1.4 million REALTORS®.

Dr. Yun creates NAR's forecasts and participates in many economic forecasting panels, among them the Blue Chip Council and the Wall Street Journal Forecasting Survey. He also participates in the Industrial Economists Discussion Group at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. He appears regularly on financial news outlets, is a frequent speaker at real estate conferences throughout the United States, and has testified before Congress. Dr. Yun has also appeared as a guest on CSPAN's Washington Journal.

Dr. Yun received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland at College Park.