Jarrod Grasso will lead the trade group’s efforts to “deepen engagement with state and local associations, MLS executives and other critical industry partners.”
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The National Association of Realtors has hired Jarrod Grasso as its “first-ever” senior vice president of industry relations in order to strengthen connections with its local and state chapters and multiple listing services, the 1.5-million-member trade group announced Wednesday.
Jarrod Grasso
Grasso was most recently CEO of New Jersey Realtors and will serve as the primary liaison between NAR and state and local association leaders. He will focus on “raising awareness of and promoting value around NAR initiatives” so that members can use them to advance their businesses, NAR said in its announcement.
Grasso’s first day is March 3.
Asked why NAR decided to hire someone for this role for the first time right now, an NAR spokesperson told Inman, “NAR CEO Nykia Wright felt it was important to create a dedicated leader to manage state and local relations and for that function to take in feedback on a regular basis, identify challenges and quickly and effectively address them.
Nykia Wright
“Jarrod has been a thought partner who has provided valuable insights over the past year to NAR, and Nykia and other NAR leaders felt he was well suited for the new role.”
NAR has pledged to rebuild its relationships across the real estate industry in the wake of years of antitrust litigation, misconduct allegations, complaints about its spending and pushback against some of its policies, including its three-way agreement.
That policy requires agents and brokers to join associations at all three levels — local, state and national — if they want to be Realtors. It also requires local associations to follow and enforce NAR rules, which some local associations have chafed at.
Grasso will lead NAR’s efforts “to deepen engagement with state and local associations, MLS executives and other critical industry partners and ensure that the association remains at the forefront of innovation, collaboration and advocacy within the industry,” the trade group said.
According to NAR, Grasso has more than two decades of experience in real estate association leadership. As CEO of New Jersey Realtors, “he successfully advanced legislative priorities, enhanced member services, and championed initiatives to promote professionalism and inclusivity within the profession,” the association said.
Grasso has also served as an NAR director and 2015 Chair of NAR’s Association Executives Committee, earned the Realtor Association Certified Executive designation, NAR’s William R. Magel Award of Excellence, and was inducted into the NAR Association Executives Committee’s Dr. Almon R. “Bud” Smith Leadership Society.
“Grasso’s deep understanding of association and industry dynamics and his proven track record of building partnerships and fostering collaboration make him uniquely qualified to lead NAR’s expanded focus on industry engagement,” NAR said.
In a statement, Grasso said he was “honored to join NAR in this pivotal new role” and looked forward to working with industry colleagues.
“By fostering strong relationships and addressing critical industry priorities, we can help members remain indispensable to their clients and communities,” Grasso said.
Earlier this month, NAR announced it had hired industry veteran Sherry Chris as a special advisor to Wright to help the trade group rebuild its fraught relationships with large brokerages after its landmark nationwide antitrust settlement last year.