Pam O'Connor Retiring as CEO of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World

Pam Johnson O'Connor has announced that she will be retiring from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. Paul Boomsma, who currently serves a dual role as LeadingRE chief operating officer and president of Luxury Portfolio International®, will assume responsibilities as president and CEO upon O'Connor's retirement.

Pam has had an amazing career in the relocation and residential real estate industry. Below are just a few of her accolades.

Pam's accomplishments

In 1985, Pam became the first woman executive to head a major real estate network. Her experience managing real estate and relocation organizations extends back 30 years to prior networks All Points Relocation Service and RELO®. O'Connor began her career in the promotion department of WSB Television in Atlanta and later co-owned Bryson-O'Connor Public Relations in Atlanta, but her professional focus has long been in the real estate industry. I have watched Pam in action with her board of directors, brokers and agent members. She is one of the more consummate professionals I have ever seen. She has a wonderful blend of strategy, political savviness, drive and fun!

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 50 of America's 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®.

LeadingRE has blossomed under Pam's leadership

LeadingRE has thrived under Pam's leadership. It has become a truly global organization, with 565 member firms in 65 countries spanning six continents and corporate offices in London and Singapore. Under her leadership, the company formed a separate corporate relocation company, RELO Direct®, Inc., and an award-winning luxury marketing program, Luxury Portfolio International®. Understanding how important training is to broker success, Pam launched a highly-successful online learning platform, ranked #3 in the Training Magazine Top 125 list of the most successful learning and development programs in the world.

And, finally, Pam has driven growth in affiliate-to-affiliate referral sales volume to billions of dollars annually with an industry-leading conversion rate of nearly 50 percent.

Pam has helped her real estate community succeed in exciting ways, too

She is an honorary lifetime member of the Metropolitan Atlanta Relocation Council. She has served on the University of Tennessee College of Communications & Information Alumni Board of Visitors.

Not forgetting her focus on relocation, she served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Worldwide ERC® and received WERC's Meritorious Award, President's Award, and Distinguished Service Award and was named to its Hall of Leaders in 2009, an honor bestowed on less than 175 of the association's 10,000 members. Ms. O'Connor is only the sixth person EVER to receive the H. Cris Collie Leadership Award from Worldwide ERC for lifetime achievements in the relocation sector.

Pam has served the broader real estate industry in exciting ways, too. She served on the Realtor.com Advisory Board and currently serves on the Board of Managers of UPSTREAM™. Leading RE is an active supporter of the Broker Public Portal and has been an active sponsor and supporter of the Real Estate Standards Organization. Behind the scenes, Pam led efforts to represent the needs of brokers across America by tirelessly advocating for ongoing improvements to the IDX policies that govern how brokers can leverage MLS information in their marketing efforts.

But it doesn't stop there. Pam also actively supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Angela House, a Houston-based highly successful post-prison halfway house for women integrating back into society.

I can't wait to see where Pam goes next in her life! Wherever she goes, she will bring smarts, guts, heart and her consummate professionalism! Way to go, Pam!

So excited to see Paul and Stephanie take the reins of LeadingRE!

I am also so excited to see Paul take the helm at LeadingRE. He and Pam have worked together so well for years. He will undoubtedly create a seamless transition and continue the great legacy that Pam started. Paul is a great leader constantly innovating and focused on delivering ways to help LeadingRE brokers and their agents be more successful.

Paul was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the Real Estate Standards Organization in addition to his responsibilities at LeadingRE and Luxury Portfolio.

Stephanie Pfeffer Anton is going to do a great job as President of Luxury Portfolio, too! She already has the complete respect of the global luxury real estate community and will continue to strengthen Luxury Portfolio as one of the most the powerful luxury marketing networks in the world. Prior to joining Luxury Portfolio, Stephanie served as VP Marketing for Koenig and Stray Real Estate and Director of Communications for GMAC Home Services.

Way to go Pam, Paul and Stephanie!

What a great way to start out 2018!

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