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The Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) has hired Rene Lenin Galicia as its first chief operating officer, the trade group announced Tuesday. Galicia starts on May 19.
Galicia, a licensed attorney, brings a wealth of experience to the role. He started his career in organized real estate in 2011 at California Regional MLS, the largest MLS in the country, where he stayed for more than seven years and worked his way up to director of compliance and data licensing, according to his LinkedIn profile.
From there, he served nearly three years as the National Association of Realtors’ MLS director 2018-2021. Then went to Bright MLS, the second-largest MLS in the country, where he stayed for nearly four years — until last week — and ended up as executive vice president of policy counsel and strategic partnerships.
Rene Galicia
“This new opportunity allows me to bring my expertise in real estate tech, MLS policy, and leadership honed at Bright MLS, NAR, and CRMLS to champion transparency, efficiency, and excellence in the MLS industry,” Galicia said in a LinkedIn post Wednesday morning.
“I look forward to spearheading operations at CMLS, working towards advancing the organization’s mission, supporting member organizations, and propelling the MLS industry forward.”
CMLS, which counts more than 230 MLSs representing more than 1.5 million real estate professionals as members, has never hired a COO before.
“As COO of CMLS, Galicia will oversee the organization’s operations, collaborating with MLS leaders, staff, and stakeholders to advance the multiple listing service as the engine behind a fair, transparent, efficient housing market,” CMLS said in its announcement.
“His expertise in MLS operations, policy, and legal frameworks, combined with his commitment to industry innovation, positions him to lead CMLS through a transformative period of growth.”
Including Galicia, CMLS has seven employees — “a small but mighty team,” according to Sunny Lake Hahn, CMLS’s chief of staff.
“His first priorities will be: Lead the development and execution of member programs and educational initiatives like CMLX and Best Practices [and] Drive operational improvements to enhance organizational performance,” Hahn told Inman via email.
“As the first COO, he’ll be reviewing and streamlining the existing processes, and helping identify any gaps or replication. Not only is he bringing a fresh set of eyes to the corporate operations, but he is bringing his experience to help scale the overall organization to best serve the members,” she added.
In its announcement, CMLS touted Galicia’s expertise in MLS policy interpretation and implementation that the trade group anticipates will help guide CMLS’s members “through complex landscapes while championing transparency, efficiency, and pro-competitive practices.”
According to CMLS, Galicia also volunteers his free time as a pro bono attorney for veterans, immigrants and others in underprivileged communities and as a “Greyshirt” with Team Rubicon, a non-profit disaster response organization led by veterans.
