Real estate appointments in late September and early October placed a new CEO at Homes for Heroes and a new residential division leader at Westcor Land Title Insurance Company promoted a new residential division leader, and brokerages in Idaho, New Jersey and Panama joined franchise brands, according to company releases and media reports.
Here are the details:
Real estate appointments, affiliations and expansions
Homes for Heroes
Amit Kulkarni
Homes for Heroes named Amit Kulkarni CEO on Oct. 1, and founder Ruth Johnson became executive chairman. Kulkarni had served as interim CEO since April. Johnson founded the hero savings network in 2002 within her Minnesota brokerage and had led it since its founding.
Kulkarni founded the real estate consultancy Alloy Advisors earlier this year. Before that, he served as chief marketing officer at Bright MLS and spent a decade at Realtor.com. According to the company, the network includes more than 2,900 real estate and mortgage professionals and has helped more than 81,000 heroes save more than $166 million.
“Amit has the operational experience and real estate expertise to lead Homes for Heroes, but just as important, he shares my passion for helping the people who serve and strengthen our communities,” Johnson said in a statement.
Keller Williams Lake Washington South
Rosie Rourke’s team held a ribbon-cutting Sept. 16 for Keller Williams Lake Washington South, a brokerage office on the seventh floor of Triton Tower III in downtown Renton, Washington, the Renton Reporter reported. The team signed a long-term lease for the space after operating out of Fairwood, an unincorporated area in southeastern Renton, according to the report.
At the opening, Rourke told the crowd that 30 percent of the brokerage’s agents rank among the top producers in the area, the Renton Reporter reported. Rourke sits on the boards of the Renton Chamber of Commerce and the Renton Rotary Club.
MNS Real Estate
MNS Real Estate, a New York City-based residential advisory and brokerage firm, expanded into South Florida with leasing advisory and marketing assignments at two multifamily communities, the company announced Sept. 22.
The first is Metro Parc, a 559-unit transit-oriented community in Hialeah developed by Baron Property Group. The second is Boca Villas, a 106-unit development in East Boca Raton owned by MAP Communities. According to the company, MNS has represented more than 41,000 units across more than 600 buildings in New York City for more than 20 years. The firm plans to publish monthly South Florida rental reports beginning in 2027.
“Expanding into South Florida marks a defining milestone for MNS as we bring the platform we’ve built in New York City to one of the country’s most dynamic multifamily markets,” CEO Andrew Barrocas said in a statement.
Wintrust Mortgage
Dan Shanahan
Wintrust Mortgage named Dan Shanahan senior vice president and regional sales manager for its South Region on Sept. 24. According to the company, Shanahan will lead the region’s sales organization across portions of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. He spent nearly 25 years with Huntington National Bank, where he led mortgage teams throughout the Midwest.
Shanahan succeeds Tricia Brouwers, who was named senior vice president of national strategic growth and business development. In her prior role, Brouwers built a sales organization that has reached more than $1 billion in annual production, according to the company. Her new role covers national partnerships, referral relationships and speaking and training for the lender’s sales force.
“I am honored to join Wintrust Mortgage and lead the talented professionals throughout the South Region,” Shanahan said in a statement.
Realtracs
The River Counties Association of Realtors and the Great Smoky Mountains Association of Realtors selected Realtracs as their MLS technology partner, the Nashville, Tennessee-based company announced Sept. 28. River Counties went live in August, and Great Smoky Mountains went live the day of the announcement.
According to the company, the two associations represent more than 1,700 real estate professionals and bring a combined 98,000 listing records into the Realtracs network. With the additions, eight Realtor associations co-own Realtracs LLC. The platform serves more than 21,000 real estate professionals across the Southeast.
“We chose Realtracs because our members deserve access to a broader marketplace, giving their listings greater exposure and providing them with more data and opportunities to grow their businesses,” Kathryn Lovell, CEO of the Great Smoky Mountains Association of Realtors, said in a statement.
Compass
Paragon Realtors, a North Texas brokerage with more than 85 agents, joined Compass in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, HousingWire reported, citing a Sept. 28 announcement. According to the companies, Paragon closed more than $260 million in sales volume over the past 12 months.
HousingWire reported that owner Mike Miller led the decision to position his agents for long-term growth amid shifting commission rules. According to the announcement, Paragon’s senior management will continue to lead the Paragon Group serving the Texoma market under the Compass brand.
Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty
The Pinnacle Group, a Wellesley, Massachusetts, real estate firm, switched its affiliation from Douglas Elliman to the Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty network, the Boston Business Journal reported Sept. 28. According to the report, the firm recorded $100 million in sales volume over the past 12 months and focuses on Dover, Natick, Needham, Newton, Wellesley and Weston.
Sotheby’s International Realty
Punta Pacifica Realty in Panama City joined the Sotheby’s International Realty network and will operate as Panama Sotheby’s International Realty, the brand announced Sept. 29. The affiliation gives the brand its 65th office in the Caribbean and Latin America region, according to the company.
Duncan McGowan leads the firm as CEO. He co-founded Punta Pacifica Realty after arriving in Panama in 1998. Jeff Barton serves as managing partner and Brian Kelly as vice president. According to the release, the leadership team oversaw the sale of the developer’s remaining residences at The Ocean Club and served as lead brokerage for Ocean Reef Islands. The firm plans to expand across Panama and add affiliated agents.
“Joining the Sotheby’s International Realty network allows us to pair our deep knowledge of Panama’s luxury market with one of the world’s most respected real estate brands, creating new opportunities for our clients both locally and internationally,” McGowan said in a statement.
Century 21 Prime Homes
Public Trust Realty Group, a Teaneck, New Jersey, brokerage with more than 50 agents, affiliated with Century 21 Real Estate and will do business as Century 21 Prime Homes, the franchisor announced Sept. 29.
Broker-owner Arun P. Thomas founded the firm in 2007 and grew it from four agents. He began his career in 1994 at a Century 21-affiliated office in New Jersey. According to the release, the firm plans to recruit new and experienced agents across the state. Century 21 Real Estate LLC operates within Compass International Holdings.
“Joining the Century 21 brand is an exciting new chapter for our company,” Thomas said in a statement.
Engel & Völkers Lake Placid
Austin Moyer and his Greater Rochester-based team joined Engel & Völkers Lake Placid from Coldwell Banker, the brokerage announced Sept. 29. The team will serve buyers and sellers in Greater Rochester, the Finger Lakes and Western New York.
According to the brokerage, the move creates referral connections between Greater Rochester, the Finger Lakes, the Adirondacks and the broader Engel & Völkers network.
“We wanted to align ourselves with a brand that reflected where we see our business going,” Moyer said in a statement.
Keller Williams Realty Boise
Templeton Real Estate Group, a Boise, Idaho, brokerage led by Dawn Templeton, joined Keller Williams Realty Boise after 13 years as an independent firm, the brokerage announced Sept. 30. The group brings a $100 million business to the brokerage, according to the release. Templeton has worked in real estate for 26 years. She said she made the move to create more opportunities for the agents who helped build the company. The team will continue serving buyers and sellers across the Treasure Valley.
“We built a very successful independent boutique brokerage, and I’m incredibly proud of what we created,” Templeton said in a statement. “But we reached a point where we knew we could give our agents more, and ultimately that means being able to do even more for our clients.”
Westcor Land Title Insurance Company
Mandy Bacco
Westcor Land Title Insurance Company promoted Mandy Bacco to senior vice president and residential division manager, the Maitland, Florida-based underwriter announced Oct. 1. According to the company, Bacco will lead strategic initiatives across the Residential Division, including governance frameworks, process improvements and change management.
“Mandy has been a trusted leader for our agents and industry partners through her dedication, vision and ability to deliver results,” Anthony Spangler, senior vice president and services general manager, said in a statement.
Arrow Real Estate Advisors
Arrow Real Estate Advisors, a New York-based commercial real estate firm specializing in debt and equity placement, hired Ethan Macanian and Jonathan Buchen as directors and promoted Jacob Petrovic to director.
Macanian will be based in Philadelphia and will work to grow the firm’s presence across the Mid-Atlantic. He was a real estate analyst at Property Markets Group in Miami. Buchen will work across Arrow’s New York City and New Jersey offices, originating and structuring financing for multifamily, office, retail, hospitality and other asset classes.
Petrovic joined Arrow at its 2024 launch and has worked on more than $3.5 billion in debt transactions, according to the firm. He is based in New York City and will support the firm’s growth in Chicago and the Midwest, with a focus on construction, bridge and transitional financing.
“Ethan and Jonathan each bring a strong understanding of the capital markets and a client-focused approach to the business,” founder and managing partner Morris Betesh said in a statement.
REMAX Fine Properties
REMAX Fine Properties opened an approximately 5,130-square-foot office at 355 E. Germann Road in Gilbert, Arizona, to support its growth in the East Valley. According to the company, the space more than doubles the size of the brokerage’s previous Gilbert office and includes 11 private offices, a conference room and open workspaces. The brokerage has more than 400 agents in Arizona.
“Our vision is to make REMAX Fine Properties one of the strongest and most recognizable real estate organizations in the East Valley,” Managing Partner Dan Porter said in a statement.
Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California
Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California opened a Pasadena office in the historic Chamber of Commerce Building in Old Town Pasadena, the brokerage announced Oct. 1. According to the company, the office’s agents account for more than $300 million in sales over the past 12 months, including $180 million from new and incoming agents.
Several agents joined for the opening. Shannon Scavo comes from Maisonre and Amy Weber from Compass. Carla J. Buigues comes from The Agency and will lead the firm’s Trust & Estates Division. Tracie Heileson and Sheila Arat of the Heileson Team come from Douglas Elliman.
Aaron Kirman founded the brokerage in 2022. According to the company, it has more than 300 agents and recorded more than $4 billion in sales in 2025. Pasadena joins its offices in Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Encino, Calabasas and Newport Beach.
“We’ve had a strong presence in Pasadena for years, so establishing an official home here was the natural next step,” Kirman, the firm’s founder and CEO, said in a statement.
