Bob Goldberg

Bob Goldberg is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of REALTORS®. Since assuming the role in August of 2017, Bob has overseen transformations that have positioned NAR as real estate’s leading figure in the fight for diversity and inclusion; the industry’s primary driver of technological innovation; and as an association lauded for a genuine, unwavering commitment to its members. As part of the responsibility NAR has to more than 1.5 million REALTORS® worldwide, Bob has overseen the formation of a number of initiatives which have influenced the market and proven immensely valuable to NAR’s general membership. Founded under Bob’s leadership, NAR’s Strategic Business Innovation and Technology (SBIT) group has transformed the industry by launching several widespread real estate technology—or PropTech—tools. Some 190 global firms have been scaled through NAR’s growth accelerator, REACH,(link is external) and its investment arm, Second Century Ventures,(link is external) of which Bob serves as president. Together, the two entities played a significant role in helping propel real estate through the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, over 600,000 REALTORS® use SCV & REACH solutions annually, delivering a cumulative savings of more than $60 million to NAR members. With REACH continuing its expansion—and with the program now operating globally in the U.K., Australia, and Canada—U.S.-based REACH classes engaged 17 new companies from both the residential and commercial sectors in 2022 alone. Bob was also instrumental in the creation of NAR’s Innovation, Opportunity & Investment (iOi) Summit. The fourth-annual iOi Summit was held in the fall of 2022, attracting hundreds of industry professionals, PropTech leaders, and real estate investors. NAR’s advocacy presence in Washington, D.C. and in state capitals across the U.S. helped guide the industry through the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting real estate’s classification as an “essential” service and helping the residential market pace America’s broader economic recovery. Today, NAR remains one of the nation’s most influential advocacy groups, working daily with policymakers to close racial homeownership gaps in America and address persistent, nationwide housing affordability and accessibility issues, among so many other pressing priorities. Overall, Bob has fostered a staff culture at NAR focused on respect, putting members first, leading change, communicating, and collaborating. He has worked to ensure decisions made at the association are made from a member’s perspective, and he instituted a “Day in the Life” program designed to ensure all of NAR’s 350 staff members understand the challenges and complexities REALTORS® face each day in their profession. The organization also initiated the REALTOR® Safety Network, a national alert system that strengthens NAR’s existing REALTOR® Safety Program. In addition, NAR’s Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) program, created under Bob’s tenure, today represents the standard marker for professional development in real estate. More than 100,000 REALTORS® have or currently are participating in the innovative, self-directed program designed to encourage professional development for NAR members. Finally, Bob has made corporate responsibility a priority during his time leading NAR, collaborating with the Food Recovery Network(link is external) to fight hunger and combat food waste. Since its relationship with FRN began in 2019, NAR and partnering nationwide state and local REALTOR® groups have donated roughly 5,000 meals to Americans in need. A 27-year veteran of NAR and a member of the REALTORS® Political Action Committee Hall of Fame, Bob worked as a senior vice president at the association before ascending to its top career leadership position. Prior to joining NAR, he was an SVP at PRC Realty Systems, the nation’s leading provider of computer-based real estate information. Bob is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He and his wife, Susan, a former REALTOR®, split their time between Chicago, Illinois, and Clarksville, Maryland.

Opinion

NAR: We're committed to ending discrimination in real estate

In response to an Inman column Tuesday questioning the National Association of Realtors' response to discriminatory practices, NAR CEO Bob Goldberg defended the group's track record

Jun 15