Come have coffee with Wil!

CTAR’s new CEO Wil Riley wants to meet with you!

Please join him for these regional meet and greets from 8:30-9:30am.

Stop in for a bit or stay the whole time. Wil would like to hear about issues affecting your business and how CTAR can help. Plus, he’ll be sharing a little of his vision for the future of the Association.

Tuesday, May 7 – 8:30-9:30am
Panera Bread Co., 2000 Sam Rittenburg Blvd., West Ashley

Wednesday, May 8 – 8:30-9:30am
Baguette Magic, 792 Folly Road, James Island

Thursday, May 9 – 8:30-9:30am
Dunkin Donuts, 216 St. James Ave., Goose Creek

Questions? Call Caitlin at 843.760.9400

 

CTAR Names New CEO

Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® Names New CEO

Following a nationwide search, the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® (CTAR) and Charleston Trident Multiple Listing Service (MLS) has named their new Chief Executive Officer. Wil Riley, a Summerville native and an experienced REALTOR®, Broker and Association management executive will succeed Terry Hyde Ketchem as CEO on April 1, 2013.

2013 CTAR President Owen Tyler has been leading the Association through this transition period and worked closely with the CEO search committee, comprised of REALTOR® members and past leadership. Former Association President Chris Fraser led the CEO search committee through the selection and interview process, which included consideration of well-known industry leaders as well as successful executives from other areas of business. At decision time, the committee concluded that Riley’s expertise coupled with his vision of how to move the Association forward cemented him as the best candidate for the position.

“I am thrilled that someone with such strong ties to our area and more importantly, the REALTOR® Association will be picking up where I leave off” said Terry Hyde Ketchem, the 26-year veteran CEO of CTAR. “Wil’s 15 year history as an agent and broker, as well as his 4 years of Association management experience, first at the Coastal Carolina Association and the last two years here at CTAR will be invaluable as he leads the Association into the future” said Ketchem.

Riley’s vision is one that melds past, present and future: “Our Association thrives under a CEO that understands the importance of our historical roots while aggressively seeking innovative opportunities for growth and development, one that will seek out products and services that will provide our members with the maximum return on investment for their membership. I am excited about being that CEO and look forward to working with our current staff, leadership and Association leaders across the state to keep Charleston, and South Carolina at the forefront of our industry” said Riley.

Riley will succeed Terry Hyde Ketchem as CEO following her retirement on March 31, 2013.

About Wil
Wil Riley has spent much of his life right here in the Lowcountry—born and raised in Summerville, Riley has positioned himself as a fixture of the north-area business and philanthropic communities. Following his graduation from Summerville High School, Riley left the Lowcountry only briefly, to earn his BS in Accounting from Clemson University. Upon his return, he co-founded Riley Lumber, where he and his father enjoyed a successful business and Wil took his first steps into management—overseeing the accounting and personnel needs for the company which would eventually expand to 16 employees.

In 1997, Riley took the opportunity to transition the business and management principles he had honed during his time with the family business to forge his own path into the real estate industry. Riley spent several years as a broker-associate with Prudential Carolina Real Estate, helping Lowcountry families with their real estate needs. In 2001, he took a position that allowed him to focus on his leadership, management and business development skills and became the Broker-In-Charge of Century 21 Properties Plus in Summerville.

During his time as a practicing REALTOR®, Riley began building his relationship with the local, state and national REALTOR® Associations and local MLS. He has served as a national (2007-08) and state director (2004-09) as well as the local board (2003-09), of which he was named President in 2008. His service on the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Education Foundation (2006-07) and Economic Outlook Board (2003-04) allowed him to gain experience and expand his network in the local business community.

After more than a decade on the sales side of the business, Riley turned his sights to the REALTOR® Assocaition he was already so familiar with, and took a position with the Coastal Carolina Association of REALTORS® in Myrtle Beach. As their Vice President of Finance and Administration, Riley developed a sound understanding of the inner workings of the REALTOR® Association and MLS and futhered his knowledge when he moved back to his native Lowcountry in 2011 to take the position of Vice President of Operations at CTAR.

“The absence of a significant learning curve will be a great benefit to our membership as I transition out of my role and Wil steps into his. He is so familiar with the inner workings of our Association, the MLS and works so well with our staff and leadership, it should be a seamless transition” said Ketchem.

Riley is looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. “As an Association, we cannot ever rest on our laurels. We must push forward—growing and changing—to remain a leaders in providing our members with premier business resources, support and access to cutting-edge industry technologies” he said.

In addition to his expanding duties at the Association, Wil is active as a parishoner and leader at St. Paul’s Church in Summerville and enjoys spending time with his family. He lives in Summerville with his wife Ann, an elementary school teacher and their children, daughter Logan (currently attending Clemson University) and son Walker, an accomplished soccer player.

An announcement from CTAR’s CEO, Terry Hyde Ketchem

To All My REALTOR® Friends:

It is with a heart full of wonderful memories that I share with you that after more than 26 years as CEO of CTAR and MLS, I am planning to retire at the end of the first quarter of next year. As I begin planning my departure, you can be certain about one thing—the future of your Association is bright. We have an excellent staff, which is dedicated to providing you with the best services, resources and programs available. Our leadership team has never been stronger—we have the perfect mix of veteran REALTORS® who have seen this industry through the good and the bad, and a group of young professionals with fresh ideas, ready to bring our Association and MLS into the future. I am confident that I am leaving this position, and this Association, in the best possible hands.

My real estate roots run deep—my great grandfather was a REALTOR® and served as the 3rd President of our Association in 1909, and it has been an honor to carry on this tradition of being a good steward of the REALTOR® family. Our Association’s services, resources and support have grown at an amazing pace thanks to all the wonderful people who have given their time and talent over the years.

I’ve celebrated many milestones while at CTAR. My focus has always been on providing the best services, resources and support available to you, our members. As I developed the CTAR real estate school in 1987, my purpose was to provide you with access to premier education services—from your first day in pre-licensing or broker training to your ongoing continuing education courses, I wanted to ensure that you have the best training from the most experienced instructors. Education is a key component in the development of a successful REALTOR® and I wanted to make sure you were being well served. Our implementation of the Professional Standards Program was designed to give you the opportunity to attend comprehensive training programs focused on the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. We also developed dispute resolution, mediation and arbitration services in order to provide you with access to legal resources at no or minimal cost.

Many of you remember when the MLS was not accessed via computer, but upon arrival of the MLS books in your offices, which we produced monthly at the Association. With the rise of technology and later, the internet, we negotiated services to provide you with access to a real estate database with cutting-edge technology that has been the primary resource for more than a quarter million real estate transactions.

One of the primary keys to your success lies in your ability to simply conduct your business on a day-to-day basis. One of the most crucial services I believe we can provide on behalf of our members is to defend your rights as business owners in the legislative arena. Real estate is one of the most tightly regulated industries, and while there are beneficial aspects of regulation, we must remain vigilant that your ability to do business is not impeded by unnecessary restriction and legislation.

The overall economic stability, growth and development of the Charleston region depends greatly on your work as a real estate practitioner, therefore, we have developed strategic partnerships with the Chambers of Commerce, local governments and the Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA).

Our influence in the community is staggering both in the legislative arena and through our strategic partnerships. The voice of REALTORS® is being heard by the community and our members’ needs are being protected.

My career has been quite an adventure and it has been an honor to be a part of the growth and evolution of this Association and MLS. Our accomplishments have been great due to the leadership and vision of so many of you who have volunteered over the years.

Should you be interested, we have established a CEO search committee, comprised of REALTORS® with experience in all industry sectors—residential, commercial, property management and investments—to seek my successor. The right person for this job will have experience in non-profit management, business development but most importantly, have a creative, innovation spirit that will help the association continue its pattern of growth and achievement.

If you or someone you know is interested in applying for the position, please review the job posting, here.

Sincerely,

Terry Hyde Ketchem
CEO, Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® and Multiple Listing Service