Ahhh, fall in Wisconsin. It’s a magical time. The weather cools, schools open, leaves change and the Packers return.
But fall is also time for another change that involves some of us but impacts all of us. For REALTORS^®, fall is a time when state and local REALTOR^® associations thank the outgoing leadership teams and welcome new teams for a new year. I’ll explain why that impacts all of us in a second.

While most members don’t pay much attention to their colleagues who sacrifice their time, energies and talents and enlist to lead the WRA and local associations, they should. These are unpaid positions that require a level of dedication and commitment that would impress our rank-and-file members, if they only knew.

On behalf of the members and staff of the WRA, I want to sincerely thank our outgoing chairman of the board Peter Sveum, a longtime Stoughton broker who led our organization this past year with integrity, focus and vision. Everyone who has had the pleasure to work closely with Peter feels the same way. I only make two promises to our leaders about their WRA journeys: we will do consequential work, and we will have fun doing it. We certainly did both this past year, so thank you, Peter!

As we turn the page to the next chapter, our new chairman Jean Stefaniak of Milwaukee has set a course that continues many of the strategic initiatives Peter began and adds some fresh ideas. Guided by a strategic plan that was updated this past year, the WRA mission will remain the same: to support our members by providing quality education, superior legal information, unparalleled public policy advocacy and cutting-edge business technologies. And our vision for Wisconsin will continue: a dynamic real estate market that brings Wisconsin communities to life with great homes, businesses, jobs, neighborhoods, schools, satisfied customers and successful REALTORS^®. And we will get there by focusing on four main pathways:

• Take a leadership role in making Wisconsin’s economy prosper.
• Preserve and protect the real estate marketplace.
• Be the voice of, and a strong advocate for, home and property owners.
• Be the standard of excellence for our members and our profession.

The fall transformations include a change of guard for the National Association of REALTORS^® (NAR) as well. When Jean and I attended incoming NAR president John Smaby’s leadership summit in Chicago several weeks ago, we were struck by the alignment of NAR’s agenda for 2019 and that of the WRA’s. Both organizations have identified the following priorities for the new year and new leadership team:

• Create and aggressively pursue a comprehensive Congressional and legislative agenda that addresses the key needs of our members, their markets and property owners, regardless of the outcome of the elections in November and the hyperpartisan nature of today’s politics.
• Augment member and consumer communications to advance the association’s relevancy and effectiveness. To do this requires the more effective use of data, data analytics and enriched communication techniques. 
• Enhancing the member experience and business by raising the bar on professionalism.
• Provide members the business tools, resources and experiences conducive to their business success.

So, as we change seasons and leaders, reinforce strategic goals and set new priorities, we see at all three levels of the REALTOR^® organization both a consistency of purpose and a transformation of fresh ideas and focus. Every member should thank our past, present and future volunteer leaders, but more importantly, every member should help them succeed. Never underestimate the effectiveness of a little engagement by a lot of people.