Fathom Founder Josh Harley Stepping Down as Chairman and CEO

Fathom Holdings Founder and CEO Josh Harley is stepping down from his role as well as Board Chair for family reasons, the company has announced.

In a plan endorsed by Harley to “support its next chapter of growth,” Fathom’s Board of Directors has appointed Fathom’s President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Marco Fregenal to the role of CEO, the company said.

As Fathom’s largest shareholder, and as part of the planned transition, Harley will remain active in the company as the Founder and Chief Evangelist, with a focus on accelerating Fathom’s agent growth, being the voice of Fathom to the industry, and further serving Fathom’s growing agent network to improve agent retention, agent referrals, and attach rate for Fathom’s ancillary businesses, the company said.

Fregenal will continue to serve as CFO until the Board identifies a replacement. A global search will commence after the new year for the Company’s next CFO.

“It is my honor to announce that Marco Fregenal will be stepping into the role of CEO to help lead Fathom going forward,” said Harley. “He has far more experience in growing established businesses like ours has become and I am confident in his abilities and thoughtful decision process. Marco is a respected and accomplished leader, celebrated for his consistent track record of achievements, as well as his unwavering dedication to Fathom’s mission, culture, and team. Marco’s commitment to servant leadership gives me confidence that our company will preserve the foundational culture that has propelled it to greatness, all the while steadfastly pursuing our growth strategy.

“Founding and leading this remarkable company has been one of the most profound privileges of my life,” he noted. “My transition to my new role underscores our dedication to bolstering our agent growth initiatives. We remain steadfast in our belief that there is a substantial opportunity ahead of us to capture market share and position Fathom for accelerated growth.”

Harley founded Fathom Holdings in 2010 as an innovative, asset-light, technology-enabled business designed to endure all market environments while empowering agents to realize their full business and earning potential, a release stated.

During his tenure as Chair and CEO, the company experienced unprecedented growth in revenue and agents while expanding nationwide and launching its ancillary businesses. Harley has instilled the principles of servant leadership across all the company’s brands and as a result, Fathom has received some of the highest rankings and employee/agent satisfaction among all real estate companies, the company noted. In addition to serving as the Founder and Chief Evangelist, Harley will provide his guidance and expertise to the Company to ensure a smooth transition.

Fregenal has served as Fathom’s CFO since 2012 and its president since 2018. Previously, Fregenal served as the company’s chief operating officer (COO) from 2012 through 2017. He has served on Fathom’s Board since 2019 and is a proven leader with extensive experience overseeing Fathom’s operations, the company said. Under his leadership, Fathom has diversified its market presence, delivered innovative sustainable technologies, and completed multiple acquisitions, which have collectively contributed to record results.

“I am honored to take the helm at Fathom at this exciting time in the company’s evolution,” Fregenal said. “My partnership with Josh, dating back to 2012, has been a privilege, and I’m excited to carry forward his legacy by further strengthening the substantial progress we’ve made so far. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Josh and our experienced senior leadership team and employees to ensure the long-term success of the business.”

Fathom also announced that it has appointed independent director Scott Flanders as Chair of the Board of Directors, succeeding Joshua Harley. Flanders has served on the company’s Board since August 2022, the company said. He has served on a number of Boards of Directors, and in executive management positions of several high-profile public companies. Most recently, Flanders was chief executive officer and a board member at eHealth, Inc., an online marketplace for health insurance.

Flanders, added: “Today’s announcement represents the culmination of a thorough succession planning process, and we are confident Marco’s appointment ensures continuity of strategy, leadership, and financial performance. Marco has the financial acumen and operational expertise to guide Fathom forward and focus on maximizing long-term stakeholder value creation. We are confident Fathom will benefit from his leadership and vision. On behalf of the entire Board, I also want to recognize and thank Josh for his invaluable contributions to Fathom’s growth. Josh has been instrumental in growing Fathom’s presence nationwide, and we’re deeply grateful for his leadership and guidance. We look forward to his continued contributions as Founder and Chief Evangelist and have left the door open for Josh to return to as CEO and Board Chair, at some point in the future.”

For more information, visit www.FathomInc.com.