The leadership shake-ups just keep coming out of eXp Realty. The company continues to lean on its cache of internal talent to carry its brand into the future.
In its latest move on Tuesday, the brokerage announced that Tampa eXp Realty agent and team leader Kendall Bonner will now serve as vice president of Industry Relations. She will be responsible for developing and fortifying strategic partnerships within the real estate sector, according to eXp Realty.
“Kendall’s deep industry knowledge and commitment to excellence are exactly what we need at a time of major industry transformation,” said Leo Pareja, CEO of eXp Realty in a statement. “Her perspective as a leader and innovator will be invaluable in strengthening our relationships within the real estate community and enhancing our platform for agents.”
In an exclusive interview, an excited Bonner told RISMeda that she is looking forward to helping eXp Realty “lead the way” with innovation and ideation in the industry.
“It’s an opportunity to have a greater impact on our industry especially right now with the NAR settlements and all the changes that our industry is going through and going to go through over the next 12 to 24 months,” she says. “I’m honored to be a part of our company’s vision towards how we lead the way with that, because I think our leaders need leaders, and our brokers and agents need ideation and innovation. They need someone to help them stay positive while also staying informed and directed.”
With more than a decade of industry experience, Kendall will focus on guiding eXp Realty agents through the significant shifts currently shaping the real estate industry, particularly in light of the National Association of REALTORS®’ (NAR) recent settlement in commission lawsuits.
At the same time, eXp is facing its own challenges with the company facing separate lawsuits from current and former agents accusing the company of covering up sexual assaults by recruiters (eXp has denied the allegations, claiming it quickly removed “bad actors” when allegations came to light).
While her new role’s primary task will be to improve eXp’s product and offerings to its agents and brokers, Bonner notes that she also aspires “to continue to improve and elevate the company’s reputation” while enhancing its industry relations.
“We want to stay at the forefront of advocacy for the industry and for agents,” she says.
Bonner’s efforts will center on advocating for the interests of the eXp Realty community, ensuring that eXp remains at the forefront of industry advocacy and partnership development.
“I want to make sure that we provide leadership direction, conversations, the right products, everything that we can give back to the eXp community that I can,” she says.
Bonner adds that an early goal for her new role at eXp is to “drive connections where connections need to be made” to ensure that eXp agents and brokers can thrive from a productivity and growth standpoint within the fast-evolving virtual-focused brokerage.
“I want to see them continue to grow and thrive because I really do believe it is a battle-tested model now,” she says. “It works and is the most agent-centric model, which is why we have so many other new and upcoming companies trying to also mirror or copy what we’re doing.”
Before joining eXp Realty, Bonner was the team leader of The Kendall Bonner Team with RE/MAX, known for their commitment to providing exceptional real estate services in the Tampa Bay area. Her team joined eXp in March 2023, propelled by her desire to coach and support underserved and new agents in the industry.
While her new role at the brokerage will pull her away from her team’s day-to-day operations, Bonner tells RISMedia that her husband and co-team leader, Bill will take up the reins of the Kendall Bonner team.
“For the last year, he’s really stepped up in terms of taking on more and more responsibility for the team, allowing me the freedom and flexibility to be able to take on a position like this,” she says. “Our team is going to be great. Our agents, they are leaders themselves and we’ve been working with them to promote their inner leader within the team, and so I’m excited for them because they’re just going to continue to thrive and I’ll always be my family.”
Bonner’s appointment marks the third high profile leadership shift for eXp Realty as the brokerage, and its parent company eXp World Holdings, looks to navigate the ever changing industry and housing environment.
Most recently, the brokerage named Wendy Forsythe as the company’s new chief marketing officer. eXp Realty also announced that Pareja would take the reins as CEO of the company after Glenn Sanford stepped back to continue serving as founder, chair and CEO of eXp Holdings.
