Above, from left, Phyllis Brookshire and Leah Gibbons
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has announced two executive appointments designed to optimize its leadership structure to support ongoing growth across its footprint.
According to a release, Leah Gibbons has been named chief of staff, working alongside Chief Executive Officer Howard “Hoby” Hanna IV and executive leadership. Gibbons will align strategy with regional execution. Phyllis Brookshire has been appointed senior vice president of Operations, leading the systems, infrastructure and operational strategy supporting Howard Hanna’s markets and continued growth.
The company notes as chief of staff, Gibbons will focus on strategic planning, executive alignment, organizational effectiveness, and key company initiatives, serving as a strategic partner to Hanna and the executive leadership team. Her new role builds on broad experience across both brokerage operations and marketing during her 33-year tenure with Howard Hanna, the release notes. Most recently, Gibbons served as the company’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer, and previously as senior vice president and general manager of Brokerage and as vice president and regional manager.
“I’ve had the opportunity to see Howard Hanna from many different sides of the business, and I’m excited to bring that perspective to this role as our company strategically grows and evolves,” said Gibbons.
As senior vice president of Operations, Brookshire will leverage her extensive executive background to strengthen and scale infrastructure across Howard Hanna’s markets, including company processes, technology adoption, field support and the integration of new markets and acquisitions. She will work closely with Gibbons, regional and market leadership, and other members of the executive team to ensure company priorities translate effectively across the organization, the company stated.
“As we continue to grow, we have an incredible opportunity to make it easier for our teams in every market to do what they do best,” said Brookshire. “By streamlining our operations and deploying scalable systems across the Howard Hanna enterprise, we are ensuring our agents and regional staff have the premier operational support they need to dominate their respective markets.”
The release adds, a Raleigh native, Brookshire began her real estate career with her family’s company, York Properties, where she helped establish its residential division and served as chief operating officer. She joined Allen Tate Company as regional vice president in 2007 during its expansion into North Carolina’s Triangle Region, ultimately serving as president from 2010 to 2021. Most recently, she led operations for Howard Hanna Southeast. Brookshire is a past president of the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2016.
For more information, visit www.HowardHanna.com.
