PHOTO: Tracy Kasper. NAR
On Monday, Tracy Kasper, the president of the National Association of Realtors, announced her resignation in response to a blackmail threat aimed at compromising her leadership position.
Kasper, a REALTOR® from Nampa, Idaho, revealed that she had recently received a threat to expose a personal, non-financial matter from her past unless she relinquished her role at NAR. Refusing to comply, Kasper reported the threat to law enforcement. The 55-year-old, a married mother of seven grown children, did not provide immediate comments when approached by CNBC.
As a result of the threat, President-elect Kevin Sears will step into the role promptly. The National Association of Realtors, representing over 1.5 million members in residential and commercial real estate, expressed deep concern about any attempts to undermine its governance and stated it is taking measures to safeguard the organization’s integrity.
Tracy Kasper’s resignation follows a series of leadership changes within NAR, with her predecessor, Kenny Parcell, resigning in August amid allegations of sexual harassment detailed in a New York Times story. Additionally, NAR CEO Bob Goldberg stepped down in November after a federal jury found the organization and some real estate brokers liable for conspiring to artificially inflate brokers’ commissions, resulting in a $1.78 billion fine for NAR.
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In her official statement, Kasper emphasized her commitment to prioritizing the interests of NAR and cited the recent threat as a pivotal moment requiring her to place the organization’s well-being first. NAR declined to provide further comments beyond its official statement.
Tracy Kasper, a broker-owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Silverhawk Realty in Boise Valley, Iowa, and the majority owner of two other real estate companies in the state, has been a member of NAR’s board since 2016. As a grandmother of six, she brings a wealth of experience to the real estate industry.
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SOURCE: CNBC