Local Real Estate Nationwide

DALLAS (October 25, 2018) – The Ebby Halliday Companies announced today that Chris Kelly has been named chief executive officer. Mary Frances Burleson, longtime president and CEO, will now focus on the Ebby Halliday Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to honor the legacy and philanthropic commitment of the company’s namesake, Ebby Halliday. Ebby Halliday Companies is owned by HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and the nation’s second-largest residential real estate brokerage company.

Kelly joined ReeceNichols Real Estate, HomeServices’ wholly-owned company based in Kansas City in 2007 and served as corporate legal counsel before being promoted to chief administrative officer of ReeceNichols Real Estate, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Kansas City Realty, Kansas City Title and its other affiliated businesses and services in 2013. In this role, Kelly was actively engaged in virtually all aspects of brokerage operations and as a licensed broker, Kelly provided guidance and direction to the company’s 2,600 licensed REALTORS^®. In 2017, Kelly joined HomeServices as Senior Counsel where he supported the company’s acquisitions and technology initiatives.

As CEO of the Ebby Halliday Companies, Kelly will shape the company’s strategy and direct operations with a focus on driving future growth while preserving Ebby’s legacy of exceeding clients’ expectations. “Mary Frances and her exceptional leadership team set an incredible level of excellence for the company,” Kelly said. “I am thrilled to join this team of immensely talented agents, sales managers, employees and lending and title professionals. The opportunity to help lead this iconic company to its next level of growth and performance is both humbling and exciting.”

“I am pleased to welcome Chris as CEO of the Ebby Halliday Companies,” said Ron Peltier, chairman and CEO of HomeServices. “Chris understands the real estate business from all perspectives and is keenly aware of the opportunities and challenges faced every day in brokerage offices. He is the right leader to grow the company and help position the agents for even greater success.”

Mary Frances joined the Ebby Halliday Companies in 1958 and held numerous leadership positions before being named president and CEO in 1989. Throughout her career she has instilled the Ebby Halliday culture of delivering exceptional service through teamwork, market knowledge, empathy for others and integrity as she has set the strategy and led the company’s expansion and day-to-day operations for more than 1,700 sales associates.

“I am proud of everyone at Ebby Halliday and what we have achieved,” said Burleson. “Honoring Ebby’s legacy of service to the client, service to the industry and service to the community has always been a top priority for me. Chris has shown himself to be a leader with impeccable business ethics, personal sincerity and a deep understanding of the real estate business — all values that align with our heritage while pointing to an exciting future. I believe that Ebby would agree that with Chris at the helm, the future of Ebby Halliday couldn’t be brighter.”

“Chris brings extensive industry knowledge to the Ebby Halliday Companies and the HomeServices executive team. I am confident that under his leadership, the Ebby Halliday Companies are well-positioned for future growth,” concluded Peltier. “Mary Frances helped guide Ebby Halliday to become one of the country’s foremost real estate companies. On behalf of HomeServices, we thank Mary Frances for her years of service and her vision and leadership, which helped the Ebby Halliday Companies achieve the market-leading position they enjoy today.”

###

Wallingford, CT – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties is excited to be named the #1 Top Workplace in the state by The Hartford Courant and The Connecticut Post. This is the 7th consecutive year Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties has been ranked a Top Workplace. At the Hartford Courant’s event, the company was also honored in the special awards category as “Doers”, including a quote received in the survey, “At this company we do things efficiently and well.”

As a Top Workplace the company was featured in a special publication, published by the Hartford Courant. The article lauds about company values and special mentions were received for their ethics, integrity, transparency and listening to employee and sales executive feedback to make decisions on the direction of the company.

“We are passionate about what we do and are committed to providing the tools and expertise to take our sales executives’ careers to the next level,” stated Candace Adams, President and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England and Westchester Properties. “This award in particular is a tremendous honor because it’s based solely on employee and sales executive feedback. Our people are what makes Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties such a great place to work and we look forward to continue investing in our culture to ensure we remain a great workplace for years to come.”

The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection, just to name a few.

For more information about the Top Workplace recognition, read the feature articles – https://www.courant.com/business/top-workplaces/hc-biz-top-workplaces-berkshire-hathaway-20180810-story.html

https://www.ctpost.com/business/article/Hearst-names-50-employers-Top-Workplaces-13266510.php

To join the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England, New York and Westchester Properties team, visit www.bhhsneproperties.com/careers.

###

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England, New York and Westchester Properties is a leading real estate brokerage firm with over 1,800 REALTORS® in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. Share in our heritage and esteemed reputation as one of the most admired and respected companies in the world. By working with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England, New York and Westchester Properties, you align with a century of unparalleled financial strength, operational excellence and business ethics. For more information, visit www.bhhsNEproperties.com, www.bhhsWestchester.com and www.bhhsNYproperties.com.