The Association and Member Development Department serves members of Texas REALTORS® by coordinating professional training and ensuring local associations have the resources they need. The team formed last year when the Professional Development and Board Services departments merged.
Association and Member Development handles all things education for the association, from maintaining materials and scheduling classes to overseeing designation programs and submitting new courses to TREC. “I manage the operation of Texas REALTORS® and TREC-approved education providers to maintain our ability to offer qualifying, continuing, and appraisal real estate courses,” says Gregory Lang, Education and Housing Initiatives Program Manager.
Association and Member Development is in charge of educational opportunities for association staff as well. The department coordinates trainings for managers, committee liaisons, and new employees. Senior Program Manager Jazz Lough leads these efforts.
The department also governs the Texas REALTORS® Leadership Program and Leadership Mentor Program, two opportunities for members to grow and develop skills to benefit their businesses, association, and industry.
Local boards are the department’s primary clients. Association and Member Development communicates core standards requirements and supports Code of Ethics compliance. The department also offers more involved administrative help to the state’s smaller local boards. Denise O’Brien, Board Services Manager, helps facilitate tools, resources, and training for local association staff and volunteer leaders.
In addition to assisting members and associations, Association and Member Development works closely with several Texas REALTORS® committees. The team coordinates logistics for the Association Executives, Commercial, Diversity and Fair Housing, Global, Housing Initiatives, Leadership Development Advisory, Professional Development, and Young Professional Network committees.
“The Association and Member Development Department supports local associations and members through onboarding, resources, education and training, hiring services, core standards compliance, and information to help them succeed,” says Jon Houser, Director of Association and Member Development.
Lough says Association and Member Development is the fun department; its internal group chat is named DOCK: Department of Cool Kids. “I love being able to collaborate with other departments,” she says. “Our work touches everyone. It goes back to our fundamentals of stellar service, timeliness, accuracy, and dependability. Everyone supports each other.”
For Lang, the people are the best part of the department. It’s a mix of personalities who are eager to learn, understand, and help internal and external stakeholders, he says. That creates a great working environment.
“One of the things I’ve always stressed is that we have this stability,” he adds. “The team members here want to be here and are here for the long haul. This is a team where you can put down roots and develop your talents.”
Here’s some information you might not know about the Association and Member Development Department’s members:
Marcus Coleman, Specialty Services Manager, loves to laugh and act out movie scenes.
Julie Dobbins, Program Coordinator, used to be a partner in a multi-national publishing house.
Liz Gamez, Specialty Services Program Coordinator, jumped off a 35-foot cliff at the end of the world in Hawaii on the Big Island.
Bethany Greenway, Program Coordinator, is an avid crafter and seamstress who loves making clothing and costumes for herself and her children.
Jon Houser, Director of Association and Member Development, got a scholarship to play trumpet in college not because of his ability but because they didn't have any trumpet players sign up for the marching band that year.
Monique Hurd, Operations Coordinator, sings in the choir.
Gregory Lang, Education and Housing Initiatives Program Manager, made his stage debut as a singing beaver.
Jazz Lough, Senior Program Manager, was personally invited by Quentin Tarantino to one of his holiday parties here in Austin after meeting him randomly on the street on South Congress.
Madeline Nieto, Board Services Coordinator, volunteers to evaluate at the Texas Future Problem Solving state competition.
Denise O’Brien, Board Services Manager, helped build and run a skate park with her friends in the 90s.
Debbie Romero, Board Services Coordinator, is passionate about nurturing houseplants and exploring the world of gardening.
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