Bess Freedman

Bess Freedman, CEO of Brown Harris Stevens, spearheaded its merger with Halstead in 2020. “The power of Terra Holdings working as one will further solidify Brown Harris Stevens as an unstoppable force,” Freedman told RISMedia.

“This exciting union enables us to focus our extensive resources and forge a larger, even stronger firm to better serve our valued agents and customers in our current and expanded regions. We are growing a company with a purposeful culture and incredible depth and breadth for the future.”

To build a culture of inclusion, Freedman gave the entire company a day off on Juneteenth, the date when enslaved people were freed, as well as on Election Day. She oversaw a vendor list dedicated to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned businesses and led the launch of a website that integrated hundreds of Halstead agents and improved the consumer-facing experience.