Chris Kelly

Ebby Halliday Companies

Chris Kelly is president and CEO of the Ebby Halliday Companies, which serve North Texas. In addition to assistance with real estate purchases and sales, the companies offer mortgage, title, insurance and home warranty services.

Kelly is proud of the way his team pulled together quickly to adapt to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and to change the way they provided services. They developed enhanced and virtual ways to serve customers safely, and the companies gained market share and outperformed the broader market month after month.

Kelly cited a quote from Warren Buffett: “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.” As Kelly explained, “Often, things look pretty good on the surface, but even a cursory dive into a business or an idea reveals a host of issues. A good market, like a high tide, can hide a lot of bad decisions.”