Nykia Wright

After months of turmoil in the wake of the Kenny Parcell sexual harassment scandal and the crushing verdict in the NAR vs. Burnett trial, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) announced in November the appointment of Nykia Wright as interim CEO. Bob Goldberg, who had announced his planned retirement in June 2023, was slated to serve as an executive consultant to NAR to help support the transition.

According to NAR, Wright brings a breadth of executive leadership and strategic advisory experience to the organization. As the CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times, she led the newspaper through a sweeping digital transformation and a merger with WBEZ (Chicago Public Media). She started in that role on an interim basis as well, stepping down in January 2023.

Wright began her career in the financial services industry and, prior to leading the Sun-Times, was a strategy and business transformation consultant who advised companies and organizations on a variety of operational, financial and performance improvement matters.

Wright is also the co-founder of SonicMESSENGER, a software-as-a-service, or SaaS, startup helping democratize audience engagement and measurement by leveraging smart audio. She sits on the board of the American Cancer Society and the Better Government Association, among other entities, and is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at her alma mater, the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

“NAR advocates for and empowers people who help families across America realize the dream of homeownership,” Wright posted on her LinkedIn profile. “I’m honored to join the organization at this important moment, when the opportunity to make a difference in the evolving real estate landscape has never been greater. I look forward to getting to work and partnering closely with NAR’s talented staff in the months ahead.”