If you attended Matrix training at the end of August, you likely saw RAHB’s new CEO at the podium. George O’Neill started as RAHB’s new CEO on August 24, and managed to make it out to all six training sessions to meet members and give a quick introduction about himself. Here’s the longer version:
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George takes the helm at RAHB after serving as Managing Partner and Broker of Record of O’Neill Advisors Inc. in Toronto, a Business and Real Estate Brokerage. Having an early avid interest in the role of social media in marketing real estate, George wrote the first RECO approved Social Media Marketing Course for Real Estate and delivered the course to hundreds of REALTORS® across the province of Ontario. He also chaired annual conferences on real estate marketing and founded the Real Estate Marketing Toronto (reMarkTO) group for information sharing. The group currently has over 900 members.
Prior to founding his real estate business in 2007, George worked for over twenty years as a management consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte Consulting and for leading Canadian and U.S. companies including Hydro One, Spar Aerospace, McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) and the Manufacturing Technology Centre in business development, mergers and acquisitions, marketing, sales, operations and technology roles.
George holds Master and Bachelor Degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick (UNB)
as well as an MBA Degree from Queen’s University. He is also a Certified Business Intermediary, a designation awarded by the International Business Brokers Association. Active in the local community, George supports various charities and is a director on the Boards of three private corporations and not-for-profit organizations.
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We sat down to have a conversation with George.
Congratulations on becoming RAHB’s new CEO. You left your own brokerage to come to RAHB. What prompted you to move from one side of the real estate profession to the other?
Thank you, it is a pleasure and honour to serve our members. Organized real estate is experiencing a time of immense change, and therefore opportunity. We are seeing an increased number of skilled and educated practitioners enter the business, perhaps more than during any previous period. Client expectations are rising, both sales and marketing skills are paramount, and the world is on-line. Practitioners excel when they are provided the training, tools and support they need. Our Association is vital, ensuring our members have a modern, robust MLS® system and related operational processes. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to join as RAHB’s CEO just as I was selling my business and thinking about what I would do next in my career.
This is the first time you’ve headed up a not-for-profit organization. What attracted you to the not-for-profit sector?
Over the years I have worked with member based associations and have found the organizational missions and dynamics both interesting and challenging. I am a big believer in membership service and of the importance the work our REALTOR® members provide to their clients and to the community. I strongly believe in RAHB’s mission: Empowering REALTORS® to succeed.
What are your early impressions of RAHB? Do you already see things you want to work on?
RAHB has a fantastic group of dedicated staff. Everyone has a choice where they work, and we are fortunate our employees choose to serve you, our members. As we move forward and your requirements for the services we provide may shift, we will respond and adjust so your Association continues to enable you to continue to serve your clients.
Do you have any major changes you wish to see at RAHB?
At the time of responding to these questions, I have been on the job at RAHB just a few days, so it is far too early to talk about potential major changes. In the immediate term, we must not lose focus to ensure the upgrade of the Matrix MLS® system goes smoothly for our members. That is perhaps the most important activity we are currently undertaking, in addition to of course continuing serving our member’s needs on a daily basis.
Do you have any additional thoughts you’d like to pass on to the members?
RAHB is fortunate to be amongst the leaders in organized real estate associations in Canada. Our dedicated Board, committed staff, and each and every member contribute to making sure this is a strong Association, second to none. The staff and management team at RAHB are proud to be a part of your success and I am pleased to be your Association’s CEO.