It's the end of an era as Bob Hale plans to retire from the Houston Association of Realtors.
The HAR President and CEO will conclude a 52-year tenure at HAR in 2026, including 37 years at the helm.
The HAR Board of Directors unanimously voted to elect René Galvan, HAR Executive Vice President, to succeed Mr. Hale. Mr. Galvan has been with HAR's management team for 28 years, starting as Director of Business Development. He joined the Greater Fort Lauderdale Association of Realtors in 1999, where he briefly served as CEO before becoming executive vice president. He also serves on the National Association of Realtors' Finance Committee.
Galvan's vision for HAR includes continued innovation and strategic growth to ensure the organization remains at the forefront of the real estate industry, according to a HAR news release. He is scheduled to assume office on January 31, 2026.
Mr. Hale is a prominent figure in Houston's real estate world and is credited with transforming HAR into a powerful brand with more than 51,000 members and the second-largest real estate agent association in the nation after Miami. The National Association of Realtors listed Mr. Hale among its “25 Most Influential People in U.S. Real Estate” in 2003 and 2006. Mr. Hale ranked him 29th in his 2024 Swanepoel Power 200, which selects the world's most influential executives in residential real estate.
Hale was a lawyer when he started working in real estate in 1970. He was the director of government affairs for the Texas Association of Realtors in Austin. He started his career with HAR in 1973 and in 1988 he was promoted to CEO.
The latest changes are not the only changes occurring at the association. Thomas Mouton, a real estate agent with Century 21 Exclusive Properties, has been named HAR chairman for 2024, replacing Kathy Treviño of Side Inc., who served for one year.
HAR is one of more than 20 real estate agent associations, brokerages, and real estate teams involved in antitrust litigation across the state. The lawsuit accuses Texas-based homebuilder QJ Team LLC and holding company Five Points Holdings of engaging in a conspiracy to stifle competition and impose unreasonable costs on sellers. The lawsuit follows the $1.8 billion Sitzer/Barnett judgment against the National Association of Realtors, Keller Williams, Inc., and HomeServices of America. HAR declined to comment on the lawsuit.
