Two major Realtor associations announced a merger last week that would make the unified group the third largest in Florida and the sixth largest in the U.S. The news was first reported by Real Estate News and Inman.
The Pinellas Realtor Organization/Central Pasco Realtor Organization (PRO-CPRO) is joining forces with the Greater Tampa Realtors (GTR) to form the Tampa Bay Realtors. The merger, once approved by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), would serve more than 24,000 real estate professionals in the Tampa-area counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco.
The merger will not impact MLS services as Tampa Bay Realtors will continue to partner with Stellar MLS, which is the new association’s second-largest shareholder, and no staffing cuts are planned.
Tampa Bay Realtors will be led by co-CEOs David Bennett of PRO-CPRO and Jason Outman of GTR. Bennett has 30-plus years of leadership experience with real estate associations, according to a news release.
“Tampa Bay Realtors will continue to bring localized services to our members while harnessing our enterprise size and scale to provide cutting-edge programs and influential advocacy,” Brad Monroe, chair of the unification task force that organized the merger, said in a statement.
“To consumers, Tampa Bay is one thriving region. With unification, members can leverage the incredible resources across both associations to provide real estate services throughout the Tampa Bay area with three service centers for more in-person support and a larger combined staff to support member needs,” said Adam Grenville, the new president of Greater Tampa Realtors.
