Nykia Wright

CEO, National Association of Realtors

Wright took over as CEO of the National Association of Realtors during a tumultuous time for the Chicago-based trade organization. The group’s president resigned in August 2023 over allegations of sexual misconduct. Two months later, NAR settled a landmark anti-trust case over agent commission practices. Then, after NAR’s CEO Bob Goldberg stepped down a year earlier than planned, Wright came on as interim CEO. 

Since taking charge, she has overhauled the organization’s culture and finances in a major restructuring that included layoffs and cuts across more than 90 programs. This allowed NAR to balance its 2025 and 2026 budgets without raising member dues.

“The settlement marked an inflection point for our industry,” Wright said of the shift. “It allowed us an opportunity to hit ‘reset’ and reaffirm our commitment to transparency and consumer choice.”

This wasn’t the first time Wright has led this kind of turnaround for a legacy institution. She worked as CEO of the Chicago Sun Times from 2018 to 2023, and helped the newspaper navigate a merger with Chicago Public Media and a shift toward digital media. 

NAR recently adopted a 2026-2028 strategic plan, which included goals to improve the tools and support available to realtors, strengthen the organization’s ethical standards and improve its finances and operations.