Forging through a year engulfed in ongoing lawsuits and unexpected scandals and topped off by rising interest and mortgage rates and skyrocketing home prices, this year’s RISMedia Real Estate Newsmakers Hall of Fame class not only stands out for their companies’ continued success in an increasingly difficult market, but also for their firms’ newsworthy accomplishments during times when our industry was under siege by an array of forces.
Each year, we induct and celebrate a select group of “industry icons” for their long-standing and/or exemplary service into RISMedia’s Real Estate Newsmakers Hall of Fame. This year, we’ll do so at our seventh-annual Real Estate Newsmakers Reception & Dinner, being held on Sept. 5, 2024 in conjunction with RISMedia’s 2024 CEO & Leadership Exchange September 4 – 6, at the historic Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. The dinner will include remarks by RE/MAX Holdings CEO Erik Carlson.
Don’t miss out! You can register here:
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Nominations are also open for the 2025 Real Estate Newsmakers. You can nominate your candidates here:
Nominate a Newsmaker
These notable leaders will be inducted to the Hall of Fame next month:
Ennis Antoine, Managing Broker, EA Realty of Georgia, LLC
Ennis Antoine is a distinguished leader in the real estate industry. As a certified real estate instructor, Antoine teaches statewide pre-license and post-licence courses. He is a former president of the Atlanta REALTORS Association and an active member of the Georgia Association of REALTORS and the National Association of REALTORS. In 2023, he was appointed to the Atlanta Habitat for Humanity advisory board and became a board member for the Committee for a Better Atlanta. 
Cindy Ariosa, Vice President of Strategic Development, Howard Hannd Real Estate Services
With more than 30 years of experience as a licensed real estate agent and executive, Cindy Ariosa brings a wealth of real estate knowledge, leadership and expertise to her current role, a position she too on in the latter part of 2023. Prior to joining Howard Hanna, Ariosa served as the senior vice president and regional manager for Long& Foster for more than 23 years, overseeing the Baltimore, Western Maryland and Eastern Shore regions, comprising 40-plus offices and more than 2,000 sales associates.She currently serves as the chairman of the board of Bright MLS, one of the largest multiple listing services in the country, serving more than 100,000 subscribers and their clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic regions and District of Columbia. 
Tami Bonnell, Co-Chair, EXIT Realty Corp. Intl.
A 35-plus year veteran of the real estate industry, Tami Bonnell joined EXIT Realty in 1999. An internationally renowned speaker and leader in the industry, she began her career with EXIT owning the rights to New England, then became vice president in 2001. In 2012, she was appointed CEO, and in 2021, she became co-chair of the organization. Bonnell has consistently been recognized with many honors, including among STEMconnector’s 100 Corporate Women in STEM. In 2023, Bonnell was honored by Buffini & Company with RISMedia’s Real Estate Leadership Award in recognition of her decades-long commitment to innovation in order to blaze new paths to success for real estate professionals. 
Kate Rossi, President, Agent Engagement & Sales Leadership Development, Anywhere Brands and Anywhere Advisors, Anywhere Real Estate Inc.
Kate Rossi brings more than 40 years experience to the real estate industry. Last year, she led the launch of the Agent Engagement team for Anywhere company-owned brokerage and franchise portfolio across its six storied brands. This first-of-its-kind initiative for Anywhere supports the company’s continued expansion of its own brokerage and franchise network through personalized coaching, mentorship and the establishment of sales-enablement strategies for field teams. 
Chris Trapani, CEO & Founder, Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno
Chris Trapani co-founded Seneno in 2006. In 2022, Senreno combined forces with @properties, and through this partnership has become a partner in Christie’s International Real Estate. Over the past 16 years, Sereno has grown organically to 18 locations and 625 REALTORS. The company has established itself as the No. 1 independent brokerage in Northern California and is a consistent community supporter through its 1% for Good charitable foundation, which has donated nearly $6 million to-date to hundreds of local charities. 
Diane Turton, President & Founder, Diane Turton, REALTORS®
With a stellar career, celebrating 39 years in real estate, Diane Turton stands as a paragon of industry expertise and leadership. She founded her own company in Bay Head, New Jersey in 1985 and has grown her business into a full-service company with 14 regional sales offices and nearly 425 sales associates and a full-time management team, offering comprehensive real estate services including in-house title, insurance relocation and referral services. A nationally recognized leader, Turton is a sought-after board member, motivational speaker and media spokesperson. She has shared her insights at major national and international conferences and her dedication to community and philanthropy is evident in her active involvement in local and national women and children’s charities.
Thank you to our Real Estate Newsmakers Sponsors:
Newsmakers Gold Sponsor
Real Estate Webmasters
Newsmakers Bronze Sponsors
American Home Shield
CoreLogic
FBS
Forbes Global Properties
HouseAmp
Realtors Property Resource
Do you or someone you know have what it takes to be a 2025 Real Estate Newsmaker? If the answer is yes, click here to nominate a real estate professional today! To see the full list of 2024 Real Estate Newsmakers, click here.
