Committees, Task Forces, and Entities

The Association Executives Committee (AEC) provides a forum for the Chief Executive Officers from the local associations to be informed on MAR issues and procedures.  In addition, the AEC works to foster cooperation in the exchange of information and experiences among its members and between the Local Associations and the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®. As appropriate, the AEC provides recommendations to the MAR Executive Committee on issues of concern to the Local Associations.

The Association Executive Committee shall be comprised of the Association Executive from each Local Association and the State Association CEO/EVP, who shall also be a voting member. The Chair will be elected annually by the Committee and shall be elected prior to the NAR Annual Convention. A Vice Chair may be elected each year, but is not considered Chair-Elect.

Committee Roster

The Audit Committee makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the appointment of an outside auditor and acceptance of the financial audit of the Association. The Committee is responsible for reviewing the Association’s audit documents and regulatory filings. The members of the Committee include an independent, non-REALTOR® CPA that provides technical support in the review of documents.

The Audit Committee shall be comprised of seven (7) members. It shall be required that one (1) member meet the following criteria: currently practicing Massachusetts Certified Public Accountants (preferably with Not-for-Profit experience); not REALTOR® members; and not employed by MAR’s Auditors. The Chair shall be an MAR Director, and may not be the current MAR Treasurer. The Vice-Chair and at least one other member must be REALTOR® members in good standing and may not include the current MAR Treasurer. All REALTOR® members of the Committee, other than the Chair, must have served as either a member of the MAR Finance Committee or a member of the MAR Board of Directors during at least one of the previous two (2) years OR is a current serving member of the MAR Board of Directors.

Terms: The outside CPA shall serve for a term of one (1) year and may serve no more than three (3) consecutive one-year terms. The remaining six (6) Committee members shall have three-year staggered terms so that, as nearly as possible, two (2) Committee members’ terms shall expire each year. Accordingly, beginning in Fiscal Year 2022, two (2) members shall be appointed for three (3) years, two (2) members for two (2) years, and two (2) members for one year.

Meetings: A minimum of 2 times per year

Committee Roster

The Awards and Recognition Committee selects all award recipients, including, but not limited to: REALTOR® of the Year; Milton H. Shaw Award; Educator of the Year; Good Neighbor Award; Private Property Rights Award; Life Membership review; and other awards as appropriate.

The Awards and Recognition Committee shall be comprised of the following members: the two (2) most recent MAR Past Presidents, current MAR President, MAR CEO/EVP (non-voting), and the three (3) most recent past recipients for each respective award. The three (3) most recently awarded recipients shall only participate in meetings where their respective award selection takes place. Committee members must have active Realtor® membership or be staff. If a Realtor®-member is unable or unwilling to serve, or if they are no longer a Realtor®-member, the next available Realtor® (past winner or past MAR President depending on the vacancy) who is willing and able to serve should be selected. The Chair of the Government Affairs Committee shall serve on the Awards and Recognition Committee along with the MAR Director of Government Affairs (non-voting member) for the Private Property Rights Award. Edmund “Gill” Woods will be a member of the Milton H. Shaw Distinguished Award Committee as long as he is willing and able to serve. The Immediate Past President shall serve as the Chair of the Awards and Recognition Committee.

Committee Roster

The Board of Directors shall have the sole right to vote as members of MAR and shall have control over the management of the business, finances, and property of the Corporation, and the Directors are hereby vested with such management of all the powers that the Corporation itself possesses, except such as are conferred by these Bylaws or the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Board of Directors is lead by the Officers of the organization; President, President-Elect, and Treasurer.

Committee Roster

The Capital Improvement Task Force consults and advises the President with regard to real property owned by the Association, which includes, but is not limited to, proposed leases for commercial tenants, extensions of existing leases, the value of and tenancy for commercial space offered, and other matters which shall be deemed appropriate by the President.

Committee Roster

The MAR Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that raises funds to provide assistance to Massachusetts 501(c)3 non-profit public charities focused on housing, hunger, homelessness and disaster relief. The Foundation has given over $600,000 in grants to public charities.

Meetings: approximately 4 times per year

Committee Roster

The purpose of the Conference Viability Task Force is to evaluate the viability of a 2024 MAR Conference.

Committee Roster

The purpose of the Diversity, Inclusion, and Member Engagement Task Force is to support and engage in programs and activities of organizations and initiatives that encourage diversity in member involvement and leadership opportunities.

Committee Roster

The charge of the Education Committee is to plan educational programming and events including but not limited to: Graduate REALTOR® Institute Programs; online Continuing Education courses, broker education, and other professional development programs such as the MAR conference.

The Education Committee shall be comprised of nine (9) to fifteen (15) members

Meetings: approximately 6 times per year

2023 Committee Roster

The Executive Committee is authorized to act on behalf of the Board of Directors between meetings of the Board of Directors and is authorized to take action on the creation of Task Forces, Work Groups, and Presidential Advisory Groups, amendments to the policy manual, public policy statement, and other policies and guidelines. The committee also advises on the employment and prescriptions of the functions of the CEO/EVP.

The Committee is composed of the President, President-Elect, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, Regional Vice Presidents, Four At-Large Directors, and one Local Association Executive.

Committee Roster

The Finance Committee makes recommendations to the Treasurer, Executive Committee, and the Board of Directors regarding the financial matters of the Association. The committee’s responsibilities include budgeting and financial statement review.

The Finance Committee shall be comprised of fifteen (15) members with the Treasurer serving as Chair, President-Elect as a member, and up to three (3) additional Executive Committee members. Preference shall be given to those applicants with financial and/or investment experience.

Meetings: 6 times per year

Committee Roster

The Forms Content Advisory Committee monitors and advises the MAR attorneys regarding MassForms™. The Committee discusses and implements revisions to existing forms, as well as creating new forms, when necessary. The Committee’s goal is to ensure that the MAR Forms Library contains accurate, up-to-date, necessary forms to assist REALTORS® throughout a real estate transaction.

The Forms Content Advisory Committee shall be comprised of a Chair, Local Association Presidents or their designee, who must be a REALTOR® volunteer member, and any appointments made by the MAR President.

The Committee meets approximately 3 times per year.

Committee Roster

The Government Affairs Committee reviews current legislative and regulatory issues that have an impact on housing, land use, and business issues related to real estate. The Committee is authorized to make decisions with MAR professional staff regarding MAR positions on regulatory and legislative issues pursuant to the MAR Public Policy Statement. The Committee oversees the Private Property Protection Fund to the extent authorized in the Fund’s guidelines.

The Government Affairs Committee shall be comprised of a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a REALTOR® volunteer member designee appointed by each Local Association, and up to fifteen (15) at-large appointments made by the MAR President.

Meetings: Approximately 5 times per year.

Committee Roster

The charge of the Grievance Committee is to review Ethics and Arbitration Complaints pursuant to the NAR Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual.

The MAR Grievance Committee shall be comprised of no fewer than six (6) members. All MAR members who have completed Professional Standards training shall be eligible to serve on this Committee, pursuant to appointment by the President.

Committee Roster

The Investment Committee acts for and reports to the Board of Directors regarding all investment activities of the Association. Guided by an independent outside professional investment advisory firm, the Committee ensures compliance with MAR investment policies.

The Investment Committee shall be comprised of seven (7) members and the MAR Treasurer. Preference shall be given to those applicants with investment and/or financial experience.

Terms: Six (6) Committee members shall have three-year staggered terms so that, as nearly as possible, two (2) Committee members’ terms shall expire each year. Accordingly, beginning in Fiscal Year 2022, two (2) members shall be appointed for three (3) years, two (2) members for two (2) years, and two (2) members for one year. The MAR Treasurer shall serve so long as they are the Treasurer of the Association.

Meetings: Approximately 4 times per year.

Committee Roster

The charge of the Leadership Development Committee is to nurture and empower
volunteers at all levels of the Association. The Committee will promote volunteer positions with an emphasis on general commitment and dedication, coordinate, suggest, and develop volunteer leadership training; and to ensure that Leadership items on the MAR Strategic Plan are fulfilled. The Leadership Development Committee shall also oversee the MAR Leadership Academy in coordination with MAR Professional Staff.

The Leadership Development Committee shall be comprised of the President-Elect as Chair; two (2) Past Presidents appointed by the President; two (2) past Executive Committee members appointed by the President; two (2) members appointed by the President; one (1) Leadership Academy Graduate appointed by the President; and two (2) Local Association Executives appointed by the President. The Presidential appointments shall serve staggered terms so that, as nearly as possible, one appointee from each category shall be selected each year. Except as otherwise provided herein, each designee shall serve a term of two (2) consecutive years.

Meetings: Quarterly

Committee Roster

The Massachusetts Real Estate Community Alliance, a nonpartisan, non-profit organization, 501(c)(4) that supports and protects property owners and the communities they help build through advocacy. The Board of Directors consists of one appointed director from each region of MAR.

Committee Roster

The Member Benefits Committee evaluates, provides and promotes services and products that benefit a member’s business and enhance services and value to MAR members. The committee has the authority to review, approve and terminate affinity partnerships. The Member Benefits Committee is responsible for selecting recipients of the MAR Gratitude Project Award and reviewing consumer awareness promotions.

The Member Benefits Committee shall be comprised of nine (9) to fifteen (15) members.

Meetings: Approximately 6 times per year.

2023 Committee Roster

The charge of the Professional Standards Committee is to continue to provide fair, ethical, and consistent Professional Standards services through experienced and well-trained members. Members shall be available to serve pursuant to the MAR Interboard Arbitration Agreement and the Interstate Arbitration Agreement, including but not limited to: offering mediation, ombudsman, grievance, and arbitration to resolve and enforce the Code of Ethics of the National Associations of REALTORS® and commission disputes between members.

All MAR members who have completed Professional Standards training shall be eligible to serve on this Committee, pursuant to appointment by the President.

The committee meets annually and as needed throughout the year.

Committee Roster

In 2014, MAR created an Independent Expenditure (IE) Program which allows MAR to access funds from the National Association of REALTORS® to engage in IEs in contested state-level campaigns in Massachusetts. Independent Expenditures expressly advocate for the election of a candidate without any coordination with the candidate or the candidate’s campaign.

Meetings are as needed, dependent on the election cycle.

Committee Roster

The REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) works for REALTORS® across Massachusetts. Your contributions to RPAC support federal, state, and local lawmakers who share the REALTORS® commitment to promoting homeownership and private property rights. RPAC is administered by an autonomous group of REALTOR® trustees representing all regions of the Commonwealth. Decisions on contributions to candidates are based on an individual’s voting record and candidate’s demonstration of support for REALTORS® issues, not party affiliations.

Meetings: approx. 4-6 times per year
This is an elected position.

The RPAC Board of Trustees shall consist of eleven (11) and up to thirteen (13) members: seven (7) of whom shall be the elected regional trustees, one (1) of whom shall be designated as Chairman by the MAR President; one (1) of whom shall be appointed annually by the MAR President; one (1) of whom shall be the duly appointed Massachusetts representative of the NAR RPAC Participation Council, and one (1) of whom shall be the duly appointed Massachusetts representative of the NAR Major Investor Council; one (1) of whom shall be the duly appointed Massachusetts representative of the NAR REALTOR® Party Member Involvement Committee; one (1) of whom shall be the duly appointed Massachusetts representative of the NAR RPAC Trustees Fundraising Committee and/or the duly appointed Massachusetts representative of the NAR RPAC Trustees Federal Disbursements Committee, the names of which may be amended from time-to-time.

Committee Roster

As home buyers get younger and the real estate industry constantly evolves, MAR’s Young Professional Network sets out to ensure their voices and ideas are heard within the industry. The Young Professionals Network is a dynamic entry point for real estate professionals striving to become more successful in their careers and gain leadership experience. By providing this entry point, MAR is building a new, diverse generation of leaders, strengthening members’ affinity for the REALTOR® brand early in their career, and gaining a valuable perspective on generational shifts.

Meetings: Approximately 3 times per year.

Committee Roster