Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver welcomes new CEO, Jeff King

Your Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeff King as the organization’s next CEO. He'll begin his tenure at REBGV in November.

Jeff has extensive experience in strategy, innovation, licensing, distribution, and corporate planning, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer for The Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada.

Between 2020 and 2021, he also served as interim CEO of Dataclef, a back-office service provider to music rights organizations, and as Chair of the Board of Directors at DDEX, a standards-setting organization focused on creating digital value chain standards for the music industry.

“It’s a privilege to join an organization with such a rich history in Metro Vancouver,” King says. “In this era of rapid innovation, I look forward to helping REBGV continue to provide world-class technology, tools and services to its members and the home buying and selling public they serve.”

Jeff replaces long-time senior executive Brad Scott, who has served the organization as CEO since 2013. Brad plans to retire at year-end after a long career at REBGV that saw the organization achieve significant successes.

“I’d like to express REBGV’s heartfelt thanks to Brad for serving the Realtors of our region with great distinction for more than four decades. Across Canada, he’s been regarded as a leader in the real estate profession for a generation,” says REBGV Chair Taylor Biggar. “We've been well-served under Brad’s leadership.

“REBGV has been a positive voice for change and growth in Greater Vancouver for over a century. With the experience, talent and leadership that Jeff brings to the CEO role, we’re excited to see the next chapter unfold.”

Profiles in governance: Dan Morrison

Getting involved with the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver’s (REBGV’s) governance has many benefits. It’s a great way to develop professional skills, learn more about your Board and your profession, and to give back.

Several of REBGV’s past-Chairs have gone on to serve other organizations in key governance roles and pursue different business opportunities.

Don’t take our word for it – our past-Chairs share their experiences and insights in our new series called Profiles in Governance. Today's subject is Dan Morrison.

What motivated you to become an REBGV Director?

Funnily enough, I’m not sure that I was so much motivated to become a Director as I was more “coerced" into doing so by several of my peers. The truth is a little deeper in that I truly believed that I might be able to make a small contribution to improve our profession for both our members and our clients.

How would you describe your experience as a Director?

First of all, joining the REBGV Board of Directors was a huge learning curve. I’d assumed that after serving as a Director on the North Shore Division (and the previous North Vancouver Division) for twelve years that I had a pretty good understanding of the real estate issues we’d be dealing with. What I quickly learned was that, where the old Divisions were primarily dealing with operational issues, the Board of Directors was dealing almost exclusively with the much bigger picture or strategic issues affecting our profession. It took me a while to learn the difference and how to frame my questions on these higher-level issues. There were certainly meetings in my first few years where I felt like I was drinking from a firehose of information.

What knowledge or skills did you gain from your time on the Board of Directors?

For me, the greatest benefit of being a Director was learning and gaining an appreciation of what good governance really is. The REBGV is an industry leader in good governance best practices and served as an excellent model for me on how to be a more strategic and effective leader and decision maker. And, of course, one quickly learns about the differences and nuances of the various levels and associated organizations that serve organized real estate in Canada. You also quickly learn who’s who in organized real estate and who to call when you have a question.

How did serving as a Director at REBGV help you manage your real estate business?

While I can’t say that being a director made a huge difference in my personal real estate business, it did create several referral opportunities for me with other ORE associates that I’d met across the country. I would also add that when my clients didn’t quite understand why they had to deal with certain rules or paperwork, I had a much better understanding of why and could now better explain the rationale and how it was usually for their protection and/or benefit. My leadership position at REBGV provided me with a lot more professional credibility that I might not have otherwise have had.

How did serving as a Director at REBGV open doors to other opportunities?

The combination of the leadership and governance training I received plus my higher profile in the community certainly contributed to several opportunities after my term with the REBGV Board. I was recruited and served in significant leadership roles as a Managing Broker with two national real estate firms. I’ve also been a Director of the BC Real Estate Association for the last four years, and this is my year as Chair of their Board of Directors. Also, as President and spokesperson of REBGV in 2016, the media training and experience I received resulted in several opportunities to speak on panels and earned me the respect of local media.

What advice would you give to a member thinking about getting involved in governance?

The first piece of advice is to look for opportunities to serve on boards and gain some governance experience. There are many opportunities in our communities to make a difference in various community organizations that are looking for volunteers to help them lead. Take every opportunity you can to learn good governance practices and gain the experience that will help you attract other positions. Also start building up your resume with volunteer teams, task forces and committees both inside and outside of real estate. Smart people, who have also paid their dues and have real experience serving, are always more attractive to organizations. Build your networks, don’t burn any bridges, and have fun!

Prepare to be a future leader with these resources

One of the common questions the Board Development Committee (BDC) hears from members who are interested in running in our Board of Directors election is, Where can I learn more about governance?

To help, we’ve gathered some resources, including seminars and training courses that provide insight into a director’s role and responsibilities. This governance education is valuable preparation for anyone who’d like to serve on the Board of Directors.

Here’s how you can get going.

Ivey Business Journal

A good place to start is to think about the characteristics of a leader. The Ivey Business Journal’s article on great leaders emphasizes the three Cs: competencies, commitment, and character. Read this article to learn how these elements combine to make great leaders and effective directors.

Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD)

The ICD offers several resources to help bring out the best in today’s corporate leaders.

Learn more about their comprehensive education program for those looking to become board directors of not-for-profit organizations: ICD Rotman NFP Program here.

You may also be interested in their Rotman Directors Education Program.

Shorter courses are available through their Board Fundamentals series. Courses include:

• Boardroom Financial Essentials
• Audit Committee Effectiveness
• Board Oversight of Strategy
• Enterprise Risk Oversight for Directors
• Human Resources & Compensation Committee Effectiveness
• The Digital Director: Cybersecurity and Social Media for Directors (currently unavailable)

ICD members can access a not-for-profit video learning series. You can also search for events from the local ICD chapter (use the drop-down menu to filter for British Columbia).

Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA)

CREA offers a National Leadership Program designed to ensure future leaders have sound industry knowledge and a solid understanding of association governance.

The program comes in three modules:

• Leadership 100: On the Path to Leadership
• Leadership 200: Becoming a Leader
• Leadership 300: Enhancing Leadership Skills

Check out the program on CREA’s website for more information and to register.

Contact your BDC

The BDC is a group of dedicated volunteer members who give their time to ensure REBGV actively searches for leaders who are willing and capable of serving as directors in the interest of all members. Contact them to learn more about how you can prepare yourself to run in a future Board of Directors election:

Chair: Jack Bernard, Rennie & Associates Realty
Lynn Dequanne, RE/MAX Crest Realty
Colette Gerber, Heller Murch Realty
Carsten Love, Macdonald Realty
Tina Mak, Macdonald Realty
Terri Smith, RE/MAX LifeStyles Realty
Michael Uy, Oakwyn Realty
Doug Williams, RE/MAX Crest Realty

You can also visit our website or email becomeadirector@rebgv.org for more information. 

Did you get the memo?

I’ve written a lot about advertising over the past 16 years, as evidenced by the number of columns on this topic in the Ethics Guy®’s keyword index. But I haven’t written on the subject recently, so here are a few reminders to help you deal with advertising issues members ask me about.

But first, I’ll highlight the relevant standards and where you can find them.

The Board has two sets of rules it can enforce against members: the REALTOR® Code of Ethics and the Rules of Cooperation.

Other entities have standards too; for example, the BC Financial Services Authority, the Competition Bureau, and the do-not-call and anti-spam, privacy, and trademark folks.

There are so many different requirements in such a multitude of places it isn’t surprising to me that members occasionally run advertising that doesn’t tick all the boxes. That’s why, except for serial offenders, we generally take a low-key approach to dealing with advertising complaints. Most of the time when we call a member who is unaware of the standard in question, or who simply forgot to show a trademark or brokerage’s name, or to insert the “this is not intended to induce a breach of an existing agency contract” disclaimer, we do a bit education and call it a day. As a result, we don’t usually get repeat performances.

Here’s the REALTOR® Code’s very broad definition of advertising:

Advertising means any marketing activity to promote the brokerage, the REALTOR® or a transaction and includes any verbal, written or graphic representation in any form, including electronic media.

The 10 most common mistakes members make when they advertise

1. Not including the brokerage name (REALTOR® Code Article 13)
2. Making unsupported claims (Article 15)
3. Sending advertising to sellers who have asked for privacy protection (Rules of Cooperation, Rule 6.06)
4. Making offers or inducements qualified by “some restrictions apply, go to my website for details”; the exceptions have to be in the ad, not somewhere else, (Article 15)
5. Advertising other members’ listings without permission (Article 14)
6. Using other members’ pictures/floorplans without permission (Article 28, Rule 3.25)
7. Copying from an old listing (Rule 3.06)
8. Not respecting CREA’s trademark of the words REALTOR®, REALTORS®, MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® (Article 27)
9. (Except for life members), not showing the year(s) for which the member has qualified for Medallion/President’s Club (Member Manual, Section 6, Medallion Club Advertising)
10. Confusing social with mainstream media (the standards are the same for both)

Honourable mention: thinking that these standards don’t apply to foreign-language media.

The Board has an entire course devoted to the subject, Advertising Clinic: Do's and Don’ts. Check it out.

Top Tip

The value of two managing brokers communicating with each other about a member versus member complaint can’t be understated. The Professional Conduct Committee requires this before it will hear a complaint. But even so, it’s always a good idea to contact the other side when there’s a concern about another member’s conduct. Having a chat will often reveal nuances about what happened and may shed some light on a murky situation. When there’s a dispute, things are rarely black and white. It’s helpful to really understand the other side’s perspective. Reaching out can also open the door to a “What does a solution look like to you?”, “What’ll it take to get this thing resolved?” kind of conversation.

Recently, two files I was fairly certain would go to a formal complaint were resolved between the brokerages to the satisfaction of all concerned, mainly due to goodwill and the efforts of the managing brokers. Well done!

BCFSA CEO gives insights into the regulator’s new structure and philosophy

The BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) is working to simplify the regulation of real estate in BC with a focus on addressing actions rather than entities, according to BCFSA CEO Blair Morrison who presented to, and answered questions from, more than 400 members at our online event on September 22.

BCFSA became the sole real estate regulator in the province in August, taking on the functions of both the Real Estate Council of BC and the Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate (OSRE). They also regulate pension plans, credit unions, insurance and trust companies, and mortgage brokers in BC.

Morrison’s presentation offered early insight into the approach that we can expect from our new regulator.

“I will tell you right now, I don't think we'll always agree. There will be sometimes when we don't. That's okay, but I'm not looking to be a ‘gotcha’ regulator,” said Morrison. “I want to move from that reactive ‘gotcha’ kind of regulator to a more proactive and risk-based regulator at the end of the day.”

He stressed that more efficient, modern, data-driven regulation will benefit all professionals in the real estate sector, curbing unprofessional behavior and addressing bad actors.

“I think there will still be bad actors that we have to deal with – and that process needs to move efficiently and effectively. But you know, the vast majority of people in the whole sector are honest, hardworking, and doing their jobs trying to move forward to work with their customers,” said Morrison.

Click here to view a full recording of the event. 

Here are some other highlights:

Integrating OSRE and Council

When the province formed BCFSA in 2019, then-Minister of Finance Carole James announced plans to move all of BC’s financial services under one regulator – including real estate. This was a key recommendations in both Dan Perrin’s Real Estate Regulatory Structure Review, and the Expert Panel on Money Laundering’s final report.

Former Superintendent of Real Estate Micheal Noseworthy and former Council CEO Erin Seeley both have senior roles with BCFSA.

BCFSA now has over 350 staff working in Victoria and Vancouver with a budget of approximately $60 million.

New discipline model

Complaints will now be investigated by a dedicated investigations team that'll focus on high-risk issues. This team will gather evidence in a report that includes recommended next steps to be forwarded to a legal team for review. 

BCFSA is also developing a new disciplinary process for hearings. When implemented, disciplinary hearings for real estate licensees in the province will be heard by a single hearing officer instead of a panel, as it was under Council. The hearing officer will look at cases and decide on appropriate discipline decisions and administrative penalties.

BCFSA believes this new process will be more efficient, consistent, and predictable.

Stakeholder engagement

BCFSA committed to continuing relationships built between the BC real estate boards and the former Council and OSRE. The current advisory groups for trading services, strata management, and education will remain in place until at least 2022.

Anti-money laundering

Combating money laundering was a key consideration when the province created BCFSA.

While the Cullen Commission’s findings will ultimately dictate the direction the province will take in terms of anti-money laundering measures, Morrison believes BCFSA will play a major role.

“I have no inside information, but I think we will be part of what comes out of Cullen in terms of clarifying our mandate,” said Morrison.

New technology

BCFSA is investing in technology, including a new Integrated Regulatory Information System (IRIS) that’ll allow them to centralize and better maintain data.

The goal is to make processes like licensing or managing documents more efficient. For licensees, this will mean a new self-serve web portal for processes, like license renewals, in the Spring of 2022.

SentriCards are retiring in 2022 - get the SentriLock app today!

Our lockbox provider, SentriLock, is phasing out its SentriCards at the end of 2021.

SentriCard technology has reached the end of its useful life cycle and doesn’t support the robust functionality that you and your clients need in today’s market.

SentriLock’s app, called SentriKey, will be your primary tool to replace the SentriCard.

SentriKey lets you:

• receive instant notifications,
• generate access codes.
• customize showing instructions,
• manage contacts and track access, and
• link to third-party integrations like HomeSpotter.

How do I download SentriKey?

Search for “SentriKey real estate” in the Google Play or Apple App stores. The app is free to download.

Use the same login information you use for the SentriCard utility program or SentriLock’s website to enter the app.

Follow the prompts on the setup wizard. When you’re finished, you’ll be ready to go!

How do I use SentriKey?

If you’re new to SentriLock, familiarize yourself with the app by taking their SentriKey app training. There’s also a full library of how-to videos you can access.

SentriLock has also developed a comprehensive FAQ to help you understand and prepare for these changes.

Check out SentriKey today to see what you’ve been missing!