The National Association of REALTORS® announced Friday the appointment of David Conroy as its first-ever chief data officer and senior vice president of strategy and innovation. In this new role, Conroy will
- Guide enterprise-wide data strategy
- Unify disparate technology and data functions
- Scale internal systems
- Oversee data governance, systems integration and innovation delivery
The new role marks a return to NAR for Conroy, who was the association’s director of technology and innovation for five years starting in 2019. In that role, he researched emerging technologies and their potential impact on real estate.
“Data is one of NAR’s most important strategic assets, and the way we structure and use it will shape where our association goes next,” says NAR CEO Nykia Wright. “David’s vision, leadership and track record of transformational technology work will help deepen our analytic capabilities, streamline operations, and drive innovation in ways that give our members a strategic advantage.”
Career Focused on Innovation
A software engineer, Conroy has led technology initiatives for REALTOR® associations for most of the past 16 years—most recently, as chief technology officer for the California Association of REALTORS®. Conroy led CAR’s technology strategy, architecture and product roadmap; drove modernization of legacy systems; consolidated platforms for improved member services; and steered cross-organizational data alignment efforts.
From 2017 to 2019, Conroy led engineering and technical architecture for Consensys Meridio, a blockchain-based platform to facilitate real estate investment and trading. He previously served as director of information technology at the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®.
Putting REALTORS® at the Forefront of Change
“David’s appointment represents a critical turning point for NAR,” says NAR Executive Vice President of Strategic Business, Innovation & Technology Mark Birschbach. “The chief data officer role will help us better integrate our technology platforms, strengthen data-driven decision-making and accelerate the innovation that keeps our members competitive. David’s deep understanding of both our systems and our strategic priorities makes him uniquely qualified to lead this work.”
Conroy officially joins NAR in early January.
“As real estate enters an era of accelerating technology change,” Conroy says, “having a unified, purposeful data and innovation agenda is essential. I’m honored to lead this work at NAR, collaborating across teams to ensure that our platforms, infrastructure and insights empower our members and help shape the future of real estate.”