SAN DIEGO — Prominent real estate executive David Charron was recognized by his peers Friday for his contributions to the MLS industry.
The Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS), an MLS trade group founded in 1957, awarded Charron its first-ever Peter Shuttleworth MLS Executive Award of Excellence.
David Charron
Charron has been the president and CEO of Rockville, Maryland-based Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS) since January 2001. MRIS is one of the largest MLSs in the nation.
The Peter Shuttleworth award is for MLS executives who have observed the highest qualities of leadership in their own organization, said CMLS President Shelley Specchio in announcing the award at the “MLS Executives Session” of the National Association of Realtors annual conference.
“The excellence of executive leadership in the MLS industry cannot be overstated. It is through the vision of our leaders and their courage to forward that vision that promotes and protects the fluid, accurate, dependable MLS trading platform that supports a vibrant marketplace, the success of our members and the dream of homeownership,” Specchio said in a press release.
“David Charron embodies the excellence we all strive to achieve as leaders, and CMLS is proud to recognize his contributions to the industry.”
Charron received the award from Shuttleworth himself. Shuttleworth, now retired after 27 years as executive vice president of Wisconsin-based Metro MLS, was a leader in MLS cooperation. He created a regional MLS by building on successful relationships between brokers, agents, Realtor associations and “the idea that data should flow without boundaries,” CMLS said. He also partnered with Wisconsin MLSs to create a still-operating statewide data share, WIREX, and a statewide public records tool, WIREData. Charron is hoping to take MLS cooperation even further. MRIS and neighboring Philadelphia area-based MLS TREND plan to merge and hope to convince other MLSs to join them in the endeavor. If successful, the new combined organization could reduce the costs and headaches of belonging to multiple MLSs for more than 100,000 agents and brokers.
This is only the latest progressive step MRIS has taken under Charron’s leadership. The MLS is known for embracing innovation and has several times been a finalist for the Inman Innovator awards during Charron’s tenure.
Charron himself has been selected as one of the “Most Influential Real Estate Leaders” by Inman nine consecutive times.
Charron was recently elected to serve on the board of directors for CMLS and as a strategic director on Midwest Real Estate Data’s (MRED) board of managers, CMLS said.
He has also held positions as a board member of the Realtors Federal Credit Union; member of NAR’s MLS Policy Committee; and founder of MLS industry think tank COVE, CMLS added.
