Leadership Academy
Emerging leaders of today will guide the REALTOR® organization of tomorrow. Going into its 18th year, the GAR Leadership Academy (GLA) will train 25 individuals who will be selected from scores of applicants for leadership opportunities in the REALTOR® organization and beyond. Candidates who may best serve as a local or state leader in the future are selected based on their track record of volunteer performance for their local board and/or civic organizations, and their personal integrity. GAR invites you to complete and submit the application for your chance to be a future REALTOR® leader.
Check back on this page in August 2025 for information on applying for the 2026 Leadership Academy.
Leadership Essentials
2025 Inaugural Conference – Monday, February 17, 2025
International speaker Bob Harris, CAE, will guide you through the qualities of a leader, goal setting, governing documents, legal liability, fiduciary duty, and creative thinking. This session includes a networking lunch with the 2025 Georgia REALTORS® Leadership Team.
Inclusion and Diversity
Thursday, March 13, 2025 – Georgia REALTORS® Headquarters
The At Home With Diversity Certification course will be held for the Leadership Academy participants. This course is designed to enable you to work successfully with and within a rapidly changing multicultural market. It will help you learn diversity sensitivity, how it applies to U.S. fair housing laws in your business, and ways to develop professional guidelines for working with people in the increasingly multicultural real estate market. This course does carry six hours of CE credit.
Public Speaking for Leaders
Thursday, April 10, 2025 – Georgia REALTORS® Headquarters
National speaker Juanita McDowell will guide you through communication essentials for REALTOR® association leadership.
Executive Committee Meeting
Thursday, June 12, 2025 – Georgia REALTORS® Headquarters
Join the 2025 Georgia REALTORS® Executive Committee as a guest to see the leadership in action. Leadership Academy participants are invited to join the committee for a networking lunch. **All participants will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement. **
Parliamentary Procedures / Emotional Intelligence
Thursday, August 14, 2025 – Georgia REALTORS® Headquarters
Lillie McLean will start the day by walking you through how the association is governed by an examination of Robert’s Rules of Order, meeting management, agendas, and minutes. That afternoon, Michele Pirkle will train you on Emotional Intelligence (EI) and how understanding EI will enhance your leadership skills and put you on a path to becoming a better leader.
Not-for-Profit Finances / GAR Immersion Day
Thursday, October 9, 2025 – Georgia REALTORS® Headquarters
Begin the day with Fred Bumpass, CPA. This session will develop your ability to appropriately interpret financial statements used by non-profit organizations and how they differ from for-profit financial reporting. During the afternoon session, you will meet with the GAR Staff and hear how each department facilitates the staff-volunteer partnership.
Advocacy Day
November 2025 – Healey Building Location
Start your day with the Governmental Affairs Team! Tour the Georgia REALTORS® Healey Building space and possibly hear from legislators throughout the day.
**REQUIREMENTS TO COMPLETE THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY PROGRAM**(Leadership Academy recognition will be held at the 2026 Inaugural Conference Awards Presentation)
- Attend at least six of the seven sessions
- Watch the NAR Video: Bias Override: Overcoming Barriers to Fair Housing
- Complete NAR’s Fairhaven Simulation
- Become C2EX endorsed by the end of 2025
- Attend GAR’s Inaugural and Annual Conference in 2025