Since 1891, Phoenix REALTORS® has played a vital role in supporting and advancing the careers of Arizona real estate professionals through education, advocacy and resources. Despite its position representing the fifth-largest city in the U.S. — and one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation — it struggled to stand out in comparison to other local REALTOR organizations, with many professionals selecting membership based on convenience or familiarity rather than merit.

And Phoenix REALTORS had many new merits. Fresh executive leadership transformed the association from a conventional clubhouse to a member-first organization — delivering innovative programming and services, introducing the lowest dues in the Valley and increasing choice in how professionals choose to invest in their membership level. Despite reinventing itself, it was still lost in the shuffle.

We seized the opportunity to reintroduce Phoenix REALTORS as the Valley’s preeminent real estate association with industry professionals and the public, using the media as the primary communications vehicle. These efforts earned us a 2025 PRSA Phoenix Copper Anvils Award for media relations as well as national recognition on the 2025 PRNEWS Nonprofit Awards finalist list:

• Leveraging monthly housing data reports to deliver a steady drumbeat of custom, high-quality analysis to both broad business and hyperlocal media outlets, resulting in 196 pieces of coverage in 2025 alone, which generated an estimated 2.38M views — systematically overtaking share of voice from other Valley-based REALTOR associations.
• Tapping into broader trends around Arizona’s real estate market to elevate Phoenix REALTORS’ voice to the national stage, generating inquiries and exposure from outlets like NBC News, Bloomberg, Business Insider, Realtor.com and Axios.
• Preserving Phoenix REALTORS’ reputation at the national level after the association faced a legal challenge from its parent organization over a new subscription offering. We managed sentiment across 40 stories, educated media and stakeholders and rallied industry support that contributed to a positive resolution.