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llustration by Lanette Behiry/Real Estate News; Shutterstock

    Former CMLS COO René Galicia has moved to North Texas Real Estate Information Systems (NTREIS), where he will serve as executive vice president and general counsel. In this new role, Galicia will oversee strategic planning, member engagement, technology and data governance, vendor partnerships, compliance, risk management, and business development. His background includes EVP of policy counsel and strategic partnerships at Bright MLS, director of MLS engagement at the National Association of Realtors, and director of compliance and data licensing at California Regional MLS. NTREIS, which serves over 53,000 subscribers in North Texas, aims to combine operational excellence with proactive legal strategies to meet evolving technology and subscriber needs. CEO Chris Carrillo praised Galicia’s blend of MLS operational experience and legal expertise as essential for navigating the industry’s policy, technology, and litigation crossroads. Carrillo, who sits on the CMLS board, confirmed that NTREIS and Galicia remain fully committed to CMLS, with Galicia willing to serve on CMLS committees and support its mission.

    In Fort Worth, the Greater Fort Worth Association of Realtors (GFWAR) and the Greater Lewisville Association of Realtors (GLAR) have merged under the GFWAR name while preserving GLAR’s legacy through a dedicated local council. The merger, approved by both boards and members, combines GLAR’s 1,200 members with GFWAR’s 5,000, strengthening advocacy at local, state, and national levels. Members will keep their current MLS access, dues, and office locations and will gain new resources such as CubiCasa, RealSatisfied, and training through the GFWAR Academy. President Paul Epperley highlighted that the partnership will amplify support for REALTORS and expand their reach.

    Stellar MLS’s subsidiary Universal Consulting Opportunities (UCO) has formed a strategic alliance with the Confederación Inmobiliaria Latinoamericana (CILA), a private international real‑estate organization with 700,000 members serving 527 million people—about 80 % of Latin America’s population. The partnership will provide MLS expertise and education to CILA brokers and property managers across 18 countries. UCO CEO Merri Jo Cowen expressed enthusiasm about sharing best practices to advance real‑estate markets throughout Latin America.