Terrie Suit, who was CEO of Virginia real estate agents has announced her retirement for the past 11 years, according to a company announcement on Friday.
Virginia Realtors, which has 38,000 members, has named Martin K. Johnson interim CEO. Johnson previously served as senior vice president of advocacy, chief lobbyist and chief of external affairs.
According to her company bio, Suit became CEO in September 2013. She has been a real estate agent since 1985 and has also originated mortgages for twenty years.
In 1996 she was appointed governor Virginia Real Estate Council. She was later elected a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and served the 81st District from 2000 to 2008.
“As a delegate, Terrie was recognized by legislative colleagues and constituents as an expert on housing policy, including real estate licensing, communities of common interest, landlord tenant issues, real estate financing, foreclosure, and construction and fair housing issues,” her biography reads. .
In 2011, Suit was appointed by the governor of Virginia as the state’s first Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security. The daughter of a U.S. Army veteran and wife of a U.S. Navy veteran, she worked to make Virginia “the most veteran-friendly state in the country.”
The association cited a number of important achievements under Suit’s leadership. These include the opening of a second full-time office “just steps away” from the Virginia Capitol in Richmond, and the growth of a legal team that now operates a successful real estate agent hotline with an average response time of 45 minutes.
Virginia Realtors has a Learning Center website for members, providing real-time access to continuing education and other resources. The association has been able to offer its classes to agents in surrounding states.
It also hired an economist and built a research team “that will take us to the next level of data creation research and continue to strengthen our role as Virginia’s trusted voice in real estate.”
“Terrie Suit has helped us build a world-class team at VAR to implement these initiatives,” the association said. “We thank Terrie for her loyal commitment to our sector and wish her all the best in her retirement.”
