Behind the Bylaws #3: Article 11 + Your Questions Answered

July 21, 2026

This week, we are continuing our review of the proposed bylaws updates. In this third update, we will address questions from last week’s review of Articles 7–9, then focus on Article 11.

Expanding Leadership Opportunities

Officer & Director Positions

One of the most visible recommendations involves revising the Association’s officer positions.

Beginning with the 2027 leadership year, the proposed officer structure would consist of:

  • President
  • President-Elect
  • Secretary-Treasurer (The roles of Secretary and Treasurer are combined.)
  • Immediate Past President

Another proposed change would reorganize how leadership is structured for three of our Association’s committees—Education, Member Engagement, and Community Outreach.

Under our current bylaws, members elect three Vice Presidents, each serving a one-year term and chairing one of these committees. Under the proposal, those three Vice President positions would be replaced with three Director positions serving staggered three-year terms. While these Directors would continue to serve on the Board, they would no longer be automatically required to chair the previously mentioned committees.

Instead, the President would appoint the chairs of the Education, Member Engagement, and Community Outreach Committees, subject to confirmation by the Board of Directors—the same process already used for most of our Association’s committees.

This change creates more opportunities for members to become involved in leadership. Rather than limiting these committee chair positions to elected Board members, qualified volunteers who are not serving on the Board would also be eligible to chair these important committees. This broadens the leadership pipeline, encourages greater member participation, and allows more members to contribute their talents and expertise. It’s also important to note that the overall size of the Board of Directors would not change.

Duties of Officers

Another recommendation aligns the bylaws with how the Association currently operates.

For example, responsibility for maintaining the Association’s official records would move from the elected Secretary to the Chief Executive Officer. This change reflects current operational practice while allowing elected officers to focus on governance and strategic leadership.

Board of Directors

The proposed amendments also provide greater clarity regarding Board composition.

The bylaws would clearly identify:

  • Voting members of the Board
  • Ex-officio, non-voting committee chairs
  • The Chief Executive Officer as a non-voting member

The proposal also establishes a guideline that no more than four REALTORS® from the same firm may serve on the Board at one time, unless circumstances such as a company merger occur after members have already been elected. This recommendation helps encourage broad representation across the membership

What’s Covered This Week?

This week’s article review focuses on Article 11.

Article 11 Officers & Directors

Article XI addresses several important aspects of Association governance, including:

  • Officer positions
  • Duties of officers
  • Board of Directors
  • Executive Committee
  • Leadership qualifications
  • Election procedures

Let’s look at each section.

Executive Committee

Another significant recommendation formally defines the role of the Executive Committee.

The proposed amendments clarify:

  • Who serves on the Executive Committee
  • What authority the committee has
  • What authority it does not have

The proposal also requires that all actions taken by the Executive Committee be reported to the full Board at its next meeting and remain subject to Board review.

This reinforces transparency and accountability throughout the governance process.

Leadership Qualifications

The proposed revisions also reorganize the qualifications for serving as an Officer or Director.

Rather than having eligibility requirements scattered throughout the bylaws, Article XI brings them together into one clearly organized section.

Candidates would generally be expected to:

  • Be members in good standing
  • Have appropriate Association leadership experience
  • Be free of unresolved ethics or arbitration matters
  • Meet the qualifications established for the office being sought

This makes expectations easier to understand and promotes consistency in future leadership elections.

Why These Changes Matter

The proposed changes to Article XI are intended to create a governance structure that is:

  • Positioned to serve the Association well into the future.
  • Designed to expand opportunities for members to become more involved in leadership positions.
  • Better aligned with current operational practices.
  • More transparent and efficient.

Submit a Question

Members are encouraged to submit questions throughout the review process. Questions received may be addressed in future weekly updates, FAQs, or other member communications. Submit a question here: Question Form

Continue Following the Series

The next update will be shared on July 28 and will cover Articles 12 and 13, along with answers to questions received from this week’s review.